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blog 101

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:31:11 GMT

THE BIG FAT PLAN

THAT WAS A BIG FAT SCAM

BUT FOR NOW LET’S GET DANCIN’ AGAIN!!!

AND AGAIN!!!

CENTERFOLD’S IS BACK BABY!!!

GET YOUR FREAK ON AND LET’S HAVE FUN!!!!

BUT GUESS WHO’S NOT DANCIN’

MAYOR NO FUN

Welcome all and today on the Blog we are now going on City Council meeting # 3, where one again they are considering the license renewal of Centerfold’s Cabaret. But first let’s do a recap of the first 2 meetings.

RECAP

MEETING #1

JUNE 17, 2025

2. The application for renewal was done but there was one unresolved issue. An issue Mayor Paine called a “Technicality.”

You have to have been opened 150 hours in the 6 months prior to renewal. The agent for Centerfold’s said that he already amassed 50 and had a plan in place to reach 150. In the time left from June 17-30 they could have been opened over 200 hours. So the 150 hours seemed like a moot point.

Frog Prell, the city attorney suggested that a conditional license be granted that would be awarded to them after proof of hours. Once they provided that, the process calls for Frog and City Clerk to sign off and give them the license. Pretty straightforward stuff.

But not for the Mayor and several members of City Council who suddenly reacted like they never passed grade 2 math.

So to sum it, up the Mayor concocted some weird scheme that I don’t think has ever been used before to not take a vote (see the last 2 blogs) and delayed a vote until the next meeting on July 1, the day after Centerfold’s current license expires. Centerfold’s closed at midnight on June 30. The fix was in.

MEETING # 2

JULY 1, 2025

3. Centerfold’s had to close down at midnight June 30, courtesy of Jim Paine and City Council, as their license had expired. It could have been completely avoided if they had signed off on Frog Prell’s suggestion at the previous meeting to give them a conditional license but Jim “The Schemer” Paine was not having it. A “Schemer” is a person who is involved in making secret or underhanded plans. He had a more diabolical plan in mind.

This meeting was kind of a repeat of the previous meeting (see the previous Blog), fuzzy math and stupid questions. It just occurred to me it might be that “Common Core Math”. Is that still around? You know 2+2=5. But one of the takeaways here is Centerfold’s had sent the proof of hours to Frog Prell, the city attorney prior to July 1. He then postponed any decision until the next meeting on July 15. This would ensure that Centerfold’s would stay shut down at least until then. And they did.

EVIL MAN WITH EVIL PLAN

Anyway, once again no decision and the next meeting is now on July.15, 2025.That’s it for the recap, now onto meeting # 3. Let’s see what happens. Read on.

JULY 15, 2025

MEETING # 3

WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?

4. Here we are a month after the first meeting and two weeks since Centerfold’s were forced to shut down. And all of this because of, as the Mayor said was “A Technicality”. And that “Technicality” was created by elected or non-elected City of Superior officials. I don’t know when this 150 hours requirement was enacted but it is not a state law in order to get a renewal. Just a thought, what if there was a fire and the ongoing repairs took over a year, would they lose their license because they couldn’t fulfill this 150 hours requirement? My guess, under Paine, it would depend who you were.

Before the meeting I went and looked at the agenda for tonight’s meeting and I discovered this:

“9.1. CITY ATTORNEY PRELL provides advice and options for handling of license renewal application for Cameo Investments II, LLC, Trade Name: Centerfolds Cabaret, located at 702 Tower Avenue for the license period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The Council may convene in closed session under Wis. Stat. sec. 19.85(1)(a) and (g) to discuss the June 17 council meeting wherein renewal of the Class “B” Beer, “Class B” Liquor and cabaret licenses relevant to Centerfolds was contemplated. Such meeting shall be closed under Wis. Stat. sec. 19.85(1)(a) to deliberate a case which was the subject of any judicial or quasi-judicial trial or hearing before the body. The meeting will also be closed under Wis. Stat. sec. 19.85(1)(g) to confer with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. Upon Motion and Second the Council may reconvene into open session under Wis. Statute 19.85(2) to take action, if any, related to closed session.”

5. Translation? They want to have a private, secret meeting off camera to discuss this. I know what you are all thinking. Why? Maybe because they are a bunch of corrupt, crooked politicians? At least some of them? Just sayin’. And by the wording it also seems that if they don’t renew the license they may be in a position of being sued. After thinking about it I emailed City Clerk Heidi Blunt and Frog Prell the following request:

From: brian noel

Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 4:37 PM

To: Prell, Frog <prellf@superiorwi.gov>; Blunt, Heidi <blunth@superiorwi.gov> Subject: Tuesday night council meeting

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get the following.

All elected or unelected people who attended the closed door meeting.
A transcript of the meeting.

Thank you,

Brian Noel

HER RESPONSE

“A draft of the minutes will be posted to the Agenda Center next week. This will contain the roll call of the open and closed portions of the meeting. We do not produce a transcript of the meetings.

Heidi Blunt

City Clerk

I also sent her an email on July 18:

From: brian noel briannoel2 Sent: Friday, July 18, 2025 10:00 AM To: Blunt, Heidi <blunth@superiorwi.gov> Subject: Re: Tuesday night council meeting

Will, or is there any way of watching or reading the closed portion of the meeting?

Thanks,

Brian

HER RESPONSE

Blunt, Heidi

From:blunth@superiorwi.gov

To:brian noel

No recording or transcript of the confidential meeting from closed session is available. The closed session of the meeting was not open to the public as allowed under Wis. Stat. sec. 19.85(1)(a) and (g).

Heidi Blunt

City Clerk

715-395-7369

Now back to the secret meeting. As per City Clerk Blunt’s instructions, I went on the Agenda Center and here are the people or Doomsday Preppers if you will, who attended that meeting:

MOTION to convene in closed session by Vice President Herrick, was seconded by Councilor Fennessey, and carried via voice vote. The council went into closed session at 7:26 p.m. in Room 204.

ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF CITY COUNCIL ENTERING MEETING

Attendees of the closed meeting included: Present: Virtual: Absent: Councilor Ledin, Councilor Anderson, Vice President Moffat, Councilor Sweeney, Councilor Fennessey, Councilor Elm, Councilor Ludwig, Vice President Herrick, President Graskey - 9 Vice President Herrick -1 Also Present: Mayor Paine, City Attorney Prell, Chief of Staff Baker, City Clerk Blunt, Police Chief Winterscheidt, Fire Chief Vollbrecht

6. After looking at the list I don’t understand why Police Chief Winterscheidt and Fire Chief Vollbrecht would be at the meeting. Their work as far as licenses go had already been done. As far as I know, before a license gets to city council for a vote the police, fire and health departments have to sign off and I believe they did.

So why would both of these chiefs be at the meeting? They don’t have a vote at city council. Seems strange to me. And why is this vote held off camera? It’s not like they are discussing the country’s nuclear codes. Is having a meeting like this even legal to have in the first place? I’m referring to the content of the meeting, which is trying to find a way not to renew a legal license. Here is what I mean. Is it legal if Council go into a “secret meeting to plot burning down somebody’s home or business? Because quite frankly, plotting to close down a business by not renewing their legal license isn’t much different. I know. I’ve been there.

And what is Paine’s obsession with shutting down Centerfold’s?

In the case of the Palace we know it was driven by the psychotic back stabbing baker Melissa Hyatt. Is there something or somebody else at play here? Is there something else going on behind the scenes? All I can say right now is that it is a possibility. Or did Jimmy have a bad experience at Centerfold’s? Maybe he was refused a lap dance, a phone number or something like that. Maybe or maybe not. I mean even strippers have standards.

7. And how often does city council have these kind of meetings? Glad you asked because I did for you. I sent City Clerk Blunt the following email:

From: brian noel Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2025 1:30 PM To: Blunt, Heidi <blunth@superiorwi.gov> Subject: Re: Tuesday night council meeting

Hi Heidi, I was wondering in the past 12 months how many times the council went into closed meetings during a council meeting. Also how long did each one of them last.

Thanks, Brian

HER RESPONSE

Blunt, Heidi

From:blunth@superiorwi.gov

To:brian noel

Good morning Mr. Noel,

Please submit this as a records request here: https://superiorwi.justfoia.com/Forms/Launch/d705cbd6-1396-49b7-939e-8d86c5a87deb

Heidi Blunt

City Clerk

715-395-7369

COMMENT

So I did:

Submitted

Mon, Jul 21, 2025

Status

Completed

Delivery Preference:

Electronic

Name of Requestor

Brian j Noel

Description of Request (Be as specific as possible, including name, dates, case numbers, etc., if known.)

I would like to know

A. How many closed sessions were held during city council meetings.

B. How long were each one.

Date Range From

1/1/2024

Date Range To

7/21/2025

THEIR ANSWER

Dear Requestor,

Common Council held just one closed session meeting in the last 12 months, on July 15, 2025. Minutes from that meeting are attached showing the time spent in the closed session portion of the meeting.

The request has been completed. Please click on the request link above to download the responsive documents that have been made available to you.

Thank you,

City of Superior, WI

1316 N. 14th St., Suite 200 Superior, WI 54880

(715) 395-7200

cityclerk@superiorwi.gov

COMMENTS

8. Can you imagine all the important subjects they spoke about at Council Meetings over the past year like NTEC, lead pipes, allocating millions of dollars, taxes, budgets, Jenny’s election defeat etc. and this is the only meeting they went into closed session. Seriously? Can I have another triple screwdriver (light on the orange juice). Thank you.

ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF CITY COUNCIL LEAVING MEETING

COMMENTS

9. So after three meeting spanning from June 17 until July 15. That’s 29 days if your counting or about 696 hours, what happened? The “Secret Meeting” lasted about 2 hours during a “flash flood weather warning”(seriously). So when Paine and his entourage of groundhogs emerged from their den, Jimmy had this to say:

“OK COUNCILORS, THE EFFECT OF THE QUESTION IF ADOPTED WILL BE IF THE LICENSEE PRESENTS EVIDENCE TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND TO THE CITY CLERK THAT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LICENSE HAVE BEEN MET AT THAT TIME THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONSIDER THAT THE LICENSE HAS BEEN RENEWED. THAT IS THE EFFECT OF THE MOTION. DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? IF THERE IS NO DISCUSSION I WILL TAKE A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. ANY OPINION BY THE CHAIR? THE MOTION CARRIES. COUNCILORS WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.”

COMMENTS

10. He then banged his little gavel and that was it. Total time from the time he started talking and taking the vote, 1 minute and 26 seconds. So something that in my world, the business world that should take about 2 minutes, in Paine’s world, the political world took 29 days or about 696 hours and 3 city council meetings. But why? Well that is because you have a Mayor and a few councilors that were obsessed with trying to figure a way to shut down a legal business while at the same time not getting sued for doing it.

By the way, if you were watching the last meeting live (which unfortunately I did), you would have had to watch the picture below for about 2 hours while they were in their “secret meeting”.

11. And on the pictures below you will see Paine after the “secret meeting”. The one on the left is Paine just before he took the vote to renew the license.(check out the time stamp). The one on the right is when he got home to the Notorious J. V. S.(that one is unconfirmed).

We were also able to get some pictures from that “secret meeting” as well. All unconfirmed at this point.

COMMENT

12. Also if you watch the video you can hear one councilor that voted against the license but the camera does not pick up the picture of who it was but it was a male voice so I sent an email to City Clerk Blunt with the following:

Hi,

Could you please provide me with name of the Councilor(s) who voted against the approval of the Centerfold's renewal license.

Thanks,

Brian Noel

HER RESPONSE

On Friday, July 18, 2025 at 07:47:01 AM PDT, Blunt, Heidi <blunth@superiorwi.gov> wrote:

I also saw your email from this morning asking for a list of dissenting votes from item 9.1 on Tuesday. The vote for that item was a voice vote, no roll call vote was recorded. “

Heidi Blunt

City Clerk

So on Aug 1, 2025, I sent the following email to all the male councilors.

Sent: Friday, August 1, 2025 at 02:43:46 AM PDT

Subject: City council meeting--July 15

From: brian noel

To: ledinn@superiorwi.gov <ledinn@superiorwi.gov>; moffatg@superiorwi.gov <moffatg@superiorwi.gov>; sweeneyj@superiorwi.gov <sweeneyj@superiorwi.gov>; fennesseyb@superiorwi.gov <fennesseyb@superiorwi.gov>; elmt@superiorwi.gov <elmt@superiorwi.gov>; herrickm@superiorwi.gov <herrickm@superiorwi.gov>; johnsonmark@superiorwi.gov <johnsonmark@superiorwi.gov>

Good morning,

At the Council meeting on July 15 one person, a male, voted against the renewal for the Centerfold's license renewal. It was a voice vote and unfortunately the camera did not pick it up the picture. My question is, did you vote against it?

Thank You,

Brian Noel

I received four responses. Elm, Herrick and Johnson replied “NO”. And then I got this from councilor Moffat.

Moffat, Garner

From:moffatg@superiorwi.gov

To:brian noel

I voted against it, I believe I was the only person.

-Garner

The other three Sweeney, Ledin and Fennessey did not respond.

COMMENTS

UNCONFIRMED PICTURE OF MOFFAT AT CENTERFOLDS

13. After 3 meetings the “Puppet called Moffat” is still carrying the Mayor’s dirty laundry. Unbelievable. Or did Moffat maybe have a bad experience at Centerfold’s? I don’t know. You’re guess is as good as mine.

14. Don’t kid yourself folks, this is a major blow to Jim Paine’s ego and resume as well as another black eye to Superior. I’ve never seen anyone that hates to lose like him. And what makes me worry is instead of accepting a loss and moving on, he has a tendency to double down. So I do fear what dirty deed he’s plotting to make up for this defeat. If I still lived in Superior, I'd clench my butt cheeks every morning, waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Businesses and companies must have trust and confidence in a stable government and apparatus which includes things like taxes, regulations and of course the politicians themselves for them to be long term investors in the areas where they do business. That’s the bottom line. And Superior, under Paine’s leadership, fails in every one of these requirements. I would argue that they are very close to the bottom of the list. I believe that Paine has set this city back decades with his style of governing and it’s going to take a very dynamic Mayor to turn it around.

15. Bottom line here is Paine and some City Councilors should be immediately be removed without pay from city government for conspiring to illegally trying to shut down a legitimate, legal business. An investigation should be initiated and if the investigation shows that is what they did, they should also be arrested and criminally charged.

UP NEXT

LOVE IN A GRAIN ELEVATOR?

MAYBE NOT!!!

16. You will see in the next article coming up where this phony 2 cent Mayor who struts around like a show pony at a county fair goes on like he is so distraught about the grain elevators closing down and the loss of 23 jobs yet he successfully colluded to close the Palace Bar in 2022, illegally in my opinion, and then tried to do almost the same thing to Centerfolds which between the two would have had roughly the same amount of jobs.

And we going to take a look at another bleeding heart, Rep. Angela Stroud, D-Ashland who also has something to say about the closure. I will call this article “Tears of two pandering clowns” named after the song “Tears of a Clown” written by Stevie Wonder and sung by the great Smokey Robinson who I saw here in Vegas in April 2024. But no tears for us Argentina or Superior or Ashland.

WHO IS ANGELA STROUD?

17. I’ve spent my career as an educator because I believe in the importance of helping people understand how society works so that we can be empowered to make change. I love learning new things, especially from passionate people who have gifts to share. I believe that there are no problems that are too complex or difficult to solve. What is required is a deep understanding of issues—which should always include learning from the people who are most affected—creative thinking, a tireless work ethic, and an unwavering conviction that a better future is possible.

Before getting into this race, I was researching political divides in American culture. In that process I realized that I could keep trying to explain the forces that are pulling us apart, or I could do something about it. That’s why I’m running for office: because I believe that no matter who we vote for, we’re all in this together, and we have to start acting like it. There’s too much at stake to give up on democracy.

18. I moved to Ashland in 2012 for work and fell in love with the lake and north woods, the Chequamegon Bay community, and the larger region. People have a deeper connection to life and place here than I’ve experienced anywhere else. One of my favorite things about Northern Wisconsin is how much of the culture revolves around being outdoors and how we live according to the seasons.

In my house, summers are for growing a garden, boating and hanging out on the beach, fishing, playing softball, camping, and having cookouts with friends and family. Fall is for canning and putting the garden to bed, processing apples, chopping firewood, hunting, and processing deer. Winter is all about skiing, reading by the fire, having a house full of friends, family, and hot food. When spring finally rolls around, we tap maple trees and boil sap, start planning the garden, and try to keep the dog from trashing the house with her muddy paws. By late spring we’re all dreaming of summer, and we can’t wait to get back out on the lake. Every season is right for walking in our woods, sitting by a fire, and admiring our area’s spectacular sunsets.

I live just south of Ashland in the Town of Gingles with my partner, Cynthia Belmont, who is a writer and professor at Northland College. My step-son Harry is 2024 graduate of Ashland High School.

19.

HERE ARE SOME OF HER ISSUES

Protecting the Lake Superior Watershed

From Superior to Bad River, the 73rd is the Lake Superior watershed district. I will partner with all water protectors in helping to ensure that we keep Lake Superior and the larger ecosystem safe from any threats. Click here to learn more, including my stance on NTEC (I will print that letter on NTEC later in this article, she of course is against it).

2. Supporting Teachers and Strengthening Schools

From pre-school to tech colleges and universities, teaching is among the most noble professions. We need to start treating it that way when it comes to pay, respect, and support. (Of course we do. Just keep sending them more money, that’s the solution)

3. Fighting for Reproductive Justice and Healthcare

From birth control and abortion care to the right to have a safe and healthy pregnancy, we need to expand access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. (Naturally, it’s the #1 issue for women over 50 and males of all ages)

4. Advocating for Secure and Affordable Housing

From school attendance to workforce development for local businesses, a lack of access to secure and affordable housing destabilizes families and communities. (No Angela, Democratic policies do all that)

COMMENTS

20. This info was taken from her website just so you know. Just a typical dime a dozen liberal like Bernie, AOC, The Squad etc, etc, etc. She never had a real job. She doesn’t mention illegal immigration, the border, lowering taxes (other than all her ideas would require you to pay more of them), public safety, support or funding law enforcement, the massive drug problem, men in women’s sports, no cash bail, justice reform, smaller government, less regulations or redistricting (see next paragraph). In other words she’s all in on all the “20%” issues. Not the issues that about 80% of the people are worried about. And the 4 issues I just wrote about are the only ones on her website, I didn’t cherry pick them.

21. Due to redistricting, the 73rd district's incumbent representative Angie Sapik announced she would not seek re-election in 2024, after which Stroud entered the race. I wonder if she is supporting the Republican Texas gerrymandering effort. Probably not. During the campaign, Stroud ran on giving more public funding to Wisconsin public schools(no thanks, we give them too much already) and supporting more environmental regulations (just what we need, more regulations), especially to combat PFAS contamination. With the opening of the 107th Wisconsin Legislature Stroud joined the Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus.

While she was earning her PhD, Stroud taught as a professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin from 2008 until 2012.

Following the completion of her PhD, Stroud moved to Ashland in 2012 and began teaching at Northland College . At Northland, Stroud served as a professor of Sociology and Social Justice, where she taught courses including Sociology of Gender and Sexuality, Undoing Racism, Sociology of Community, Human Rights and Social Justice, and Introduction to Sociology.

By the way, if I took all those courses and graduated what kind of job could I get other than being a politician?

22. So what makes Angela special or different? Nothing. Will she make a difference? I highly doubt it. She is as vanilla as vanilla gets and as predictable as predictable gets. I’m sure she will vote right down party lines. Great for the Dems, bad for the state and country. But she does remind me of somebody.

ANGELA’S LETTER ABOUT NTEC

Bad River’s Legal Battle Against Line 5

The 73rd district runs from Superior to Bad River, covering nearly the entirety of our state’s Lake Superior shoreline. Protecting the lake is one of the central issues of my campaign because if those of us who live here and love the lake don’t fight to protect it, who will? There are practical reasons to protect the lake: it provides drinking water for most of the people in the district, and recreation and fishing represent enormous parts of our economy and our culture.

COMMENTS

23. Boring, Vanilla, Predictable, Expected. Typical liberal nonsense. Could we please start electing new people with new ideas instead of these clones?

MORE BAD NEWS FOR SUPERIOR

AND MAYOR PAINE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND

CHS to close Superior terminal

The Twin Ports' largest grain elevator will cease operation on Aug. 31.

By Shelley Nelson July 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM

24. SUPERIOR — CHS Inc. officials notified local officials and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development that the company plans to permanently close the largest grain elevator in the Twin Ports.

The facility, at 41 Dock St. in Superior, will cease operations effective Aug. 31, according to the notice provided to the Department of Workforce Development.

The decision has been decades in the making with the decline in the volume of grain that transits through the Superior terminal, said John Griffith, senior vice president of ag business and CHS Hedging.

“It’s not just a CHS decline,” Griffith said. “It’s an entire grain export from the Duluth-Superior port that has declined over the past couple of decades, and it finally reached the point where there wasn’t the critical mass of grain movements through the port anymore.”

He said with the progression of larger unit trains, and new facilities, grain can be moved to deep-water ports and moved on larger ships that have lower costs for transportation to reach the same customers.

“I think that has been kind of the evolution over time that has brought us to this point after nearly 90 years in the port,” Griffith said.

The difficult part of the decision was the employees, Griffith said.

The closure will impact 23 union employees, who will be permanently separated from the company Sept. 8. Two additional employees will continue to work until about Dec. 31.

25.“My heart goes out to them,” said Rep. Angela Stroud, D-Ashland, who was notified about the closure by company officials Thursday, July 10.

OUT OF

COMMENTS

Cry me a river Angela. People lose their jobs every day. And would you feel the same way if they were not unionized? I doubt it. Look, it sucks that they are closing and it sucks that these people are losing their jobs but unfortunately that’s what happens when technology advances and it’s been happening since the beginning of time. How many millions of people and Mom and Pop shops have lost their jobs and businesses when big box stores like Walmart started up. And then the internet came along. .

And then came Amazon who hurt them and some of the big box stores and almost all department stores. Remember Sears? It hurt my family business. This really should not come as a big surprise. So employees, business and governments have to pivot and adjust when “progress” changes the playing field.

BACK TO THE STORY…

26. Angela said “I understand it. I, myself, just got laid off last year. It’s extremely disruptive, and you know, frankly, depressing and scary. So, I understand what they’re going through and I really feel for them, and I’m here to help in any way I possibly can.”

COMMENTS

In the spring of 2024, Stroud was involved in efforts to prevent Northland College from shutting down. As part of these efforts, she proposed reductions in staff and the number of students, as well as renting out residential halls and office spaces. Stroud, along with eight other faculty members, was laid off in May, at the end of the 2023–2024 school year as part of an initial restructuring plan meant to keep Northland College open. The funny and hypocritical thing is she wanted to fire some of the staff but she got fired.

While I appreciate your feelings for the people maybe you could work in your job as the representative in the 73rd Assembly District to create an environment in Wisconsin for businesses to invest and expand in order to create new jobs.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Stroud encouraged anyone who has difficulty with the unemployment system to reach out to her office for assistance.

COMMENTS

27. As I said a second ago “maybe you could work in your job as the representative in the 73rd Assembly District” and use that to improve the unemployment department. And why should these people get any special treatment? Can anybody in your district call your office for any problems with the unemployment department? Because if you are OK with that you will be working 24/7 with unemployment claims.

BACK TO THE STORY…

“It’s devastating anytime you lose a significant employer,” Stroud said.

Superior Mayor Jim Paine, who was briefed on the closure Thursday morning, said he was told the reason is tied to the global economy and global shipping routes.

“It’s obviously bad news, especially for those employees, and we need to do what we can to take care of them, but this is one of the challenges of working with commodities-based industry,” Paine said.

COMMENTS

28. Excuse me Mayor Paine but you don’t and should not do anything. These 23 people losing their jobs are grown adults. They are unionized. They should seek help from the unemployment office and their union. It’s not the job of the city or the taxpayers to “help” them or any other business in a situation like this. Your job is to create an environment to bring and attract business to Superior and in that department you have been an epic fail.

And what exactly do you mean by “But this is one of the challenges of working with commodities-based industry.”

Here is a brief explanation of commodities.

A. In the financial world, commodities are basic goods or raw materials that are largely interchangeable regardless of who produced them. Think of them as the building blocks for other products.

B. They are traded on specialized exchanges: Commodities are bought and sold on commodity exchanges, similar to how stocks are traded on stock exchanges.

C. Supply and demand: This is the primary driver of commodity prices. When demand exceeds supply, prices tend to rise, and vice versa.

The businesses that sell those commodities like CHS, Exon etc., are no different than any other business like stores, manufacturing, restaurants etc. They are driven by profits. No profits, no business. That’s it in a nutshell.

29. So, I really don’t understand when you say “challenges of working with commodities-based industry.” I don’t see any “challenges” for you or the city other than have a business friendly environment for them to operate in and it’s clear that Superior, under your leadership doesn’t pass that test. In fact what Jim Paine and this City Council have done is turned Superior into just a heap of toxic bovine manure in the mind of many businesses.

BACK TO THE STORY...

30. Exports of grain by ship from the Port of Duluth-Superior have been falling for decades, down from a high of 9.2 million metric tons in 1978 to 645,000 tons in 2022, the lowest since 1890.

The 2023 and 2024 shipping seasons were only slight improvements at 790,000 and 794,000 tons, respectively, according to port statistics. That is driven, in part, by a changing market.

For example, soybeans now go by rail to the West Coast, and the geographic area where grains were harvested before being sent to the port for transport has shrunk, among other factors.

And in late 2022, fewer ocean-going vessels, or salties, were reaching Duluth with wind turbine components, making it less likely — and more expensive — to send empty salties into the westernmost port on the Great Lakes.

Part of the problem was the war in Ukraine, which shifted European demand for corn and beans from the Black Sea to some Great Lakes ports like Chicago and Toledo. Salties discharging in lakes Michigan, Erie or Huron are less likely to sail empty to the Port of Duluth-Superior to fill up with grain, CHS officials said at the time. The war continues more than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a major agricultural producer on the continent.

31. Despite lower shipping figures, grain has still moved through the Twin Ports by train, including at CHS. However, unlike shipping’s tonnage reports, the amount of grain moved by rail is not public.

“The CHS decision to cease operations at its Superior terminal is a disappointing blow to the Port of Duluth-Superior and the community as a whole," the Duluth Seaway Port Authority wrote in a prepared statement. "Most immediately, our thoughts are with the employees who will be affected by this decision. We will work with the city of Superior to seek solutions that could lead to a more positive outcome, and hopefully, continued use of this grain terminal.”

“Those are really large and effective grain elevators so sitting empty and doing nothing is not its best future,” Paine said.

Stroud said she asked what would happen to the facility, and CHS representatives said they would be available to help transition the infrastructure CHS owns to any entities that might be interested.

“It’s very possible that … another company would have interest in doing very similar activities at the facility,” Griffith said. “The facility is certainly still operational, so we will look to disposition the facility in the most effective and thoughtful way possible, up to and including a sale of the facility,” Griffith said.

“This is bad news for that pier and that terminal, but in terms of the port overall, the port is still growing, and the port is still performing very strongly,” Paine said. “We just had that $28 million investment in C. Reiss just a little ways over. There’s still growth and strength in global shipping, but it is a moving economy.”

FINAL COMMENTS

32. So, is this a big story? Symbolically yes. Financially, yes and no. You’ve lost 23 good paying union jobs. Many employees have families who own homes and have families that financially contribute to the stability of the city. Will they stay here? Will they move out of town to find employment? Will some other company take over and keep these employees? Time will tell. But we lose businesses all the time. And that means we lose jobs. In this case it’s 23,but other times it’s, 12, 10, 8,11, and they all add up. And when you have lousy Mayors like Paine and throw in a lousy Governor like Evers(thank God he’s on his way out), it makes it hard to attract new businesses.

33. Many business have closed in the 15 years I lived in Superior with little to no fanfare. No stories from the press and certainly nothing from Paine. So why did Paine and Rep. Angela Stroud pick this story to shed their phony tears over? It’s because these two Marxists/Socialists types are pandering to their perceived base, which in this case are the unions. But the funny thing is the local union here in Superior and I assume Ashland have turned their backs on Paine and Stroud because of their stand on NTEC.

SOME NTEC FACTS

How many employees would the NTEC project have?

34. The proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) project in Superior, Wisconsin is projected to create about 350 construction jobs and 25 permanent jobs.

The construction phase of the project is expected to create a significant number of jobs, with estimates placing the number at around 350 positions. This offers substantial employment opportunities for skilled workers in the construction trades in the area.

Upon completion of the plant, around 25 permanent positions would be created. It's worth noting that Minnesota Power has pledged to prioritize hiring union members for both the temporary and permanent positions.

This commitment to union labor is considered a major benefit by local union representatives, who highlight the potential for long-term careers and benefits for workers in the area. The NTEC project would be one of the largest private investments in Douglas County's history.

Current status and potential further delays

The plant has a December 2028 deadline to reach commercial operation under an extension granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
However, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources notes the owners haven't reapplied for an air permit and the state has yet to issue a stormwater permit.
Other permits are also set to expire.

JOB KILLER

Superior Mayor Jim Paine, who now opposes the project, doubts it will ever be built.

In summary, while there's a deadline for commercial operation, securing necessary permits and navigating potential legal challenges could significantly impact the actual timeline of the NTEC project.

Paine also said back then that the U.S. has enough energy. And ever since then you can’t go a day without reading an article that says we are going to have an energy crisis. In fact today there is a headline in the news that says “The U.S. is projected to hit record power usage in 2025.”

On March 21, 2024 Jim Paine said he didn’t appreciate veiled or direct threats, adding he expects the utility to respect any final decision. “If it’s not, I cannot be bullied out of that. We will see you in court,” Paine said. (Guess who’s going to be paying for that? You the taxpayers are.) “I’m not afraid to defend the decisions of the city or its governing bodies.” (all by spending your money on lawyers and embarrassing your city)

Construction jobs at NTEC, the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center in Superior, Wisconsin, were initially expected to last for several years, offering a "once in a lifetime project" opportunity for local union members.

However, the project has faced significant delays due to regulatoryproceedings, court challenges, and a federal environmental review. Environmental and Indigenous groups have also actively fought against the project, according to the Sierra Club . In fact, the Superior Mayor has even declared it a "dead project" with "no meaningful path to construction," despite a recent permit issuance.

Therefore, while the original intent was for long-term construction jobs, the future duration of these jobs at NTEC is currently uncertain due to these ongoing challenges and delays.

COMMENTS CONTINUED

35. So they are pandering to a base that wants nothing to to do with them. How stupid can you get? So please save your crocodile tears for somebody who cares because I’m not buying it and I suspect most people don’t either.

36. Paine and Stroud should take some advice from President Trump when he said recently,

USA! USA! USA!

“I want all businesses within our country to thrive, in fact, thrive like never before! The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us. We are setting records every day and I want to keep it that way!”

But unfortunately I believe Paine has been following the playbook of Barack Obama who I believe is the worst president in my lifetime by a long shot, who has been recently been referred to the Justice Department for his possible role in the Russian Collusion scandal.

He doesn’t care about the prosperity and quality of life of the people of Superior. He only cares about his resume and he seems to think the only way to improve that is to use his position and power as Mayor to enhance it. Even when he tries to use it in evil and sometimes illegal ways. Which unfortunately he seems to do far too often.

37. I thought you might be interested in this article from The Pacific Legal Foundation. It talks about government overreach on legal businesses, which is something we talk a lot about here on the Blog.

Court rules cannabis inspections violated Fourth Amendment

May 15, 2025

By DANIEL WOISLAW

In a victory for constitutional rights, the New York Supreme Court for Albany County recently ruled in Super Smoke N’ Save v. New York State Cannabis Control Board that unannounced, warrantless searches of regulated marijuana businesses violated the Fourth Amendment. This decision is significant, not just for cannabis business owners but for anyone concerned about government overreach and the erosion of constitutional protections in regulated industries.

At its core, the ruling reaffirms a fundamental principle: Simply choosing to operate in a regulated industry does not mean a business owner surrenders their rights against unreasonable searches. While some industries’ products or activities may be sufficiently dangerous to justify exceptions to the warrant requirement, like underground mining or the sale of intoxicating substances such as marijuana, the Constitution still demands that any regulatory inspection scheme be narrowly tailored to prevent arbitrary enforcement. In this case, New York’s cannabis regulations failed to provide sufficient limits on the discretion of officers conducting inspections, leading the court to enjoin their enforcement.

For too long, courts have been overly deferential to regulatory agencies, allowing them to conduct warrantless searches on the assumption that the price of participation in a regulated industry is lesser constitutional protection. But the Fourth Amendment does not carve out exceptions for government convenience. It protects “persons, houses, papers, and effects” from unreasonable searches and seizures. and since this nation’s founding, the prototypical unreasonable search is a “general search,” which the courts have described as one unconstrained in scope or breadth.

The ruling in Super Smoke N’ Save is a reminder that the government does not get a free pass simply because it is enforcing regulatory compliance rather than investigating a crime. Regulatory searches do not usually require probable cause, because inspectors are not necessarily looking for evidence of criminal conduct. However, this lack of a probable cause requirement makes it even more important that the laws governing inspections include strict limits on the discretion of the officers conducting them. Typically, these include a defined set of specific items or conditions that are to be inspected for compliance, along with limits on the timing and frequency of searches.

In police investigations, a warrant serves two key functions: First, it must be based on some evidence (“probable cause”), and second, it places limits on where the officers can search and what they can take (“particularity”). But in regulatory inspections, where probable cause is not required, a law’s failure to place limits is a recipe for abuse. If the government can search a business at any time, for any reason, without any real limits, then there is effectively no check against harassment and political targeting. The court in Super Smoke N’ Save correctly recognized that the cannabis inspection regime failed this constitutional test, granting officers too much unchecked discretion to invade private property.

COMMENTS

Remember when the City of Superior conducted around 90 “Walk Throughs” in about 90 days at the Palace which was coordinated by Mayor Paine and the several police officers?

BACK TO THE STORY...

While this ruling is a welcome victory for business owners, it highlights a much larger issue: Courts historically have been too permissive in allowing warrantless regulatory searches. The problem is particularly severe when courts expand the so-called “closely regulated industry” doctrine to cover industries that are not inherently dangerous. Despite the Supreme Court describing the doctrine as a “narrow” exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement, lower courts have repeatedly stretched this doctrine beyond its intended scope, applying it to businesses like convenience stores and even barbershops.

The Framers did not design the Fourth Amendment to be selectively applied based on the whims of lawmakers deciding which industries warrant stricter oversight.

The constitutional rule should be simple: The Fourth Amendment permits warrantless searches of businesses and activities that were subject to them under the background law and customs that existed when it was ratified in 1791, and unless a business or activity has no historic analog and is inherently dangerous, like a munitions factory, there is no reason to depart from the warrant requirement merely because the legislature has designated an activity for stricter oversight. The alternative—allowing legislatures to regulate the Fourth Amendment out of existence.

Hopefully, the Super Smoke N’ Save decision marks a turning point. More courts should recognize that businesses do not forfeit their rights simply because they operate in a regulated field. And ultimately, the Supreme Court should take up the issue and clarify that the Fourth Amendment’s protections cannot be legislated away.

38. Well, that’s it for today. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.

Brian

blog 100

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:02:28 GMT

ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE!!!

AND DANCE!!!

AND DANCE SOME MORE!!!

BUT HE SAID NO!!!

Welcome to Blog 100. Today’s question is “To dance or not to dance?” The answer. We still don’t know. The Centerfold’s saga continues due to our beloved Mayor Paine. We have a new article from July 8 in the Superior Telegram written by Maria “The Hatchet” Lockwood, the “Compadre” of “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson. And in typical Superior Telegram reporting it’s devoid of important facts.

2. But we will start today with an in-depth analysis of the June 17, 2025 Superior City Council meeting. We did cover a lot of that story on the last Blog but I went back and watched the video and it gave me a more accurate view of what was really going on. You get to see the body language and interactions of the Mayor, Council and others. If you like to see corruption, collusion and how they make the sausage then this video is for you. And I also want to point out that since my last Blog I was able to obtain additional information from outside sources. Below is the link of that meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umoxDMS GeZw&t=137s

COMMENTS

3. If you go back to June 17, 2025 meeting to determine the fate of Centerfold’s license, Paine starts with a statement saying to council “That this will be new to most of you”. Then he goes on this hard to understand, “we are going to this, that and the other” speech. Spoken just like a corrupt, crooked politician which he is. He then goes on to say that “the city ultimately recommends non-renewal”. He then brings up Mr. Peddycoart, the agent for Centerfold’s and tells him he has 3 minutes to speak. Mr. Peddycoart tells council he will meet the 150 hour threshold and that he has a plan for that.

4. And then the ill prepared “Puppet called Moffat” asks this intelligent question, “How long does ah the current license um stay active like if they if we take no action this evening um when does the current one expire?” The City Clerk informs him June 30. Thanks for coming prepared Mr. Puppet. It’s always the same date every year for everybody.

TOOLER VISITING WASHINGTON

Then not to be outdone, Tooler Elmo goes on this long line of absolutely stupid questions and comments. If I didn’t know better I would have thought that this was the first time these two Councilors ever attended a meeting.

MIKE HERRICK

5. But then a moment of sanity from Councilor Mike Herrick. He hit the nail on the head when he asked the following question.

“Yeah I don’t know if we know, but was there a reason why the business hadn’t been running as a regular business?

City Clerk Heidi Blunt response was,”I don’t know that information”.

WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?

6. Fair enough. It isn’t her job to know the reasons why. But you would think that the Mayor and City Council would be curious that a business that has been around for over 20 years and don’t have any history of doing this would at least be something to look at. When I read the Telegram article that was one of the first questions that I had. But not surprisingly that was not addressed. Whatever happened to investigative reporting? The agent for Centerfold’s, Mr. Peddycoart was right there. Why didn’t any member of the Council or the Mayor ask him? Since this whole case, if you want to call it that, revolves around Centerfold’s being shut down, knowing why they were closed would maybe help them understand the situation that they are dealing with. But nobody did. Why? Because they don’t care. They have a much more sinister motive as you will see as we go along.

7. And no sooner after Ms. Blunt answered Mr. Herrick’s question, in fact only 3 seconds (I counted), Chief Deflector for the Mayor, Lindsey “Spuds” Graskey, the City Council President, yes, ugh, President, chimes in and changes the subject and enlightens us with a series of stupid questions and statements and brings us back to the world of insanity. Here are some of them but you should watch the video to see our Council President in action.

This is where she kind of casts doubt on Mr. Peddycoart ‘s assertion that he already has been opened 50 hours prior to tonight’s meeting. It’s an around about way of accusing him of being a liar. But the funny thing is she never asks Mr. Peddycoart if he can provide the proof which I find strange considering she’s only a few feet in front of him.

8. Even stranger is not one Councilor asked Mr. Peddycoart anything during the entire meeting. Did someone instruct the Council before the meeting not to ask Mr. Peddycoart any questions? In fact why didn’t Mr. Herrick not address his question directly to Mr. Peddycoart?

Here is what I know. Mr. Peddycoart was never sent any communication from the city prior to the meeting to bring or provide that evidence. Mr. Peddycoart like many other bar owners including me, did not know about the 150 hour rule and he only found about it late in the game but with ample time to be able to meet the 150 hours. He then put a plan in place that not only would he meet the 150 hours, but he would exceed them. And in the end he did.

Then Spuds goes on and said she had done some research and came to the conclusion that based on the hours posted on Centerfold’s website that he could only obtain 140 hours between the day of the meeting and midnight June 30 when his license expired.

9. What she failed to mention is all Mr. Peddycoart would have to do is add less than an hour more per day to his hours and he would easily reach the 150 hours. She also fails to mention that if the 50 hours that Mr. Peddycoart claims he has already banked is true he would reach 190 hours without changing his current posted hours.

But what did happen in the end is Mr. Peddycoart changed his hours so that he would reach 150+ hours making the 50 hours argument irrelevant.

She seemed flustered and confused and I’m not exactly sure why? But I do have a pretty good idea. It’s hard to convince somebody that it’s a beautiful sunny day during a torrential storm. Telling the truth has it’s benefits.

LINDSEY GRASKEY PLAYING TENNIS ON A SUNNY DAY

10. Then the Mayor says that he can’t prove that they did or didn’t open those hours and just went on one of his indecipherable word salad explanations that made little to no sense.

Then Ms. Graskey starts yakking about “daily reports, pay stubs, credit card transaction slips, hours of operation, invoices and things along those lines” to prove that Mr. Peddycoart was in fact opened those 50 hours. I guess when you works around liars you assume everyone else is a liar too. And then she said that they still haven’t paid their 600.00 fee. City Clerk Heidi Blunt who is in charge of collections breaks in and informs the uninformed Ms. Graskey that in fact, it has been paid. And that was that. You really need to watch the video folks.

11. Then Mayor Paine seems to be having some kind of brain fart as to what to do next, including a “Joe Biden” type pause. And then once again he goes on this ridiculous rant that makes no sense at all. One example is Paine said that he, Mr. Peddycoart has to convince everyone on Council that he has met the requirements and then he said that something to the effect that he, Mr. Peddycoart may be able to convince Mr. Fennessey but he may not be able to convince Ms. Graskey. May I remind Mr. Paine that Mr. Peddycoart is not being charged with shooting a baby under a cloud of circumstantial evidence. He only has to produce proof that he was opened 150 hours. He is not obliged to do anything other than that but I’m sure if asked, I would assume he would be happy to answer any of your questions. And why didn’t you ask him any questions?

12. Now “Spuds” is back. As soon as the Mayor was finished with that nauseating explanation, Ms. Graskey decides she has something to say. This is word for word.

“Ya I appreciate it, I mean, and I’m not saying you have to have a point of sale system or any of that but I hope that whatever I have found today by doing research that I don’t find that there is the 150 hours that will be fulfilled that I can find, I mean, you can say 20 but um I’m just seeing that so thank you.”

No Ms. Graskey, thank you. Thank you for making me stupider than I was about 5 minutes ago. Please don’t do any more research. And what does the “20” mean? And by the way he did fulfill the 150 hours. And he had a few ways he could have done it and very easily and yet you claim that your “research” told you he could not get there. A 10 year old child could have done the math and figured it out but you couldn’t.

14. Next up is Councilor Fennesey. As I stated on the last Blog, he gave one of the most compelling arguments about this whole mess and I hope you watch it. It’s at minute 22 on the video.

Frog Prell is up next and he says that the 150 hour rule is a local one but I thought the Mayor said earlier that it was a state law. In any event it really doesn’t matter. It’s a stupid rule regardless.

And then Frog suggests they should put some of the questions to Mr. Peddycoart that they have been asking to themselves. I totally agree with Frog. But none of them did. Isn’t that hard to believe? How do you run a city like this?

14. Councilor Fennessy then asks a few questions to clarify renewal vs. a new license. Fair enough. I thought the question was for Frog.

But then Paine once again goes on another of his crazy rants. But one thing he said struck me. He said that in the event that Centerfold’s were forced to apply for a new license instead of a renewal...Here are his words.

“Can we bring other factors beyond this? Do we consider this as a clean slate? Not just should we reopen this? Because if it’s a new license, I believe we can look at this a new license. The you can consider anything you want. That’s the danger to the licensee. That’s the danger that he kind of willingly walked into. So right now, all we are talking about is does he meet the qualifications for renewal? And I think we have all established that he doesn’t. But I believe but I’ll seek legal advice and present that to you. But I believe that when I get into the next meeting if it’s a new application you can consider just about any reason for approving or not approving. You can decide you want fewer taverns in that neighborhood, you can decide that you don’t want cabarets of that nature in that neighborhood. You can look at the past history of it. All of that becomes a factor with a new license.”

COMMENT

15. And the truth is finally revealed. Make sure we don’t renew the existing license, make him apply for a new one and throw everything including the kitchen sink at him and vote to not approve it. And that ladies and gentleman will be the last dance for Centerfold’s and for any other strip club in that location for that matter. Maybe they could open a Jim and Jenny Paine merchandise store and wax museum there instead and of course 100% funded by the fine taxpayers of Superior. Sounds like a winner to me.

16. After that, Councilor Fennessey asked City Clerk Blunt a couple of licensing questions. No issues there. Just a side note. When you watch the video don’t these people look like they are having their last meal before being carted off to the gas chamber.

17. And now Councilor Moffat reading entirely off his computer, which means it was pre-planned, had this to say. And this is significant because it tells me exactly what I thought when I first heard about this story. The purpose of this whole meeting is to make sure that Centerfold’s does not get a renewal and forces them to apply for a new license. Why is that important? Because on a renewal you can’t bring up past issues because they have been resolved. I guess it’s like double jeopardy. I Googled that and here is the result.

“The double jeopardy law, enshrined in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protects individuals from being tried or punished twice for the same offense. This protection prevents the government from repeatedly prosecuting a person, ensuring finality in judgments and preventing harassment through repeated trials”.

18. If they apply for a new license than everything goes. They can bring up things from the past, impose all kind of restrictions including weaponizing of the zoning board and more. And another thing. If the plan was not to block Centerfold’s from getting a renewal then explain to me why Moffat had this little speech on his computer? Did Moffat actually write this himself? By the way he read it, I would say no. I know it’s painful and it might make you want to go to the gas chamber yourself but please watch the video and notice how Moffat doesn’t take his eyes off his computer. So without further adieu (that’s french again) here is the “Puppet Called Moffat’s” own words or perhaps somebody else’s. Any guesses?

19. “Yeah just um want to ask a question will this be operating or is currently uh operating right now I guess operating as an adult oriented business is classified by article 7 division 3 section uh 122 city code. Yeah, of them our planning code has very specific guidelines regarding those businesses. Um and uh it says in section 122-840 um applicability uh that provisions of this section apply to all existing businesses and future adult entertainment businesses. However any such existing businesses that do not meet the zoning district restrictions or the distance limitations may continue as a non-conforming use provided, however that no such business may be enlarged or increased in size or be discontinued for a period of more than 12 months. And so I guess if it’s operating in that method um essentially you know if we don’t really have um the information we need tonight to renew a license because they haven’t met the guidelines and I, I would say this probably needs some further investigation but I would suggest that if they are applying for a new permit I’m not sure if they meet the requirements in a C4 district to operate an adult oriented entertainment business.

COMMENT

20. Did you get all that? Holy shit this guy really is total jackass. But what’s important here is now you get to see this whole shit show, orchestrated by Jim “Sour Note” Paine and a supporting cast including Lindsey “Spuds” Graskey, Tooler Elmo, The Puppet Called Moffat and even unfortunately Mark “The Teacher” Johnson were really up to. I will defer the rest of my time once again to Craig Sutherland’s Facebook post from Feb 4, 2025. Short and to the point. And I’ll include some readers comments.

This guy is fucking nuts.

READERS COMMENTS

Yup. I think the minions are trying to out talk everyone else
Yup I’m watching him polish Jim’s shoes while he talks
that’s not his shoe he’s polishing.
didn’t mean to offend you but having sat on that council it’s easier to make a statement that isn’t directed to one person but easier to find humor in a response or behavior. There was nothing said by Councilor Moffat that was directed to the resolution as presented. Watch the meeting and then watch the last one and then watch the next one. There are pet projects and issues that involve some councilors to the affect of showing relevance. Look at the 2nd District Councilor. She has an appointment so a five second answer becomes a 5 minute speech with drama, confusion, and anger. (COMMENT-That was Jenny Van Sickle’s District at the time)
Go back a few years on his posts and that says everything you need to know about him
He was something else went on and on wondering who wrote that ALL up for him

AND MY FAVORITE

7. They can't even get along as a council. How are they supposed to run a business.

MELISSA HYATT

21. Next, Paine responds to the Puppet’s last comments

“Uh I, I would of course you’re right. I would have to consult with the planning director on that. Uh and but it’s a pretty significant if that’s true it’s pretty significant for issuing a new license.”

COMMENT

So Mayor Paine are you wanting us to believe you have not spoken to the planning director prior to the meeting? Or maybe someone in the planning director’s office? Or perhaps had somebody else do that for you? Or spoken to Frog about it? Because it seems to me that weaponizing the planning department would be a big part of your diabolical plan to shut down Centerfold’s. You really expect us to believe that?

22. Now Mark “The Teacher” Johnson speaks. Now, usually Councilor is a level headed guy but when I listened to him on the video(did I mention you all should watch it?) my first thought was do you have to take a breathalyzer test before Council meetings. He begins by asking if the city can impose more restrictions (because we need more of those don’t we?) over and beyond what already exists and then the Mayor once again goes on another word salad and says yes and then babbles on a bunch BS. But here is what struck me in Mr. Johnson’s ridiculous speech was the following.”

MARK THE TEACHER JOHNSON

23. “So even if um you know, again, I don’t think we’ve met the standard of 150 hours um I’d have to do some quick math, but 100 hours in two weeks doesn’t seem impossible but it just like it could be difficult for him to get to that 100 hours in the next two weeks. Um I guess I would be more in favor of maybe a non-renewal tonight and then if they continue to do to look forward if they continue to look to uh continue that establishment there that we would um maybe look at some additional um conditions beyond what our ordinances are already are.”

COMMENTS

So Mark “The Teacher” Johnson, all the councilors and the Mayor tonight seem to be having basic math problems. You have to wonder if they all gulped back a bottle of stupid pills or perhaps corrupt capsules before the meeting. “The Teacher” said the following.

“I’d have to do some quick math, but 100 hours in two weeks doesn’t seem impossible but it just like it could be difficult for him to get to that 100 hours in the next two weeks.”

COMMENTS

24. Sorry “Teach” but here is some really quick math. Centerfold’s has the ability in two weeks to open a total of 282 hours. Here’s the math. 14 days X 20 hours and add 1 extra for weekends (6AM-2AM,2:30AM on weekends)=282 hours. And if the 50 hours they claim that they have already been open is right that brings the total to 332 hours. Here’s the math Mark 282 + 50 = 332. Pretty basic math. That took me less than 2 minutes to figure out and I’m not a teacher. In fact I would put a bet, a heavy one, that most of your students could figure that out as well but for some strange reason you’re not feeling it. Don’t you think that with their business license on the line they would easily fulfill the only thing that they need to do to get their renewal? And by the way with the new information I have, they did.

I am very disappointed and also surprised in Mark “The Teacher” Johnson’s performance at this meeting. So much so that am I officially adding him to the “Tool Academy” to join his buddy “Tooler Elmo” and I will refer to him in the future as Mark “Teacher Tool” Johnson. Sorry but your just a “Tool.”

25. And if this whole circus has not been bad enough “Lindsey “Spuds” MacGraskey who supposedly owns a bar asked City Clerk Heidi Blunt if Centerfold’s have enough licensed bartenders to fulfill their 150 hours. Ms. Blunt informed “Spuds” that is not a requirement to get a license. I knew that and she should have as well.

Let me explain. When you apply for a license that is not a requirement. In fact most bars, especially new ones don’t even have any bartenders hired yet when they apply. I didn’t when I applied for a license for Shorty’s. But once you open every bartender must have a license to serve alcohol. That person owns it and can use it at any bar they work at. So it’s a stupid question from an ill-prepared Councilor who happens to be the President of City Council and that is scary because people like Spuds, The Puppet called Muffat, Tooler Elmo, Paine, Mark “Teacher Tool” Johnson, in fact all elected officials control the fate of many peoples lives when they vote.

26. After that “Business Predator” Paine basically told the Council how his little plan or scam to close Centerfold’s forever was going to work. He took a quick vote and when I explained most of this in my last Blog and I’ll expand on this after the next article coming right up. But I will say this. The meeting lasted about 35 minutes and not one question was directed to Mr. Peddycoart. Not one. How can that be? And at the end he was admonished by Paine for being out of order for trying to say something. Sorry, if anybody was out of order it was Paine and the entire Council for letting this dog and pony show go down the way it did. And making anyone have to stand or sit for 35 minutes listening to this bunch of retards is about the same or worse than being waterboarded.

27. I know for a fact that Mr. Peddycoart went to that meeting in good faith. He knew he had to provide an explanation about the 150 hours because he thought that was the last thing to clear up to get his license. But instead he was ambushed by a dirty, corrupt Mayor and some Councilors that are hell bent on closing his business. Paine treated him like a serial killer. And those people should be ashamed of themselves and they all should be be investigated. Can you imagine people and businesses who know very little about Superior, who perhaps were considering moving here or opening a business or a plant here would think after watching this video? The damage they are doing to this city and this abuse of power should no longer be tolerated. You all looked and acted like fools and the biggest fool of the night was “Theater Boy” Jim Paine.

SOCIAL MEDIA

28. I found this comment on social media the other day and I’d like to share this with you. Here it is.

AREN’T THEY ADORABLE?

Jim Paine has done some decent things in Superior, especially during his first few years. But there’s a darker side that will come out eventually. He and his wife are vengeful people. They trade in intimidation and fear for those who dare speak up against them. There is a groundswell of residents, business owners, and others with stories to tell, if only a journalist or two started poking around.

COMMENT

I don’t agree with the first sentence but I’m on board with the rest. I can’t point to anything good that Paine has done that any other Mayor wouldn’t have. In fact I’m confident that a half decent one would have done more things and done them better. But I can point to many, many things that a decent Mayor would never have done.

Most of the year, it's dark, it's gray, it's cold, it's windy, it's wet, it’s snowy and for now it’s Painy, Sickly and Councily. And with the lack of top entertainment and pro sports options it doesn’t make Superior a desirable place to live. Especially the Painy, Sickly and Councily part.

29. So let’s start with the article on Tuesday July 8, 2025. I will insert my comments as we go along with a final comment at the end. Here is the article.

Council postpones vote on Centerfolds’ liquor license

By Maria Lockwood - Superior Telegram

July 8, 2025

SUPERIOR — The Superior City Council postponed taking action on the liquor license for Centerfolds’ Cabaret at its Tuesday, July 1 regular meeting. The question will be brought up again at the council’s next meeting July 15.

Citing a failure to meet a minimum operational hours requirement, the Superior City Council took no action to renew the license for the adult-oriented business at its June 17 meeting. All the city’s liquor licenses expired on June 30; Centerfolds’ was the only license that was not renewed.

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting was amended Monday with an item from City Attorney Frog Prell recommending that the council approve renewing the alcohol license for Centerfolds’.

“Since that June 17 council meeting, the attorney for Centerfolds’ has reached out to me to indicate to me that they have met the hours of operation threshold,” Prell told the councilors. “That was a communication I got yesterday.”

COMMENTS

29. So why is Frog recommending the license renewal? It’s because it’s the right thing to do. Centerfold’s fulfilled the final requirement to get their renewal. Wasn’t that what this whole thing was about? The famous 150 hours. If you read that failing rag called the Superior Telegram that’s what you would have thought. But if you watched the video from the June 17 Council meeting you would have had a much different opinion.

CONQUEST

FAMINE

30. And despite all those mathematics challenged, smug and condescending idiots, Paine, Graskey, Moffat and Elm AKA “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse AKA “The F- Team” which I guess you might expect, who at that meeting couldn’t figure out the math, said they didn’t see a pathway, there was no way to 150 hours etc etc. We had to listen to 35 minutes of this crap. But the biggest disappointment to me was when Mark “Teacher Tool” Johnson joined the dark side and also couldn’t do the math. Explain that to your students.

WAR

DEATH

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures described in the Book of Revelation in the Bible, representing different aspects of the end times: Conquest (or Pestilence), War, Famine, and Death. They are depicted riding horses of different colors – white, red, black, and pale, respectively – and are often interpreted as harbingers of the apocalypse and the Last Judgment.

BACK TO THE ARTICLE...

Prell said he told the attorney for Centerfolds’ that it was doubtful a vote would take place on such short notice, and “invited him to send something to me that would demonstrate compellingly that they had met their hours of operation threshold for this now-past license period.”

COMMENTS

31. My sources say that Frog received that information the day before the meeting. And if it’s such a big deal why not go back to your original idea which was to make the approval contingent on the proof. Hey folks can you the feel the stew of corruption brewing?

BACK TO THE ARTICLE...

Mayor Jim Paine asked for the postponement of the vote, saying he had a number of questions to ask Prell to be prepared to preside over the question.

“I think the applicants need more prep, and I believe the council is not prepared to debate tonight,” Paine said. “You’re missing several members and we received this on the agenda. We amended the agenda barely a little over 24 hours ago.”

COMMENTS

32. Lying, Collusion and Corruption. Who am I talking about? Jim Paine of course. Remember this whole story was supposed to be about 150 hours but it’s now obvious it’s not about that at all. Let’s break it down because that “Fake News Paine Butt Kissing” Telegram won’t.

“Paine asked for the postponement of the vote, saying he had a number of questions to ask Prell to be prepared to preside over the question.”

33. You can’t be serious. What questions could you have that haven’t been asked. All Centerfold’s had to do is provide proof and apparently they did but nice try. Nobody believes you. You already postponed this once before and now you’re doing it again.

ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ 2-INGREDIENTS LUNCH RECIPE

34. This whole issue is about as complicated as a 2 ingredients recipe unless of course there is something more sinister at play.

35. If you think Paine can’t get stupider or more evil, you would be wrong. He said the following.

‘“I think the applicants need more prep, and I believe the council is not prepared to debate tonight,” Paine said. “You’re missing several members and we received this on the agenda. We amended the agenda barely a little over 24 hours ago.”

COMMENTS

36. Centerfold’s sent the proof. What in Donkey Kong Hell do you want them to “prep”? After thinking about it he might of meant “Doomsday Prepping” considering they are dealing with Paine. Where does he come up with shit? And who the hell believes any of this nonsense?

And it get worse. He then said the following.

I believe the council is not prepared to debate tonight,” Paine said. We amended the agenda barely a little over 24 hours ago.”

COMMENTS

37. I really think this evil devil lies more everyday than he tells the truth. I want to bring you back to December of 2022 when the potential buyer of the Palace, Jordan Wheat was up for a license. About a month or so before the meeting Paine said he was stepping away from the situation and was going to let the council decide. All of this is documented at length in previous Blogs. But with a little over 2 hours to go Paine dropped what I have called “The Manifesto of a Madman”.

38. It ‘s a lengthy, rambling letter as to why Council should not approve the license. It was dirty, nasty and filled with lies and assumptions. The documents that Centerfold’s sent to prove their 150 hours should only take a few minutes to analyze. The “Manifesto of a Madman” would take at least a few hours and likely more to go through to decipher what were lies and what were truths. And the one thing we have learned over the last few Blogs is most of these Councilors show up ill-prepared and ill-informed and that’s scary.

Anyway at that December 2022 meeting Councilors Fennessey and Johnson wanted to delay the vote until the next meeting so they could get more information. The Mayor said no. Council voted 8-2 to not give her a license. Did somebody just yell Hypocrite?

BACK TO THE STORY...

39. Councilors Brent Fennessey and Jack Sweeney were not at the July 1 meeting, and Nicholas Ledin, who attended virtually, was not able to speak due to technical issues.

OUT OF

In response to questions from councilors, Prell said he considers Centerfolds’ to be unlicensed at this time.

“Are they still up for renewal, even though it’s within a new licensing period?” Councilor Mark Johnson asked.

“That’s part of the procedural mess, frankly. It’s awkward to put before a group such as this the notion of nonrenewing a license exclusively for lack of hours of operation when there was at that time 14, 13-plus days remaining during that licensing period. So procedurally, it’s a bit goofy,” Prell said.

FINAL COMMENT

40. The next and third meeting to decide the fate of Centerfold’s is tomorrow, Tuesday July 15. If it was any Mayor other than Paine I would probably go with renewal of the license but Paine really hates to lose so it’s a hard call. After all, he is always the smartest man in the room. According to him anyway.

Well that’s it for today, As always thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.

Brian

blog 99

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:19:56 GMT

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

BUT MAYBE NOT FOR EVERYBODY

I’LL EXPLAIN!

965. Welcome to today’s Blog. No sooner than we e-mailed out the last Blog, less than 24 hours later not one but two stories popped up on the Telegram. And our “I’m coming for you and your business” Mayor Paine is at it again. I just wrote an entire Blog showing you how he screwed the Chamber of Commerce out of their tourism division and now he is casting his devil eyes on Centerfold’s and the Superior Public Museums. So I would like to start today with a comment, followed by the Centerfold’s story.

We have a manchild who is impersonating a mayor, or trying to, that should be in some type of deep psychiatric therapy, running the city. So what does that say about our councilors? Not a whole lot. The one big difference is he gets a hundred grand a year, which is ridiculous for the city of Superior, and they get $7,500.00 a year. Can you imagine listening to that idiot for that small of a sum. I would rather chug back a gallon of stool softener and lock myself in an outhouse with 100+ degrees outside temp. with high humidity, with no lights or toilet paper, filled to the brim after a colony of wild monkeys with gastritis used it. More severe gastritis symptoms can include black, tarry stools, stomach ulcers, and the vomiting of blood.

THE FUTURE OF CENTERFOLD’S?

966.When I first visited Superior about 18 years ago one of my many stops that week was Centerfold’s. It was strictly for research purposes and under the clinical supervision of a doctor of course. In Canada we called them “Peeler bars” and we called the dancers “Peelers”. I’m not sure if you used that vernacular in the US.

NOT THIS KIND OF PEELER

THIS KIND

OR THIS KIND

Anyway I could count on one hand the amount of times I went to Centerfold’s and Lady Vi’s in the 15 years I lived there. I don’t know and have never known the owners/management there. I do feel that peeler bars have their place not just for locals but for tourists as well. Hey, some people like Mini-Golf and some like Peelers. To each his own. I’m about Freedom. But it seems that every time I turn around some bureaucrat (usually a no-fun lefty) is trying to take it away. In the case of Centerfold’s there is no secret that Paine has had a hard on (no pun intended) for them for at least a few years. Not much different than he did for the Palace Bar. Here is the story.

Council doesn't renew Centerfolds' Cabaret liquor license

Citing a failure to meet operational hours, the Superior City Council took no action to renew the license on the adult-oriented business.

Centerfolds' Cabaret at 702 Tower Ave. will no longer have a liquor license on July 1 after the Superior City Council took no action on its renewal application.

By Shelley Nelson June 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM

SUPERIOR — The City Council typically sets a public hearing in June to consider not renewing three to five liquor licenses. What’s not common is for the council to hold the hearing or not renew a liquor license. However, the council decided Tuesday, June 17 that it would not renew the Centerfolds' Cabaret’s liquor license, the only license subject to nonrenewal this year.

“We generally set one of these public hearings every single year for a few of the applicants that do not have all of their paperwork together until literally the day of the council meeting,” Mayor Jim Paine said. “They usually bring it in that day … and then we waive the public hearing.”

COMMENT

968.Paine is right and last year (2024) there were 3. Centerfold’s, Izzy’s and Gronk’s. They all were renewed.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Paine said: “City Clerk Heidi Blunt did an excellent job notifying applicants this year that the delays would not be tolerated”.

HEIDI BLUNT

However, Centerfolds' renewal was in jeopardy pending payment of renewal fees, a fire department inspection and for failing to be open 150 hours in the six months prior to the renewal as required by city ordinance.

The renewal fees and fire department inspection were resolved before Tuesday, but the hours of operation still hadn’t been met. “We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration of the current license term,” said Rodrick Peddycoart, the agent for the license. “We have a plan in place … we’re already over 50.”

Peddycoart said the city could verify that at the end of June, when the current license expires.

“This feels like a technicality, but this is a business that has really not been open for months,” Paine said. “They, as you heard from the applicant, he does not qualify for renewal at this moment.”

City Attorney Frog Prell said if the license wasn’t renewed Tuesday, the applicant could apply for a new license on or after July 1. He said the council could also renew the license contingent on demonstrating the 150 hours has been met.

FROG PRELL

Councilor Tylor Elm said if the council approved the license with a contingency, it could result in late applications again.

Blunt said she became aware that Centerfolds wasn’t open last year around the time licenses were being renewed. After the license was renewed, she said she never heard about the establishment reopening and delays in issuing the license didn’t prompt a response from Centerfolds.

“They’ve been missing a license after July 1, and it was strange not to have somebody barking on my door right away to get their license,” Blunt said.

She said when renewal notices were sent out in February, Centerfolds was sent back to the city because the business wasn’t open.

Council President Lindsey Graskey said she didn’t understand why the council would accept the agent’s word; she would like to see evidence like daily reports, hours of operation, pay stubs, invoices or credit card transaction slips to demonstrate the business was open.

“What I have found online, their hours of operation are every day from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. They announced a reopening today," Graskey said, expressing doubt that the business could reach the required 150 hours by the end of the month.

Citing the zoning code, Councilor Garner Moffat said the adult-oriented entertainment business wouldn't be allowed to exist if it has been closed 12 months.

A motion to renew the license didn’t receive a second, and the license was not renewed because the council took no action on it.

Peddycoart asked to speak again but was denied because the license discussion concluded.

“Wow,” Peddycoart said. “The license does not expire until the end of the month.”

COMMENTS

Lots, and I mean I got a lot to go over here.

Not a dancer at Centerfold’s, I don’t think

COMMENT #1

959. Paine said the following:

“Paine said City Clerk Heidi Blunt did an excellent job notifying applicants this year that the delays would not be tolerated.”

960. Spoken like a true dictator, or jerk off, or just a dick. Give me a f*ckin break. Explain to me how you do an “excellent job notifying applicants”. Send them an email? Send them a text? Send them a letter? Phone them? Carrier Pigeon? Fed Ex? UPS? Smoke signals? Teletype? Visit them at home? Mental telepathy? Send them flowers with a note attached? Morse code? All of the above?

COMMENT #2

961. So it seems that the only unresolved item is the rule that you have to be open at least 150 hours in the previous year. Keep in mind Centerfold’s has been open at least 18 plus years. And then a “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” appeared over City Council and all common sense went to hell. Here is how it went.

962. Rodrick Peddycoart, the Centerfold’s agent for the license said:

“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration of the current license term,” “We have a plan in place … we’re already over 50.”

Then Paine said:

Technically he is right but the date of this meeting was June 17 so Centerfold’s has 13 days to go in their current license. He said he has banked 50 hours already. The bar laws allow you to open from 6AM until 2:00AM (2:30 AM on Fri. and Sat.)

963.That means from June 18 till until June 30 he has to bank 100 more hours. If you do the math (I did) and I assume Mr. Peddycoart did,(I don’t assume the Mayor did) that leaves him with 13 days. That comes to 262 hours that he can legally be open to bank his 100 hours and I will assume he will do that.

Actually if he has already been opened for 50 hours, he can just keep his hours as is, 4:00PM till 2:AM for the next 13 days is 130 hours so that would give him a total 0f 180 hours. He only needs 150.

“Peddycoart said the city could verify that at the end of June, when the current license expires.”

COMMON SENSE PREVAILS? DON’T BET ON IT

964.Then as Superior fickle weather kicks in, the “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” lifted temporally, very temporally.

City Attorney Frog Prell had this to say:

If the license wasn’t renewed Tuesday, the applicant could apply for a new license on or after July 1. He said the council could also renew the license contingent on demonstrating the 150 hours has been met.

FROG PRELL

DANCING FROG

Finally some common sense prevails. Frog is 100% right. Not only is he right, it’s the law. Let me bring you through the process of obtaining a liquor license renewal in Superior. Between Shorty’s and the Palace I did it 14 times.

1. You get application forms in the mail from the city. You fill them out with your payment and mail it back or bring it in person which is what I used to do.

2. Then the city sends out the application to the health, fire and police departments. They all must sign off on it. The health and fire departments usually do a yearly inspection of the business and they may just use that or they can also come in and do an inspection. The police have their own vetting procedures as well. In all cases, if there are any concerns or violations they usually need to be taken care of before they sign off. The Mayor is not involved in this part of the process. Supposedly, neither is City Council.

3- Once they sign off on the approval they send that to the City Clerk who then puts on the next council meeting for them to vote yes or no for approval. In the case of Centerfold’s it appears they did get the approvals. And by the way Jordan Wheat, who was the potential buyer of the Palace also had all 3 approvals and you saw what happened to her in that December 2022 meeting.

965.Yes the one when Lying Mayor Paine whose word isn’t worth the used piece of toilet paper he signs, said he was going to step back and let the Council decide and then 2 hours before the meeting unleashed his “Manifesto of a Madman” to every Councilor and of course “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson, who by the way wrote this article. Deja Voodoo?

4- And there is a rule that you must have to been opened for 150 hours the previous year. I’m not sure if this is a state or local law. It doesn’t really matter. But as you can see Centerfold’s have a clear pathway to get this done. Paine even said in this article,“This feels like a technicality”. And it is.

966.I kind of understand it a little because liquor licenses are limited and that is a Superior ordnance, so if you keep renewing and are never open, you are in effect blocking a license. I don’t agree with the ordinance. I don’t want some dumb ass know nothing, never owned a business, unaccomplished politician like Paine or bureaucrat pulling a random number out of his or her ass making that decision.

There should be no limit on bar licenses. In the past we didn’t. We don’t put that restriction on most other businesses. Let the market decide. The strong will survive and the weak ones won’t. That’s the way it works with all other businesses that don’t have license limits. I don’t want government making these decisions. Get the hell out of the way and let the market decide how many bars, hair salons, florists, grocery stores etc. there should be and you will have a more robust economy.

But Centerfolds is a unique story. I know they have been in business for at least 18 years and likely more. They don’t have a history of being shut down like this. They have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and have created many jobs. So something must have happened for them to be shut down and I’ll talk about it later in the Blog. So for the city to not renew their license over what the “Satan of Superior” Jim Paine calls “A technicality” just triggered my “Corruption Alarm”. More on that later.

Then the “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” returned

967.And did it ever. Let’s hear from some of, what I believe are the most useless and ineffective City Councilors ever.

COMMENT # 1

Let’s start with current Mensa Member “Tooler Elmo”

This is his statement:

“Councilor Tylor Elm said if the council approved the license with a contingency, it could result in late applications again.”

COMMENT

THREE CHEERS FOR TOOLER-- HIP HIP HOORAY

You can’t be serious. Because if you are then you are whole lot stupider than I thought you were. I know you are a certified Jim Paine Butt Boy but this is a stretch even for you, one that defies common sense. I don’t know the owner of any business that would jeopardize their license and would look at Centerfold’s, if they were granted a license with a contingency and say, “Wow, I think I’ll try that next year.” It really is too bad you didn’t get voted out last election like the Notorious J.V.S. because you really are an embarrassment to this city. And after that statement, to yourself.

COMMENT # 2

NOW THE “PUPPET CALLED MOFFAT” EDUCATES US

The “Puppet”, also a certified Jim Paine Butt Boy, said the following:

“Citing the zoning code, Councilor Garner Moffat said the adult-oriented entertainment business wouldn't be allowed to exist if it has been closed 12 months.”

That’s it? We already knew that. Thanks for nothing. Unlike “Tooler Elmo” who’s level of stupidity surprised me a little, I knew that the “Puppet” called “Moffat” was already that stupid. But you failed to mention that Centerfold’s has a pathway to comply to the zoning code since the year is not up.

I will concede the rest of my time talking about the “Puppet” to Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page entry on Feb 4, 2025 which I agree with more today than I did yesterday. See below.

Craig Sutherland

February 4 ·

This guy is fucking nuts.

COMMENT # 3

UP NEXT: “EVIL” LINDSEY GRASKEY AKA “SPUDS MACGHASTLY”

Here is what Spuds had to say:

“Council President Lindsey Graskey said she didn’t understand why the council would accept the agent’s word; she would like to see evidence like daily reports, hours of operation, pay stubs, invoices or credit card transaction slips to demonstrate the business was open”.

That’s how you call somebody a liar without calling them a liar. Nice work Spuds! And since she is Council President, she works hand in hand with the biggest liar of them all, “My word means shit” Jim Paine. So she has a lot of lyin’ experience. But OK, let’s put that aside. Why not refer back to Frog Prell’s suggestion to give them a conditional license and that will satisfy your request for the evidence. And hey, if they don’t produce it, that’s on them.

I know why and “Evil” Lindsey (I should change that to “Very Evil”) knows why.

COMMENT # 4
A TWOOFER FOR SPUDS BUT SHE CAN’T COUNT THAT HIGH

COMMENT

I talked about this earlier in the Blog. They do have a pathway to get the hours. And by the way it took me about 30 seconds to do the math. This is what I said:

“Actually if he has already been opened for 50 hours already, he can just keep his hours as is, 4:00PM till 2:AM for the next 13 days is 130 hours so that would give him a total 0f 180 hours. He only needs 150.”

Spuds, did you actually pass math in school? Did you even go to school? Why should we believe you? We would like evidence. Diplomas, report cards, yearbooks, late slips, bus passes, prom dress receipts, Id cards. Fake Id cards and anything else you could provide that would be helpful.

POTENTIAL GRANDKIDS

I also would like to know what schools you went to. Because in the event I have grandkids, I’ll make sure they don’t go there.

Another Shelley Nelson And Superior Telegram Fake News Failure!!!

No Shelly Nelson story would be complete unless it was incomplete and this one is no exception. And this might be one of the worst. This is the second last sentence of her article:

“Peddycoart asked to speak again but was denied because the license discussion concluded.”

968-Why? Why can’t you give a guy who may be on the brink of losing his business (I will explain my statement as we go along) a few more minutes? Who would do such an arrogant, smug, condescending thing like that? What’s a couple more minutes of your not very valuable time with so much at stake? Or do you have an ulterior motive? Even when somebody is sentenced to death the judge asks the defendant "Do you have anything to say to the court?" But not at a Superior Council meeting.

And Shelly Nelson, why didn’t you divulge the name of this person? We want to know the name of this monster. Oh, wait a minute Shelley, you wouldn’t be covering up for someone would you? Because after all, most people would read this and think that person is a real A-Hole.

OK Shelley, since you won’t tell us, I went and looked at the video of the council meeting of June 17 and I know who did. Do you guys want to take a guess who it was? I’ll give you a hint. This great man, This is a great patriot, This is a man of the people who once said: “Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

And he also said in this article: “This feels like a technicality.” Yes, it was none other than our Commander of Crap, Mayor Jim Paine. And now you know no thanks to Shelly Nelson.

The following was not in Shelley Nelson’s article.

969. After Mr. Peddycoart asked to speak this what Paine had to say:

“Uh, no sir that would be out of order. This we are finished with this item of business’.”

Then as Mr. Peddycoart was saying the following:

“Wow, “the license does not expire until the end of the month,” The Mayor interrupted him and slammed his Hasbro toy gavel not once not twice but three times with the all the force if a tit mouse and said “Sir you are out of order, we are going to continue with the council’s business.” He shut down Mr. Peddycoart like the US military shutting down an Iranian nuclear facility.

And that was it. I’m sure that’s when reality set in for Mr. Peddycoart. He probably thought he was going to a routine meeting to renew a license only to be faced with the fact that Centerfold’s may not live for another dance. I know the feeling and it’s awful.

UPDATE

970. It is Monday morning June 30. Today is possibly Centerfold’s last day in business. I have not heard any news since what I posted earlier on this blog but when I went on their Facebook page this morning I noticed their updated hours.

Unlike City Council and Paine, they seem to know math. Also their website and Instagram pages are down. So rather than go through any more analysis than I’ve already done, I’ll wait till there is news on the fate of their license and then I’ll dig in.

971. In the meantime I would implore you to watch the Council meeting below and you can see corruption and stupidity at work. I will do a full report on this meeting on the next Blog. Go to the beginning. It is the first item on the video. It really is must see TV. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/umoxDMSGeZw

972. Our friends at Soupnutz.net had this timely article just the other day.

June 17th City Clowncil Meeting – Stripper Hours Debated While Mayor Forms Committee on Duck Farts

June 25,2025

“Centerfolds Clipped: When a Strip Club Fails and Golf Wins—Welcome to Superior”

City Clowncil Meeting June 17th 2025 Golf Committees, Strip Club Denials, and Mayor Paine’s Magical Mystery Tour of Pointless Panels.

Welcome to another episode of “Superior: Where Time Goes to Die” , brought to you by Mayor Jim Paine —the man who never met a committee he couldn’t invent out of sheer boredom or a need to pretend he’s governing.

While the council tied itself in a bureaucratic knot over whether a strip club open for 20 hours a year should serve alcohol (spoiler: nope), Mayor Paine was busy sprinkling more make-believe into his favorite municipal sandbox: committees nobody asked for.

Strip Club Shutdown: We’ll Get There, Probably Not

Let’s recap the real issue of the night. Centerfolds Cabaret came to the council like a guy with no pants trying to get into the opera—underprepared, overconfident, and very confused about what “open” means.

They needed 150 hours of operation in six months. They had… maybe 50? Depending on how hard you squint. Councilor Graskey brought actual math to the table (shock!), proving they’d fall short even if they opened 24/7 with a GoFundMe for lightbulbs.

Real Quotes, Real Head-Scratchers

“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration… I figured you guys could just figure out a way to verify it at the end of the month.” — Roderick Pettycourt, Centerfolds applicant, confidently outsourcing math to the city

“I never lose a golf ball because I never hit them far enough. I can find them.”  — Councilor Jack Sweeney, providing insight into his short game and even shorter patience

“It’s just like a series of naps if you’re lucky.” — Councilor Tylor Elm, defining both new parenthood and council meetings

“I want nothing to do with you, Tyler.”  — Councilor Anderson, opening the meeting with pure vibe-based hostility

“You didn’t leave your writings on the wall, did you?” — Councilor Graskey, referencing jail graffiti like it’s local art appreciation

“I’m GQ worthy.”  — Councilor Tylor Elm, clearly dressing for the job he wants—fashion icon of dysfunction

Mayor Paine added a TED Talk for no reason:

“It’s almost like a jury where you determine the standard of evidence… Keep in mind, these are not things that we hand out, as I’m sure you know. We don’t hand these out to just anybody.”  — Jim Paine, making sure everyone remembers the strip club license isn’t a cereal box prize

Mayor Paine’s Dumbest Committees (So Far)

Let’s take a detour down Delusion Drive and review some of the mayor’s greatest committee hits:

The Dog Poop Committee

Yes. This happened. An actual committee formed to address the epidemic of dog droppings in Superior’s parks. Because picking up poop is apparently a legislative matter now.

Mayor Paine’s Land Trade Committee

This is the one where the city swaps prime real estate like kids trading Pokémon cards, but everyone’s blindfolded and half the cards are blank.

The “Jenny for Council Again” Committee

Not officially announced, but it’s as obvious as Jim Paine’s committee addiction. Rumor is the mayor’s forming a soft-launch campaign group to get his old ally (wife) Jenny Van Sickle back on the dais. Honestly, if this turns into a spinoff, we’ll need popcorn.

Priority Space Budgeting Committee

This wasn’t a typo. Mayor Paine said this with his whole chest:

“This is what I call the magic wand exercise. If money were no object… you can suggest everything. Be free of responsibility.”

Translation: We’re budgeting like it’s a middle school vision board.

Meanwhile in Golfland…

The council formally recreated a golf committee that already existed. Because when in doubt, make a memo. Even Councilor Sweeney gave a little speech:

“I think people have done a good job on the golf committee. It’s a good committee. It just has some good glory to it.” “Glory” and “committee” in the same sentence? Sir, please.

Mayor Paine, who originally opposed the committee, did a full 180:

“It’s been an extraordinarily valuable partnership… more than my golf advice.” A humble brag no one needed, especially the taxpayers.

In Summary: The Soup Bowl Runneth Over

Centerfolds: Closed for lack of evidence that they exist outside a dusty liquor license.
Council: Argued like it was the U.N. Security Council but about strip hours.
Mayor Paine: Formed three new committees before lunch, two of which involve fantasy, and one that may just be a cardboard cutout of Jenny Van Sickle.

Mic Drop

Jim Paine’s Superior isn’t run by decisions—it’s run by distraction. You want lead pipe replacement? You get a golf committee. You want economic development? You get a task force to discuss dog turds. You want transparency? You get a committee with no meeting notes and a Dropbox link that hasn’t worked since 2021.

973. SINCE WERE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEX

I HAVE SOME BAD NEWS

BEACON OF RAUNCH WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS

Adult entertainment destination SexWorld became a rite of passage in Mpls.

By ELLIOT HUGHES The Minnesota Star Tribune

SexWorld, Minneapolis’ adult entertainment store that was once three stories tall, featured a live peep show and became a rite of passage in the Twin Cities, will close its doors permanently June 29. The closure was confirmed by Hailey Buchanan of DB Graphics, which owns the store and the THC Joint, a downtown Minneapolis smoke shop also slated to close. Buchanan indicated the closures were the result of economic stress and regulations on the sale of THC. SexWorld, at 241 2nd Av. N., opened in 1993 and for nearly all of its run was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, attracting customers but also bachelorette parties and newly christened 18-year-olds wanting to explore its confines. An employee at the store on Tuesday, who declined to give her name, said she cried for three hours upon learning of the closure. The store became famous locally for its extensive collection of adult films and toys, and for a 6-foot-long penis that patrons can ride like a mechanical bull.

The store’s most famous employee was perhaps Diablo Cody, the Hollywood screenwriter best known for the 2007 film, “Juno,” who once performed in the live peep show. In her biography, “Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper,” Cody described the shop as “the Wal-Mart of sex” and a place that was “perpetually jumpin’.” But the business showed signs of strain over the years, shrinking from three floors to one. Eventually, it struggled to keep customers coming back, employee Jay Limbacher wrote on Facebook. Earlier this year, the store ended its 24-hours-a-day business model. “If SexWorld has had an impact on you as a Twin Cities resident, don’t hesitate to share your memories … and stop in for one last hurrah before they close forever,” Limbacher wrote.

COMMENT

I never heard of this place until yesterday. Dammit. All those trips to Minneapolis. Oh well. I couldn’t help but think of all those road trips across the USA over the years and you would see all the billboards and signs along the highway for sex stores and fireworks stores. And every single time I’d say to my wile “Can we stop here?” Needless to say, the answer was always the same with the customary smirk and eye roll. I wonder if they still have them? The good old days right?

HE IS ALWAYS WATCHING..ALWAYS!!

Superior council opts for in-house museum management

974. Councilors split 8-2 in favor of city taking over management of Fairlawn Mansion, SS Meteor and Old Firehouse and Police Museum.

By Shelley Nelson June 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM

SUPERIOR — The city will take over management of Fairlawn Mansion, SS Meteor and the Old Firehouse and Police Museum.

After almost two hours of public comment and council debate on Tuesday, June 17, the City Council split 8-2 in favor of the Finance Committee’s recommendation to handle museum management in-house after 25 years of management by a nonprofit, Superior Public Museums.

“These three museums are the sole purpose of SPM,” said Suzi Olson, a member of the board. “They get our entire attention and all of our funds. If the city takes over operating these museums, they will have to compete with all the other departments in the city for funding each and every budget cycle.”

Olson, a captain with the Superior Fire Department, said while city operation of the museums may be OK now, it’s not clear what the future holds.

“I’ve been a city resident my entire life and a city employee for 23 years,” Olson said. “I’ve seen some lean times that the city has had to sustain. I’ve been witness to department heads having to make very difficult decisions based on budget cuts, shared revenue cuts, tax levy limits, hiring freezes, you name it. The museums may not always be a priority to the future council or mayor, but they will always be a priority for SPM.”

Katelyn Baumann, SPM board president, said after a crack opened in the SS Meteor earlier this year, museum staff were in contact with the Public Works Department to report the issue and have remained in active and ongoing communication throughout the repair, which allowed the Meteor to reopen to the public Wednesday, June 18.

“Our commitment to preserving these historic sites is clear,” Baumann said. “We’ve raised the alarm when needed, proposing solutions and welcoming partnerships every step of the way.”

However, members of the finance committee and the mayor have expressed a desire to provide better pay and benefits to museums staff, and a better museum experience for the public.

After months of negotiations, the finance committee concluded the way to do that was to bring management in-house. Under a transition plan drafted by the mayor, museum staff would become city employees, and the museums would operate under a museum director if that’s the direction the council chose.

“Once that decision is made, the administration has the task of doing that. There will be many policy decisions to be made along the way,” Mayor Jim Paine said.

The plan outlines the first year of operation, which is expected to begin Aug. 5 when the current memorandum of understanding with SPM is set to end.

“I think the timeline of taking over Aug. 5 might be a little disruptive to the current format, the current museum operations, taking over in August vs. Jan. 1,” said Councilor Mark Johnson. “So I guess I would prefer to wait a little bit longer.”

By giving the transition more time, Johnson said it could go more smoothly and give the city a chance to hire a museum director. Johnson joined Councilor Brent Fennessey in voting against the city taking over management of the museums.

“I think the one thing that we can all agree on is that we want to take care of the current employees and staff, and then moving forward, we want to provide the best museum experience for Superior residents and tourists alike,” Fennessey said. “I think where the disagreement comes is what path gets us there the fastest.”

Fennessey pointed out the city-owned marina on Barker’s Island and Nemadji Golf Course are privately managed and thriving, and the museums could thrive under private management with more support from the city.

“We can’t keep growing our government without it impacting other areas,” Fennessey said. “So, for me, when it comes down to allowing the private sector to manage our museums or our local government to take this on in-house, it’s an easy choice and I chose private management.”

Councilor Jack Sweeney, chairman of the finance committee, said the committee reviewed their options carefully over the last nine months, and sought and received two management proposals.

Sweeney said in whatever the city does, whether the marina, the golf course or the museums, it has to be in the top three in the market, or the city shouldn’t do it.

“It became clearer and clearer to me — and it was a unanimous vote — that neither proposal for the long-term were going to do the job for us,” Sweeney said. “Some of them were in their control. They could have controlled them. They didn’t. Others were out of their control.”

Sweeney, and Councilors Nicholas Ledin, Sarah Anderson, Garner Moffat, Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Mike Herrick and Lindsey Graskey voted in favor of bringing museum management in-house.

Comments

I think the last time I went to a museum is about 50 years ago but I do have a personal museum story. True story. When I was in high school in Ottawa, the city’s french high schools organized a 10 day trip to Paris and London during Easter break 1970, and they chartered a plane and over 200 students went. I was 15 years old. While in Paris we went to the Louvre and I was face to face with the Mona Lisa. I was struck at how small it was. I’m not an art guy other than my Elvis velvet paintings. The Mona Lisa is 30 inches tall and 21 inches wide. And get this, 5 nights in London, 5 nights in Paris, hotels, 3 meals a day, all tours and museums and air fare. Cost-$285.00.

975. As far as this story goes I’m no expert in museums of art but I am totally against this failed incompetent administration taking them over. In fact I would be more in favor of the museums taking over the city administration.

I did find the following on the city’s website from June 3, 2025.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN

June 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.

RECOMMENDATIONS: 7.3.1. Approve the City of Superior assuming full operations of Fairlawn Mansion & Museum, the Old Firehouse & Police Museum, and the Whaleback Ship Museum.

MOTION TO APPROVE, by Councilor Elm, was seconded by Vice President Moffat. There was no objection to allowing public comment. MOTION TO EXTEND time for all public comment to 5 minutes, by Councilor Fennessey, was seconded by Councilor Elm and carried.

Suzanne Prochazka – against

Katelyn Baumann – against

Irene Ryder – against

Alyssa Ryder – against

Valerie Burke – against

Susie Betz – against

Dr. Robert Jan Quené – in favor

Brian Finstad – in favor

Louis “Sean” Tennerelli – against

Suzie Olson – against

Bella Olson – against

Spencer Miller – against

Martin Karpa – supports what is best for the museums

MOTION TO POSTPONE to the next Council meeting, by President Graskey, was seconded by Councilor Sweeney and carried via voice vote.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

976. In lieu of Jim Paine’s recent takeovers and closures, a wish list from the Mayor of possible of acquisitions has been leaked to the Blog including the new names for them. Can you guess their former names?

1-PaineMart

2- Super Jim

3-Painards

4-Kwik Jim’s

5-Captain P’S mini golf

6-Jim’s Feed Bin

7-VIPaine’s

8-Centerpaine’s

9-Jenny’s Ribs

10-ShamPaine Pizza

11-SWL&Paine

12-President Paine’s Bar and Liquor

13-PainePort Liquor

13-Painedros (no problemo amigo)

14-Jimmy’s(formally Julie’s) or Jenny’s (formally Julie’s)

15-Jenny Queen

16-Jimmy King

AND MY FAVORITE

17-Lady Jen’s (Why not?)

And much more to come. Stay tuned! It’s Paine’s world and your living in it! And this is just the beginning!!!

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

977. If city takeovers and closures aren’t your thing. No worries. By executive orders from Dear Leader Paine, the following businesses will be opening soon funded 100% by the few subjects (taxpayers) left in Superior.

#1

“The Puppet Called Moffat” Family Clown and Idiots Clothing.

New and used clothing for all the clowns and idiots in your family. Sizes from toddlers to adult 6-XL.

#2

“Tooler Elmos Brown Nose Shop”

For all current and wannabee politicians. Brown noses to fit all Schnozes. Also available in other colors.

#3

“Evil Lindsey Graskey’s Ultra Lounge”

All drinks 5 for 1. Live bands. Karaoke. Free hot dogs. Open Mondays only (Except holidays that fall on a Monday). Open 8:00AM. Last call 8:15AM. Closed 8:30AM. Guaranteed to lose a fortune.

AND MORE TO COME!!!

The winners will be celebrated at a special event Sept. 12 at Bent Paddle Brewing.

It’s time to nominate the Northland’s Best of the Best.

The Best of the Best nomination period begins Monday, June 23, and runs through Friday, July 11. Voting then runs from Monday, July 21, through Friday, Aug. 8.

Last year, the DNT’s Best of the Best contest attracted 45,894 nominations and 107,023 votes from more than 100 categories ranging from Best Park and Best Local Band to Best Florist and Best Margarita.

COMMENTS

PAINE IN TRIBUNE’S OFFICE

978. You may be wondering why I am running this story. Well there is a rumor out there that Mayor Paine had submitted a request to the Duluth Tribune to add 2 new categories to the list and was rejected. In a fit of rage, Paine demanded that a vote will take place at the next council meeting that the City of Superior will take over all management of the “Northland’s Best of the Best” edition starting in 2026.

The 2 Categories Were:

1- Best donut shop on Tower Ave. between the Palace Bar and Who’s Bar.

2- Best restaurant in Billings Park.

Stay tuned, maybe in 2026?

979. Well that’s it for this one. As always, thank you all for reading and I’ll see you on the next one as long as Jim Paine and City Council don’t take us over.

Brian

blog 98

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:20:56 GMT

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SCANDAL

SINK OR SWIM?

SPECIAL UPDATES FROM SOUPNUTZ AND THE DULUTH MONITOR

AND 6 ROUNDS WITH ME VS. JIM PAINE

937. Welcome to the Blog. Today I’d like to start with another great story from the Duluth Monitor. Unfortunately it involves the City of Superior involved in another shady and suspicious story. And right at the top of this is none other than the king of poor choices and bad decisions, Mayor Jim Paine. Ugh!!!

So for those of you that didn’t follow or forgot how the relationship between the City of Superior and Swim Creative came about, we will go back to the beginning and finish it off with the newest report from the Duluth Monitor.

938.Let’s start with Sept 8, 2021 with this article from Wisconsin Public Radio.

City, Tourism Leaders In Superior Fight Over Future Of Marketing City To Visitors

Council Weighs Proposal To Create Tourism Commission Amid Pushback From Tourism Industry

By Danielle Kaeding September 8, 2021

City and tourism officials are fighting over the future of the tourism industry in Superior.

The dispute centers on who should receive funding that’s generated from room tax revenues for tourism promotion. The Superior City Council is weighing whether to create a new tourism commission that would receive 70 percent of all room tax revenues.

City leaders said the change will increase transparency over tourism spending while local tourism officials say the move threatens funding for tourist attractions. The Superior City Council voted Tuesday to send further discussion of the proposal to the Committee of the Whole.

THE CITY CONTRACTS FOR TOURISM PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT WITH TRAVEL SUPERIOR, WHICH IS THE VISITOR BUREAU ARM OF THE SUPERIOR-DOUGLAS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THAT CONTRACT IS SET TO EXPIRE DEC. 31.

A 2015 state law mandates that 70 percent of money generated through room tax go toward tourism promotion and development. The revenues must be forwarded to an existing tourism entity or a tourism commission.

Superior Mayor Jim Paine said some city council members want more control over how money is spent on promoting tourism.

“I think that’s a very real desire to have some say in what these marketing campaigns look like and how much we spend on them,” said Paine. “That’s a power we don’t have now.”

THE CITY COLLECTS AROUND $800,000 EACH YEAR IN ROOM TAX REVENUES, ACCORDING TO TAYLOR PEDERSEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR THE CHAMBER AND TRAVEL SUPERIOR. HE SAID TRAVEL SUPERIOR RECEIVES ROUGHLY $600,000. A PORTION OF THAT FUNDING IS DEVOTED TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE RICHARD I. BONG VETERANS HISTORICAL CENTER AND THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FUND COMMITTEE. TRAVEL SUPERIOR RESERVES AROUND $150,000 FOR ADVERTISEMENTS TO PROMOTE THE CITY AND REGION.

He argued the change threatens funding for multiple organizations, including the Bong Center and Superior Public Museums.

“There’s no guarantee that they’re going to continue to get that going forward,” said Pedersen. “And more importantly, tourism in the city of Superior is one of our lead economic drivers. By potentially stopping promotion of tourism the way we’ve been doing, we could disrupt the great work that we’ve accomplished. And, obviously, there’s a negative impact for Travel Superior if we no longer receive those funds or only receive a portion of those funds.”

PEDERSEN CONTENDS THAT ROOM TAX COLLECTIONS ARE UP 90 PERCENT IN THE LAST DECADE, ADDING THAT TOURISM HAS BEEN GROWING EACH YEAR EXCEPT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

“We’re coming off of the tail end of a pandemic that really shook the roots of tourism,” he said. “I don’t know that it’s the best timing for this.”

Paine argued Superior’s tourism attractions already receive funding from the remaining 30 percent that the city receives from room tax revenues except for the Bong Center, which receives funding from both the city and Travel Superior.

Paine and some city council members feel more could be done to promote tourism in the city. He said the change isn’t about ending the relationship with Travel Superior, which he feels has done a great job running the city’s visitor center.

“I think they should still do that, and that’s going to take quite a bit of money,” said Paine. “I don’t agree that they should be 100 percent in control of marketing.”

The state’s room tax law allows a tourism commission to contract with other organizations for marketing services beyond a community’s existing tourism entity. But, not all city council members are comfortable with the move, including Brent Fennessey. He fears a tourism commission will inject more politics into tourism marketing.

“Those members could basically put their attention towards a project or a couple projects and the broad level promotion of Superior as a whole could get lost,” said Fennessey.

He said the commission could devote 100 percent of tourism promotion funding to a convention center. The city council approved a contract with a Minneapolis firm last month to conduct a feasibility study on building a new convention center in Superior.

Katie Perrault with Nummi Jewelers told the city council she sees no need to change tourism promotion and fully supports Travel Superior.

“Just the idea of putting something like the (Duluth Entertainment Convention Center) in Superior doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to change the way we’ve been doing it and how much growth we’ve seen in this city,” said Perrault.

Superior’s change follows a move by the city of Duluth in August to negotiate a contract with a Twin Cities firm to market the city to tourists instead of Visit Duluth, the city’s tourism bureau. Paine said Superior’s decision to create a tourism commission was driven by the end of the city’s contract with Travel Superior, saying it was “pure coincidence” that both Duluth and Superior tourism contracts ended this year.

Others who spoke before the city council supported forming a tourism commission, including Pattie Soliday, who formerly owned a marketing business in Superior. She supports a convention center and fears the cost to build one may fall on the city’s taxpayers without forming a tourism commission. Still, she opposed the city contracting with other outside marketing firms, arguing it would waste time and resources.

“PLEASE DO NOT MOVE US BACKWARDS IN THE BATTLE FOR VISITORS AND HOTEL GUESTS,” SHE SAID. “PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW WHAT DULUTH DID. I BELIEVE THAT WAS A MISTAKE.”

COMMENT

939. Fast forward to a meeting on Feb 27,2025. Pattie Soliday was on the TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. Here are a few highlights of that meeting.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes February 27th, 2025 Regular Meeting

1- ROLL CALL PRESENT: Lindsey Graskey (Chair), Pattie Soliday, Ruth Ludwig (Vice-Chair), Natalie Chin, Marquise Slay.

2- APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3.3 Final 2024 Hotel Motel Allocations Update from COS Scherf. Discussion held. No action taken.

3.4 2025 Budget Discussion Update from COS Scherf. Discussion held. No action taken.

3.5 Gotta Be Superior Trademark MOTION Chin, Second Ludwig to approve estimate from SWIM Creative. Motion passes.

You can see the entire document here.

940. https://www.superiorwi.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02272025-1037

BACK TO THE STORY...

Any tourism commission would be prevented from using revenues to build a lodging facility under state law, according to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities. But, it could devote money to support “tangible municipal development” like a convention center.

Earlier this year, the Racine County visitors bureau alleged the village of Mount Pleasant wanted to keep tourism revenues for its planned convention center. The visitors bureau sued the village and accused officials of unlawfully spending money collected from hotel room taxes. The village has contracted with the visitors bureau for decades, but the most recent

contract expired at the end of last year. That case is still pending.

COMMENTS

941. Keep in mind this story is from 2021 or as I like to call it, the beginning of the coup. I also think it has everything to do about money and politics. Where have you heard this before? Next is a story from Fox 21News on Sept 2, 2021.

‘Travel Superior’ CEO Speaks Out Against Mayor Paine’s Tourism Commission Proposal

September 2, 2021 by Dan Hanger

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The president and CEO of Superior’s visitor’s bureau, known as Travel Superior , is speaking out against Mayor Jim Paine’s proposal to create a tourism commission to handle 100 percent of the city’s tourism tax revenue.

Taylor Pedersen believes the process to potentially do away with Travel Superior has been rushed and he doesn’t believe a six-person commission is the best way to oversee roughly $860,000 in hotel-motel taxes every year.

Pedersen, who is also the head of the Superior-Douglas Area Chamber of Commerce, said his board of up to 20 people, which includes Mayor Paine and members of the restaurant and hotel industries, is a more transparent process with public dollars.

“To have a volunteer committee appointed, by one to two people on an annual basis, decide who receives 100 percent of the hotel-motel tax and no guarantees that it’s going to be used for tourism and development,” Pedersen said. “Tourism is increasing every year. The system’s not broken. Why are we really choosing to change it at this point, and I haven’t gotten that answer when I’ve asked that question.”

Travel Superior has traditionally received 70 percent of the tourism tax revenue every year. The city has gotten the other 30 percent.

Last week, Mayor Paine told FOX 21 he agrees Superior is known as a great destination and there’s plenty to celebrate, but he said that doesn’t mean the city can’t do better.

The council will vote on the tourism commission proposal at the next council meeting Sept. 7.

To read Pedersen’s letter on this subject to the local tourism industry click here:

942. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fox21online.com%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F09%2Fy%2Fc%2FChamber-Release.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Meanwhile, this possible change in the way tourism tax dollars are handled in Superior comes just weeks after a political battle over tourism dollars in Duluth by Mayor Emily Larson, which ultimately ended with the decision to outsource nearly $2 million in the city’s marketing budget to a company out of the Twin Cities .

COMMENTS

943. The plot thickens and the coup by Fidel Paine and friends is in full force. Next is a story from the Telegram from Sept 13, 2021.

Superior council to take up tourism commission

Councilors have the power to act on changes to the city's hotel-motel room tax ordinance that would create a tourism commission.

September 13, 2021 at 3:00 PM

The Superior City Council will meet as a committee of the whole Tuesday, Sept. 14, to discuss the future of tourism in the city.

The council has the power to act on a pair of changes to the city’s hotel-motel room tax ordinance that would allow a tourism commission to use 70% of the city's room taxes for tourism promotion and development starting Jan. 1, 2022. The other change would create the Superior Tourism Development Commission.

The city currently contracts with Travel Superior to handle tourism development. The contract expires at the end of the year.

The idea is not new, said Michelle Hostetler of Gordon. Hostetler worked with a group of citizens in 2016 to try to convince city leaders to make the change when Wisconsin’s law changed. The measure never moved forward.

Michelle Hostetler

“(Commissions) were created by the Legislature in 2016 in Wisconsin to have better buying power and to bring communities together to work toward a common goal,” Hostetler said. “… A lot of communities went to them in 2016. I think Superior’s the biggest community that didn’t go to a commission right away.”

Superior council delays decision on tourism commission Councilors will seek more information before changing how tourism promotion is handled in Superior.
Paine column: Tourism commission offers Superior more transparency, flexibility A tourism commission is carefully regulated and operates with full transparency, but it’s also far more flexible than our current system. Rather than do the same thing year over year regardless of the results, the commission can adapt as our community grows and changes.

Taylor Pedersen column: A call to action on local tourism The newly proposed ordinance change would create a tourism commission structure instead of the tourism entity structure. Although the look of this ordinance change is seemingly minimal, it has the potential to have profound impacts on how tourism is promoted in the city.

Hostetler said by going to a commission, city officials would be improving tourism development in Superior.

“It’s a lot more accountability,” Hostetler said. “It’s a lot more specific services.”

The commission would be able to work toward specific projects and develop a convention center, Hostetler said. The commission doesn’t mean Travel Superior would lose the contract to handle the marketing component of tourism development if they have a good proposal, she said.

COMMENTS

944. So, who is Michelle Hostetler? Well turns out she was hired by The Development Association in 2011. Here is a portion of an article from the Telegram that was published on Sept 2, 2011.

The Development Association welcomes Michelle Hostetler as its new executive director. Hostetler was hired in August and succeeds Douglas County Administrator Andy Lisak.

Hostetler previously served as executive director for the Sweetwater Economic Development Association in Sweetwater, Wyo. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Goshen College in Goshen, Ind., and a Juris Doctor degree from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kan.

COMMENTS

944-a. First off, I am not here to bash Michelle at all. Second, why didn’t the Telegram mention her position in the The Development Association since they wrote the article in 2011 and this article? Your guess is as good as mine.

Anyway, turns out that I know her. Back in late 2012 or in early 2013, I approached her for some financial help for Shorty’s (which opened in Aug. 2013).

I have to confess that I don’t remember a lot from our several discussions other than I had a positive impression of her, unlike my impression of working with many city of Superior employees. As far as her endorsement of the city taking over the travel and tourism business from “Travel Superior” who by all accounts have done a very good job, It is not a position I can relate to.

I have always said that if the government ever took the best and largest and most profitable American corporations, they’d be bankrupt in 6 months. In the case of Jim Paine, make that 3 months.

Maybe Michelle has seen this work in some communities, but she didn’t take into account the “Jim Paine” AKA “The Kiss of Death” AKA “The Face of Evil” factor. He wasn’t mayor at the time. I wonder if today, 2025, taking into account Jim Paine and the “Lack of common sense and intelligence” City Council, that she still thinks the same way that she thought back then.

945. Now let’s go to 2022. Here is an article from Fox 21 news on April 19, 2022.

Superior Council Unanimously Approves Tourism Contract with Duluth-Based Swim Creative

According to the Mayor, Swim Creative can now begin their campaign immediately.

April 19, 2022 by Arman Rahman

SUPERIOR, Wis,- Superior City Councilors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a tourism contract worth $250,000 to a marketing agency based out of Duluth called “Swim Creative.”

Superior Mayor Jim Paine says the choice was between 3 bidders, but in his book, Swim Creative rose to the top.

According to the Mayor, they were the best at reaching out to citizens to flesh out a campaign that sets Superior apart from Duluth — and nearby Wisconsin tourist destinations like Ashland and Bayfield — as a place with great access to Lake Superior and rich history and story to tell.

“They really manage to sell us on the idea that they’re going to do much more than an ad campaign and they’re going to use many different forms of marketing,” the Mayor said.

“We’re not just talking about billboards and ads here we’re talking about an aggressive digital presence we’re talking about a humor and art and connecting the community to tell the whole story,” said Paine.

According to the Mayor, Swim Creative can now begin their campaign immediately.

This comes after the Council voted last year to establish a tourism development commission to control tourism tax revenue, bypassing Travel Superior, which previously held that role.

The Council decided they’d have to approve any contract worth more than $25,000.

This contract with Swim Creative is worth $250,000, over three years, Paine said.

COMMENTS

945-a. Voila! (that’s french) Fait Accompli! (also french) The dirty deed is done. Remember when people would tell a story and finish it off by saying “And if you believe that I have some cheap land in Florida to sell you.” Well, Jim Paine is the guy who bought that land. Apparently you can sell him anything and when you do the taxpayers are stuck with the bill. And as it turns out the land is swamp land. More on this as we go on.

This next story is one I remember very well. After reading it, I said to my wife “WTF is this POS doing now? The date of the article was September 1, 2022 and that POS, Jim Paine had shut down the Palace Bar only 3 months earlier. This article comes from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Here it is.

With tourism booming, Superior and its tourism bureau part ways

Lodging tax proceeds have jumped by nearly 50% since 2017.

By Jana Hollingsworth

September 1, 2022 at 2:06PM

After decades handling the tourism business of the city of Superior, Wis., its chamber of commerce withdrew from the role this week.

With shades of a similar situation in Duluth last year, a change in how tourism tax money was allocated led to reduced duties — and cash — on offer to the 139-year-old chamber.

Last year, Superior shifted to a new tourism funding model, where a commission of six mayor- and City Council-appointed members decides where its lodging tax proceeds go. In recent years, money has automatically gone to the Superior-Douglas County Area Chamber of Commerce, administered by its tourism arm, Travel Superior.

The commission then asked for bids to handle promotion of the city, and awarded Duluth ad agency Swim Creative a $250,000 contract over Travel Superior. In July, the city offered Travel Superior $40,000 to continue operating Superior's visitor center inside the Richard I. Bong Heritage Center. It rejected that offer.

"There are significant operational challenges with that amount of change, and that's what drove our decision to say 'no thank you' and walk away from tourism," said chamber President Taylor Pedersen.

Travel Superior had requested about $84,000 to continue operating the visitor center. In existence in some form since 1964, it helped about 1,800 visitors in August.

Mayor Jim Paine said Superior's move to change the funding model wasn't influenced by Duluth's decision to award the bulk of its tourism tax proceeds to an Edina-based marketing firm, with a smaller cut going to Visit Duluth, the previous longtime tourism promoter.

The city had been mulling the end of Travel Superior's three-year contract before Duluth's decision, with some unhappy with the tourism bureau's direction, he said.

JIM AND JENNY VAN POPSICLE, SPUDS MacGHASTLY, TOOLER ELMO AND RUTH LUDWIG “VAN STUPID

They were focused on telling the story of Superior in other markets and promoting membership rather than the broader business community, Paine said, while he believes tourism is best promoted by making a city "worth visiting."

"I'm a very big believer that if you make a place that's so vibrant, fun and exciting, that those of us who live here enjoy getting out of our houses and experiencing it, then other people will visit it as well," he said.

Lodging tax proceeds that go directly to tourism spending in Superior continue to grow, likely to be around $750,000 in 2022. While large portions have traditionally gone to the Bong center and funding for a local grant, and continue to, Travel Superior had sole discretion on how the rest was spent. In 2021, that was about $400,000.

"Money was increasing so dramatically it no longer felt responsible turning it over to an entity with no public oversight," Paine said.

And some city officials wanted to see money spent in new ways, such as incentives for filmmakers and a tourism coordinator position.

But Pedersen says the chamber's regional tourism efforts are what helped grow lodging tax proceeds by nearly 50% since 2017, with 2021 the "best year on record for local tourism."

"We've been incredibly accountable for the funds we received," he said.

Using reserve funds, Travel Superior has continued to operate the visitor center and market the city this year during the transition, but it likely won't be able to next year, Pedersen said.

COMMENTS

946. First off it’s never a good idea when a mayor decides to go against the Chamber of Commerce, the largest business organization in town and in the country. It sends a very bad message to all businesses. Why would you change when “Travel Superior”, run by the Chamber a local entity who were setting records? And to make it worse you farm it out to a company that is not even in this state. Proof that Paine loathes success. A stupid move from a stupid person. The Chamber were rightfully pissed off and a good source told me that they were considering suing the city but I don’t think they ever did. And what ever happened to “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

947. Then there was this story by Northern News Now on April 28, 2023.

Superior launches new tourism campaign ‘Gotta Be Superior’

By Larissa Milles Published: Apr. 28, 2023 at 2:43 PM PDT

SUPERIOR, WI. (Northern News Now) -- The city of Superior officially launched its new tourism branding campaign Friday, hoping to get more people interested in the Northwest Wisconsin town.

After years of Superior’s tourism being handled by the Chamber of Commerce, city administrators wanted to explore new avenues.

“We have a lot in common with other Northern Wisconsin cities, or with our neighbor Duluth, Minnesota, but there’s a lot that makes us distinct and different as well, and we wanted to show that in the campaign,” said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

Last year, the city awarded a three-year contract to Duluth-based Swim Creative to create a new tourism brand campaign that launched this spring.

“They put a lot of work into discovering who Superior is and what it means to live here and visit this place, and they did that by hiring a lot of folks from Superior and talking to people in this community to understand how we see ourselves,” Paine said.

David Sadowski, partner and brand director at Swim, said their market research showed Superior provided a different experience for people interested in the Twin Ports.

“In doing a lot of research, we’re asking people, ‘Where’s the best place to get a pizza in town?’ and people would literally say, ‘Well, you gotta go to Superior,’ or, ‘Where’s the best marina?’ ‘You have to go to Superior,’ and so we just kind of played off of that,” Sadowski said.

Thus, ”Gotta Be Superior” was born.

Lindsey Graskey, a city councilor and chair for the Tourism Development Commission, said the city is excited about the campaign’s vintage and historic theme.

“I think we just sit in a very unique space in the world, and I think that this project and honestly the campaign is just highlighting those things more and more than they have been before,” Graskey said.

ME THINKS SPUDS MacGHASTLY HAD TOO MANY SPIRITS

The campaign includes TV ads and bus billboards in places like Madison and Eau Claire, encouraging fellow Wisconsinites to explore the northern part of the state, as well as a digital campaign and brand new website .

“We’re not running a campaign to try to encourage people to come here. We’re telling people that this place is so great you’re going to want to come here. That’s the work, telling the story of what this place already is,” Paine said.

The city celebrated the new campaign Friday night with a launch party at the Tourism Information Center, which is inside the Bong Veterans Historical Center.

They said the center will be getting a makeover to reflect the ‘Gotta Be Superior’ campaign.

MAYOR PAINE AT GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

948. On July 25, 2023 our friends at Soupnutz.net chimed in with this story.

Barriers: How Superior’s Tourism Commission Violated Open Meetings Law and the Fight for Transparency

JULY 25, 2023

Did Superior’s Tourism Commission Violate the Law?

The short answer? Yes. On January 3rd, Superior’s Tourism Development Commission broke Wisconsin’s open meetings law, as confirmed by District Attorney Mark Fruehauf . Former commissioner Bruce Barron filed three complaints after seeing the commission’s practices slide from the standards he remembered.

MARK FRUEHAUF

Let’s dig into what went wrong and why the public has reason to be concerned.

The Allegations: Barron’s “Disappearing Transparency”

Barron resigned in 2022, but his commitment to public accountability didn’t stop there. He noticed troubling practices: agendas posted just hours before meetings, inadequate access to meeting records, and questionable handling of virtual attendance. So, he took action, filing complaints that shined a light on the commission’s failures.

Barron’s point? This wasn’t just a lapse; it was a breach of public trust.

DA Fruehauf Steps In… But Stops Short

Fruehauf confirmed the violation: the commission posted the agenda just 4½ hours before the January 3rd meeting—a clear breach of the 24-hour notice rule. Even with that shortened notice, the commission approved substantial contracts, including nearly $94,000 for the Veterans Historical Center.

But Fruehauf stopped short of imposing penalties. Instead, he accepted the city’s promises to improve. For those who’ve watched this process before, it sounds like the usual “we’ll do better next time” routine.

Delayed Records, and the Public Left Out

Here’s where things get interesting. Barron requested the meeting documents be posted online, but the city only provided them in print, and after a delay. Fruehauf suggested this delay may have been more than just a slow response, hinting that it could’ve been intentional obstruction.

Barron wasn’t satisfied. Delays in access to public records? That’s not a small thing—it’s a major accountability gap.

January 17th: Another Closed Door?

Then came the January 17th meeting, where Barron and former commissioner Steven Poole couldn’t access the session virtually. While virtual access isn’t required by state law, the pandemic set a new expectation for transparency. Fruehauf defended the commission’s choice, but the public has a right to wonder: is the commission taking advantage of a technicality to dodge real transparency?

Why Did Graskey Cut the Broadcast?

Councilor Lindsey Graskey didn’t help ease concerns. After the January 17th meeting adjourned, she ended the broadcast, even though the commission was still discussing Poole’s

resignation. Fruehauf noted this, implying that cutting off public access to ongoing discussions was intentional.

When elected officials turn off the cameras mid-discussion, it raises a question: What are they trying to hide?

The City’s Next Steps: Promises or Real Accountability?

Fruehauf said he wouldn’t pursue penalties, citing corrective steps taken by the city. Promises of annual open meetings training are nice, but are they enough? For those who’ve seen how the system works, it feels like the city’s opting for a “retraining” over real consequences.

For citizens, these promises are easy to make but harder to keep. Without accountability, what prevents this from happening again?

Is Trust Being Restored, or Just Patched Over?

Barron voiced optimism that the city could learn from this, but he wasn’t naive. He knows accountability is never comfortable, but he also knows it’s necessary. Superior’s leaders may say they understand the public’s right to know, but it’s up to the people to keep them honest.

In small-town government, transparency is fragile. And if you’re a citizen of Superior, now is the time to watch your leaders closely.

COMMENTS

949. What a joke. That’s the sausage being made, Superior style. Justice served with pinky promises. I might just turn vegan. But the biggest joke of them all is Paine and the city said the following in the beginning of today’s Blog.

“City leaders said the change will increase transparency over tourism spending.”

So Superior, the joke’s on you!

950. On Aug 9, 2024 our friends at the Duluth Monitor ran this story.

City of Superior has no idea if they approved $1.3 million Swim Creative contract

By: John Ramos Date : August 9, 2024

At their regular meeting on June 25, 2024, the City of Superior’s Tourism Development Commission considered an agenda item which read “Discussion & Approval of SWIM Contract.”

Duluth-based marketing and advertising agency SWIM Creative has been managing the city’s “Gotta Be Superior!” branding campaign for the past three years. SWIM was requesting $1,209,838 for the upcoming three-year term—2025-2027.

Instead of including the contract which commissioners were being asked to approve, the agenda packet contained SWIM’s sales presentation and budget proposal.

During their discussion, commissioners and city staff who were present appeared to be discussing a contract. When commissioners began talking about optional items, Chief of Staff Becky Scherf reminded them, “The big piece to focus on, at least for today, is the actual three-year contract, without the add-ins … The critical piece, for them, is to have a contract with us … so they can start working on the next campaign … Having a contract in place, which is what you’re looking at right now, is the critical piece to get them to work.”

Commissioners voted to amend the SWIM contract to add $21,000 per year for social media management. The updated total for the three-year contract was now $1,272,838.

Commissioners then voted to unanimously approve the amended, invisible contract.

Common Council confusion

During regular meetings of the Superior Common Council, a section of the agenda is reserved for councilors to deliver reports for commissions and committees which they chair.

The reason Fennessey asked about the $25,000 figure was that City code specifies that expenditures which exceed $25,000 require Council approval.

Rather than providing Fennessey with the contract dollar amount, Councilor Graskey directed him to the Agenda Center.

Graskey: The agreement is in our meeting [packet] to project three years in advance, so we did approve a three-year contract with numbers, but that is basically approving those start of those numbers.

Fennessy: You say “those numbers.” That’s kind of what I’m looking for, is what those numbers are.

Graskey: They are in our TDC packets that are online in our Agenda Center. They’re easily available.

Fennessy: Okay. I guess where I’m going is [that it is] over $25,000. I’m just wondering why that contract wasn’t put before the Council for approval.

There was no “agreement” or contract in the Agenda Center. The fact that a Commission chair was refusing to share important information during a public meeting—especially after being directly asked about it by a fellow councilor—was extremely unusual.

Mayor Jim Paine then interjected, saying that he believed it was illegal for the Council to have oversight of Tourism Development Commission expenditures.

Mayor Paine: I did have a conversation with the attorney … about a year after the Tourism Commission was created. We were discussing it, and he found the ordinance that requires contracts requiring Council approval legally dubious, almost certainly in violation of the [Wisconsin] statutes. Tourism Commissions are built to be independent, and therefore the Council would not have authority to review their decisions … As far as why it’s not here tonight, I didn’t make that decision.

The mayor’s comments failed to clarify the matter. If it is against the law for the Council to approve TDC expenditures, the Council has repeatedly broken the law to date. Since 2022, they have approved seven expenditures from the TDC, some of them quite substantial, and nobody questioned whether their actions were legal.

Only four months earlier, on March 19, 2024, the Council approved a $120,000 contract with comedian Charlie Berens—to have him produce content for the city on his social media sites—at the recommendation of the TDC. At the time, Mayor Paine spoke enthusiastically in favor of the proposal. He did not suggest that Council oversight was unnecessary or illegal.

But now, suddenly, when the TDC had approved a $1.3 million marketing contract without seeing it, the mayor seemed eager to keep it under wraps.

Fennessey: This isn’t an effort to try and hide our contracts and the spending with this commission, is that correct?

Paine: It’s not an effort to do anything at all. I didn’t make this decision.

Fennessey: Okay.

Graskey: May I add to that, if that’s okay?

Paine: Sure.

Graskey: I mean, if there’s numbers you’re looking for, Councilor Fennessey, they are widely available on the Agenda Center. If you have questions, you can simply ask me as well, but it is public information, so if that’s what you’re looking for, they’re located there.

Fennessey: And I guess where the confusion comes from is there is no contract in the Tourism Commission Agenda Center.

Paine: Yeah, I think, councilors, you both expressed your opinion … I think that’s about as far as we can probably stretch this conversation. I would encourage both of you to reach out to the attorney and ask these exact questions of him and get a more formal opinion.

Following the meeting, the Monitor asked Mayor Paine how the Tourism Development Commission had been able to approve a contract without seeing it.

The mayor responded in an email on July 17:

You asked about how TDC can approve a contract that was not in the packet. I looked into this today and the answer is quite simple: TDC neither considered nor approved a full contract at their last meeting. While the agenda noticed the possible approval of a contract, the Commission merely discussed and approved terms of the contract, namely the annual expenditures (or budget as they described it) during the life of the contract. Those terms will be added to a final document, which the Commission will consider at a future meeting. This likely also explains why the contract has not appeared in front of the Council.

On July 23, the Monitor emailed Superior City Attorney Frog Prell, asking him to clarify the role of the Tourism Development Commission and whether the Council had oversight of the TDC’s decisions, as required by city code.

Mr. Prell responded on July 24: “I am aware of the confusion regarding the city ordinance and the authority of the TDC. I will get to that matter soon and will get back to you when I have had a chance to give it more study.”

The Monitor sent Frog Prell a follow-up email on Aug. 7, requesting an update. The email received no response.

To recap:

June 25, 2024—TDC agenda referenced “Discussion & Approval of SWIM Contract” (not “possible” approval, as the mayor claimed)
June 25, 2024—During discussion, Chief of Staff Scherf told the TDC, “Having a contract in place, which is what you’re looking at right now, is the critical piece.”
July 16, 2024—At the Common Council meeting, Councilor Graskey stated, “We did approve a three-year contract.”
July 17, 2024—Mayor Paine told the Monitor that the “TDC neither considered nor approved a full contract.”

On July 18, the Monitor emailed Councilor Graskey the following question:

Please clarify exactly what you approved on June 25, 2024. Is there a contract in place or not?

Despite repeated follow-ups by the Monitor over several weeks, by email and in person, Councilor Graskey has refused to answer this question or any other question relating to the Tourism Development Commission.

The TDC has not met again since June 25.

The fate of $1.3 million remains unknown.

FINAL COMMENTS ON THIS STORY

951. Typical Jim Paine. Comes up with a dumb idea then walks away from it. Doesn’t know, understand or care about the procedures. Leaves it up to the tourism fairies. They are about as useless as he is. No follow up. Tries to sweep it under the rug. Makes sure he mentions more than once that it’s not his fault. No answers. No solutions. And you wonder why I don’t want government to own anything?

952. Soupnutz.net steps up with yet another fine story on Dec 4, 2024.

Outcry Erupts as Superior Tourism Commission’s $120,000 Contract with Charlie Berens Sparks Scandal and Calls for Transparency

December 4, 2024

Superior’s Tourism Commission: Secrecy, Scandal, and a Botched $120,000 Deal

The Tourism Development Commission (TDC) of Superior has found itself embroiled in controversy yet again, this time over a $120,000 contract with social media influencer and comedian Charlie Berens. The deal, touted as an innovative effort to boost tourism, quickly unraveled under intense public scrutiny, exposing flaws in leadership and governance that have plagued the TDC for years.

The Deal That Sparked Outrage

The contract, approved by the Superior City Council and championed by Lindsey Graskey, the TDC chair and council vice president, sought to leverage Berens’ popularity to promote the city. Known for his “Manitowoc Minute” videos and Wisconsin-themed humor, Berens commands a following of more than 9 million across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The plan called for Berens to produce 10 pieces of content, including two short videos shared on his social media channels, to draw attention to Superior’s attractions.

SPUDS MACKENZIE

SPUDS MacGHASTLY

Graskey described the deal as a “huge stepping stone” to showcase Superior’s natural beauty and “put the city on the map.” However, the plan was met with skepticism from city council members like Brent Fennessey and Garner Moffat , who questioned whether such an investment would deliver measurable returns. Moffat argued that Berens’ audience might not align with the city’s target demographics, casting doubt on the potential impact.

Despite concerns, the council approved the contract, with funds coming from room tax revenues. Graskey defended the expenditure, framing it as a bold experiment in tourism promotion. Yet, the deal quickly fell apart—not because of logistical hurdles, but because of a public backlash fueled by accusations of secrecy.

A Familiar Pattern of Opaque Leadership

The Berens debacle is the latest in a series of controversies highlighting the TDC’s troubling governance practices under Graskey’s leadership. Critics accused the commission of crafting the deal behind closed doors, leaving taxpayers—the stakeholders footing the bill—in the dark until it was too late.

Superior residents, already wary of the TDC’s track record, expressed outrage over the lack of transparency. This uproar mirrored previous frustrations with the commission, including Graskey’s past violations of Wisconsin’s open meetings law. The secrecy surrounding the Berens contract reinforced suspicions that the TDC prioritizes expedience over accountability.

“The community wasn’t rejecting Charlie Berens,” one resident noted. “They were rejecting the process—a closed-door decision that felt more like a dictate than a partnership.”

Damage Done Without Spending a Dime

While the $120,000 contract was ultimately scrapped before any money changed hands, the damage to the TDC’s reputation was already done. Critics argued that the debacle highlighted a broader failure of leadership, with Graskey at the helm.

The fallout has left Superior taxpayers questioning not just the wisdom of the Berens deal but the commission’s overall approach to governance. Graskey’s repeated reliance on secretive decision-making has created a culture of mistrust, with each new controversy further eroding public confidence.

Leadership Under Fire: Graskey’s Troubled Tenure

This isn’t the first time Lindsey Graskey has faced criticism for her leadership style. Her violation of Wisconsin’s open meetings law—a cornerstone of government transparency —underscored a troubling disregard for accountability. These incidents are part of a larger pattern in which public input is sidelined, and transparency becomes an afterthought.

Graskey’s defenders argue that she is bold and willing to take risks, but critics see her leadership as emblematic of a deeper issue within the TDC. The commission’s repeated missteps suggest systemic problems that go beyond any single contract or controversy.

Calls for Change: Transparency as the Only Path Forward

The Berens fiasco has become a tipping point for many Superior residents, who are demanding a radical shift in how the TDC operates. Moving forward, the commission must embrace transparency as a guiding principle, ensuring that decisions involving public funds are made with public input.

Critics insist that open meetings must live up to their name, and that taxpayers must be treated as partners, not obstacles. Graskey’s leadership will need to reckon with these demands if the TDC hopes to regain trust.

Conclusion: A Costly Lesson in Mismanagement

Superior taxpayers may have avoided a financial disaster, but the damage to public trust remains profound. Under Lindsey Graskey’s leadership, the TDC has repeatedly chosen secrecy over service, leaving the community disillusioned and distrustful.

This episode should serve as a wake-up call. The people of Superior have made it clear: transparency is not optional. For the TDC to rebuild its credibility, it will need to abandon the backroom politics that have defined its recent history. Without meaningful action, the commission risks further alienating the very community it exists to serve.

COMMENTS

RUNNY NOSE PAINE

953. Remember the good old days? I’m talking about a couple of years ago before Jim Paine and his “World domination” or at least “Superior Domination” mentality kicked in? Travel Superior which was run by the Chamber of Commerce were moving along and posting good numbers. Did you ever hear or read anything negative? But then “Pinhead Paine” stuck his runny nose in the mix, tried to sell the Council and us that there was something about transparency that he didn’t like and that the city should take the whole thing over. How did that work out? And for many of us, well let’s just say, we are not surprised. That is why I’ve said time and time again that I’m against government owning anything. Now look at the mess we are in. When will we ever learn? Welcome to Jim Paine’s world.

954. And now the final story today on this mess from our friends at the Duluth Monitor from June 3, 2025.

As Swim Creative fails to meet social media management goals, City of Superior considers doubling their compensation

By: John Ramos Date : June 3, 2025

On June 25, 2024, the City of Superior’s Tourism Development Commission approved a six-month marketing contract with Swim Creative. For $1,750 per month, Swim Creative was responsible for the “organic social media management” of the city’s tourism information bureau, Gotta Be Superior, from July to December of 2024.

Swim held monthly meetings with the Gotta Be Superior team to plan social media content, and then published two posts and two stories per week on Gotta Be Superior’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Swim was not responsible for creating the posts’ content; they simply scheduled and published the copy and graphics supplied to them by City of Superior staff.

Swim appears to have largely fulfilled the terms of their 2024 contract. They did, however, have a minor misstep in December, when they published only four of the month’s eight Facebook posts to Instagram.

And then came 2025

In November of 2024, the Tourism Development Commission approved the renewal of Swim’s organic social media management contract for 2025 (using the $1,750 monthly rate from the 2024 contract). The City of Superior immediately paid Swim in full for the 2025 contract—$21,000.

Upon review, Swim does not appear to be fulfilling the terms of their 2025 contract. In the 21 weeks since the beginning of the year, Swim should have published 42 posts (2 posts per week) on each of Gotta Be Superior’s Facebook and Instagram pages, for a grand total of 84 posts.

A review of Gotta Be Superior’s social media pages reveals that only 47 of the required 84 posts have been published since Jan. 1, 2025.

Even though Swim was paid $1,750 per month for the past five months (a total of $8,750), none of the posts have performed very well. The 23 posts published on Facebook received a combined total of 99 reactions—and 27 of them were from Swim Creative employees and their families. Swim is contractually required to engage with their own posts.

The most recent post on Gotta Be Superior’s Facebook and Instagram pages was published on May 20, 2025—meaning that nearly two weeks have passed without any published posts whatsoever.

What does Swim say?

On June 2, 2025, Monitor Publisher John Ramos emailed members of the Tourism Development Commission, the Superior City Council, Superior Mayor Jim Paine, and Swim Creative President Patrice Bradley to share our findings and ask them for comment.

Other than Pattie Soliday advising us that her term on the TDC had expired, only Ms. Bradley has responded. She claims that Swim is fulfilling the terms of their contract:

Swim Creative is currently posting four times per week, in line with our 2025 contract with the City of Superior. This includes two Grid posts and two Stories per week, as outlined. Many of the Stories—which are often time-sensitive, event-driven, and promotional in nature—disappear after 24 hours, which may explain why they’re not visible in a typical post count review.

Our current contract focuses on repurposing existing content, not the creation of original or video content. Each month, we create and submit a social media content plan to the Tourism Development Commission (TDC), which guides the organic content strategy. These plans are followed closely. In rare cases where content from a partner business is delayed or unavailable, we adjust accordingly to maintain our posting frequency.

Swim Creative takes pride in our transparency, responsiveness, and creative quality. We consistently over-deliver on strategy, reach, and engagement, and our campaigns are achieving strong performance metrics. I’d be glad to set up a meeting to walk through our strategy and share benchmark reports, plans, and content calendars with you at any time.

Ramos replied:

Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, I feel it ignores reality.

I did not address Stories in my analysis, because those disappear quickly and were unavailable. Leaving Stories aside, however, you are still responsible for 2 Grid Posts per week. Simply counting up Facebook posts shows you have fallen short of this goal in every month of 2025.

In fact, the last post was on May 20—twelve days ago. You clearly failed to post two posts in that period. There are other weeks where you posted nothing as well.

I do not understand how you can claim to be meeting your goals when the evidence clearly shows you are not. Please convince me otherwise.

As of publication, we have received no further response.

The Tourism Development Commission is currently considering doubling Swim’s social media management contract to $3,500 per month, for which Swim would produce their own content for Facebook and Instagram (rather than simply publishing content supplied to them by the Gotta Be Superior team). The TDC discussed this proposed amendment to Swim’s 2025 contract at their meeting on May 5, 2025, but no action was taken on the matter. As of publication, no future Tourism Development Commission meetings have been scheduled.

955. COMMENT #1

A lot to go over here so I’ll break it down by categories. I’m not here to defend or criticize Swim Creative. I don’t know anything about them other than the articles I have read pertaining to their relationship with the city. But since I write this Blog, I do know how the process works so I will focus on that. In the first paragraph it says:

“For $1,750 per month, Swim Creative was responsible for the “organic social media management” of the city’s tourism information bureau, Gotta Be Superior, from July to December of 2024.”

I never heard of “organic social media management” so I Goggled it.

“Organic social media management refers to building a social media presence and growing an audience through unpaid strategies like creating and sharing valuable content, engaging with followers, and building relationships. It focuses on natural growth rather than relying on paid advertising to increase reach.”

My head’s on fire. A little too “Artsy Fartsy” for me. I still don’t understand it. I’ve heard of organic food. I never bought any but my wife does sometimes. I always bug her if she found a 2 headed frog in her salad. Then I get the expected frown and eye-roll.

NOT THIS FROG

THIS FROG

956. COMMENT # 2

Let’s talk about Facebook and Instagram. The following was in the article.

“Upon review, Swim does not appear to be fulfilling the terms of their 2025 contract. In the 21 weeks since the beginning of the year, Swim should have published 42 posts (2 posts per week) on each of Gotta Be Superior’s Facebook and Instagram pages, for a grand total of 84 posts. A review of Gotta Be Superior’s social media pages reveals that only 47 of the required 84 posts have been published since Jan. 1, 2025.”

Facebook and Instagram are free. When we owned Shorty’s and the Palace my wife did all the Facebook entries. I didn’t touch it at all. She told me that each entry took 10 to 30 minutes max. So my advice is why not a couple of city staff to do that chore. Over the year that wouldn’t take much time and save the city some money. I looked at their Facebook for “Gotta be Superior”. It’s fine. It’s not much different than most Facebook pages I look at including Shorty’s and the Palace.

There is one post they put up recently that I didn’t like, for obvious reasons, that involves “The Backstabbing Baker” Melissa Hyatt. Here it is.

Here is the post from Gotta Be Superior’s Facebook Page.

Gotta Be Superior is at A Dozen Excuses Donuts & More .

June 6, 2025 at 6:48 AM · Superior, WI ·

It’s National Donut Day, and Superior knows how to do a sweet treat!

Our recommendation today is a stop at locally delicious A Dozen Excuses Bakery (because you gotta celebrate a national holiday) .

957. MY COMMENT

I’m sure Jim and Jenny were wolfing them down like there’s no tomorrow. My favorites are the Lying Donuts, the “Hypocrite Cake” and the “Psycho Eclair”. Just sayin’.

But I will say there seems to be a performance issue. Here are some Facebook numbers for followers.

958. COMMENT # 3

Let’s talk about their website. Again it’s fine. Similar to many others in the market. Similar to ours in some respects. In the article Swim Creative said the following.

Reading this sounds a little bit mumble jumble to me. But if I am reading this right they are not creating content. It sounds about the same way my website works. I have a company called Designer 1 Media who put my website together back in 2023 and they post all my Blogs. Here is how it works.

1- I compose a blog and keep it on a file. It has the narrative and articles and shows where all the pictures or links need to go. When it’s done I have my wife proof it and then I send them a file with the pictures and a file with the narrative.

2-I usually send it out first thing in the morning and I get the proof in the afternoon. My wife and I separately proof the Blog and send them an OK or corrections. After that they send me the link usually by 5PM then another company, Constant Contact then sends the emails to the readers who subscribe to it. My wife also posts the link on our Facebook page.

3- My cost is 39.00 a month for one company and 35.00 a month for the other. I can do as many Blogs a month as I want. There is no extra charges. Here is a copy of my June invoice Designer 1 Media.

4-And that leads me to this. My total costs to take a file, program it, put it on a website and then email to you, the readers, is $74.00 a month.

Then I read this from the story. Maybe I should get the contract. I’m sure little Jimmy and I would get along famously.

“The Tourism Development Commission is currently considering doubling Swim’s social media management contract to $3,500 per month, for which Swim would produce their own content for Facebook and Instagram (rather than simply publishing content supplied to them by the Gotta Be Superior team). The TDC discussed this proposed amendment to Swim’s 2025 contract at their meeting on May 5, 2025, but no action was taken on the matter. As of publication, no future Tourism Development Commission meetings have been scheduled.”

959. COMMENTS# 4

But the strangest part of this story is the following.

“In November of 2024, the Tourism Development Commission approved the renewal of Swim’s organic social media management contract for 2025 (using the $1,750 monthly rate from the 2024 contract). The City of Superior immediately paid Swim in full for the 2025 contract—$21,000.”

Why? Why did they do that? Why did that stupid City Council ever vote along with that idiot Paine to take away the tourism from the Chamber of Commerce in the first place? Now it’s just a big Shit Shower.

960. COMMENTS# 5

And a big thumbs down (and a couple of middle fingers up) to “Not Tough on Crime” Mark Fruehauf, the elected District Attorney for Douglas County, Wisconsin.

MARK FRUEHAUF

On January 3rd, Superior’s Tourism Development Commission broke Wisconsin’s open meetings law, as confirmed by District Attorney Mark Fruehauf.

But Fruehauf stopped short of imposing penalties. Instead, he accepted the city’s promises to improve. Nice job Jackass! 20 years to life would have been more appropriate.

961. SLOGANS

I took the time to come up with some new slogans for the tourism board. You could consider this my resume.

NEW SLOGANS

1-Superior, where businesses come to die.

2-Superior, where our politicians don’t keep their word. Ask NTEC.

3-Gotta leave Superior.

4- Superior, commit a crime and do little time.

5- Superior, where bad guys are good and good guys are bad.

6-Superior, get out while you can.

7-Superior, where we endorse George Floyd, BLM and Indigenous People Day.

8- If you like corruption and nepotism, you’ll love Superior.

9-Superior, we even hate ice cream and apple pie.

10-Superior, no ethics commission, no ombudsmen, no accountability.

11-Superior, where keeping you safe is not priority # 1.

12- Superior, where mediocrity is rewarded and success is frowned upon.

13- Superior, where we have 2 seasons, bugs and winter.

14- Superior, where are property taxes are about 50% too high but the weather is free (for now).

15- Superior where if you are voted out of office, we’ll find you a way back in.

16- Superior, where your dreams become nightmares.

17- Superior, where we recycle…….defeated politicians.

18- Superior, where our population drops annually...and for good reason.

19- Superior, where we celebrate apathy, poor choices and bad decisions.

20-Superior, build your business here...and we’ll tear it down.

21- Superior, “If it ain’t broke we’ll break it”.

22- “Gotta Be Superior” or as Jim Paine calls it, “Gotta Take Over Superior.”

23- Superior, where Jim Paine says, “we are considering just taking on the water utility ourselves. We know we can run it more efficiently”.

24-Superior, where Jim Paine says, “Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

25-Superior, We don’t have a king, but we do have a dictator.

AND MY FAVORITE

26- Superior, one our city councilors is “Spuds MacKenzie.”

SPUDS AT PORCHFEST

A PALACE BAR TRUTH EXCLUSIVE!!!

ME (ENTREPRENEUR) VS PAINE (POLITICIAN)

ME-4 YEARS OLD

THEATER BOY JIMMY

962. I recently met somebody who grew up with little Jimmy and I got some insight of how the two of us have very little in common. And it became very obvious that we were at different ends of the spectrum. So let’s explore our differences.

#1

When I was a little boy I wanted to be a policeman.

Little Jimmy wanted to defund the Police.

#2

When I was a little boy I wanted to be a fireman.

Little Jimmy wanted to buy the city an electric firetruck which would cost considerably more and breakdown during inclement weather resulting in your home burning down.

#3

When I was a little boy I wanted to be a cowboy.

Little Jimmy wanted to be an Indian.

#4

When I was a little boy I used to go to mass every Sunday with my parents and I wanted to be a priest.

Little Jimmy wanted to be a politician.

#5

When I was little boy I wanted to work for my dad’s sporting good store and someday take it over.

Little Jimmy wanted to become mayor and increase his dad’s mini-golf business rent by $500.00 for no particular reason.

#6

When I was a little boy I did not want to play sports on the girls team.

Little Jimmy played a “Spice Girl” in a school play.

COMMENTS

963. Consider this next time you go to vote. Do you want somebody who has accomplishments in the real world. People who have owned their own companies or have worked in executive positions and have achieved certain levels of success.

Or do you want people who have none of these things on their resume. People who have worked in some kind of capacity for government, community organizers, non-profits, teachers, professors and the like. People who have never signed the front of a check. People like Jim Paine, Tony Evers, Tampon Tim and Kakela McNeepads. It’s your choice.

964. Well, that’s it for today. In the meantime, safe travels. Just not in Superior. See you next time and thanks for reading.

Brian

blog 97

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:45:03 GMT

THE RETURN OF THE NOTORIOUS J.V.S.?

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.

THE NOTORIOUS J.V.S.

I HOPE NOT!!!

AND BOOBIES, TRACKERS AND BREASTFEEDING. WHAT?

YOU HAVE TO READ IT TO BELIEVE IT!!!

907. Welcome to today’s Blog. We are going to cover two important stories today. So let’s start with the first one,”THE RETURN OF THE NOTORIOUS J.V.S.?” It’s about the two desperate despots, Jim and Jenny Paine. The Google definition of despot is “ a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way. ”

The best way to document this story is by the timeline.

AND NOW!!!!

JIM PAINE ENTERPRISES PRESENTS

“THE REVENGE FOR JENNY TOUR 2025”

PART 2

908. So what happened after Jenny Van Sickle’s humiliating election loss to upstart Sarah Anderson? Well I took the liberty to give you my take, reenactment if you will, on what possibly took place. Here it is.

I can only imagine the ear piercing and brain busting sounds coming from the Paine-Popsicle household the night of the elections after her loss. Maybe it went something like this:

“Jim, you better do something about this and it’s all your fault. You f**ked that whole property tax thing up and it cost me my seat”. I HATE YOU! DAMMIT, FIX THIS JIM AND GET ME BACK IN GOVERNMENT A.S.A.P.!!!!”

And then she ran through the front door like the Kool-Aid Man.

And here is actually what happened

908. Let’s start with this post on Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page on April 9, 2025.

Craig Sutherland April 9

Attached is a screenshot I obtained through an open records request, showing Councilor Jenny Van Sickle attempting to reprimand a city employee after her election loss. Imagine working for a city and receiving communication like this from an elected official!

Let's remember that she is still the elected representative for the Second District until the new councilor is sworn in next week.

This behavior is concerning, particularly considering that Councilor Van Sickle is the wife of our mayor. It's reasonable to question whether he approves of these messages.

We need to uphold professionalism and respect in our city government!

And as always, my favorite part, Readers comments.

Remember this when she attempts to run from, I mean for, dog catcher!
and what is wrong with being a “dog catcher” I mean why is she putting any job down. Just ridiculous

3. I think Animal Control “dog catcher” an SPD position is a very sought after and respected job.

And just so others are aware. You are not elected into it. City employees are chosen off of qualifications and knowledge of position duties. So she may want to get her facts straight before she puts other peoples positions down.

4. exactly! I know our Humane Officer and she’s wonderful…and its not an easy job!

5. can she run for the seat in the district her husband lives in?

6. think maybe they should call a Human Resources meeting, and suspend her until the end of her term.

7. There is no business, or reason in any business especially something as highly visible as public governmental duties, where that's considered professional. That's petty as shit

8. She is who we thought she was.

9. nothing justifies threatening an employee at her job for things she said off the job. And this isn't the first time Jenny had spoken like this.

10. our elected officials are held to a higher standard, and that email was way out of line regardless of what the city employee said. She claims she "never meant for it to be a public exchange", but that's only because she didn't expect people to see it. I don't know her personally or have any personal issues with her, but watching the way she speaks to people at the council meetings, HR committee, and the forums, this is not a one off situation and it's time she's held accountable for shitty behavior.

11. Way to keep it classy, lame duck councilor jimsickle. Better hurry…not much time to wreak your vengeance. Totally disgusted and not at all surprised.

12. does she always try to sound uber-educated? Almost comical.

13. Kinda sounds like the recipient of that letter should be requesting the HR meeting

14. Jenny Jenny Jenny! Who wrote your name and number on the bathroom wall? You should see a shrink for your hangups and then you can finally grow up! 8675309

15. She is a nasty person.

16. Like you said though, her husband is the Mayor. Just as trashy as she is. Nothing will come of it. *I pray I’m wrong

17. Wow. That’s evidently who she is… just awful. I’m glad you got this. And I’m glad she’ll be gone.

18. That is terrible of an elected official to attack someone because they lost, but can't come to terms with it, disgraceful

19. Wowza! That is terrible!

One of many good reasons she on her way OUT!

20. Definitely showing the type of person she is. So happy she got ousted! Be worthless at home instead of on the council.

AND MY FAVORITE

21. To be clear, the mayor’s wife says and does the exact things that go through the mayor’s head. Jim Paine is literally married to his spirit animal.

COMMENTS

909. The reason I ran this little cat fight is that later on the Blog today Councilor Fennessey will have some comments about JVS that will be relevant to this story. And nothing on this story was reported on by Shelley Nelson or the Superior Telegram.

910 . For me, the real story of THE RETURN OF THE NOTORIOUS J.V.S.? starts on May 3 when Craig Sutherland posted this story on his Facebook page. I also reported this story on Blog 95. Here it is.

Craig Sutherland May 3, 2025

Every year, the city council votes on its committee appointees, and this year, one name stands out in the Metropolitan Interstate Council: former city councilor Van Sickle as the “Citizen Appointee.”

Let’s not forget that these citizen appointees are recommended by the mayor—who happens to be married to former councilor Van Sickle. If that’s not nepotism, I’m not sure what is!

Ask your city councilor to vote NO.

Other notes: He has his staffer and another councilor(Ludwig) appointed as citizens.

COMMENTS

911. On Blog 95 I didn’t include the readers comments to Craig’s post so here are some of them now.

And he adds his staffer to the WI point committee…GTFOH
I’d like to be a citizen appointee for a couple committees! I’ve tried getting involved in several projects and haven’t even gotten so much as an offer to help with a steering committee or anything city related.
If I remember correctly, the President and Vice President recommend the committee appointments, and the Citizen appointees are recommended by the Mayor separately under Business by Mayor recommending those appointments and voted on by the Council for approval or not. I looked at the agenda and it’s lumped into new business. Well maybe things have changed. That word change is quite intriguing. See ya Tuesday.
Must be why the mayor “re-worked“ the city nepotism policy!!
The city just voted her out. Why would he appoint her when the people have spoken?
and put her on a committee with her opponent who beat her?
I find that a bit odd like there is some sort of motive. Seems highly inappropriate but I guess I don’t know all the ins of a citizen appointee. I also find it interesting that the mayors secretary is on the list of appointees. How does one come up with the nominees and are we trying to get diverse perspective and have balance to the committees? Again all questions I have because I don’t know what it all entails but from first glance seems really off!
I should also clarify maybe her title isn’t secretary but she’s something to the mayor. I don’t want to spread misinformation!
yeah…I’d think (no idea the criteria or rules) if it was me, I’d want to venture outside of the office and home to find new ideas.
Several of those that I could participate in as a citizen
it’s too bad you weren’t in the Paine family
So gross what the superior is going thought
I'd ask my councilor but JVSP is best friends with Lindsey Graskey
she’s proven that!
When I tuned in to the council meeting last night, I was taken aback to hear Council President Graskey on the verge of tears ...about committee appointments?! WTF is going on down there?

AND MY FAVORITE

13. Please please please, someone run against this corrupt mayor and give people an option to end his time as the Mayor of Superior.

COMMENTS

912. It’s clear that people are upset about this as they should be. The fact that Paine is appointing Ruth Ludwig “Cymbals and drums”, a constant and reliable Paine supporter, his wife “The Notorious J. V. S.”, his Chief of staff, Rebecca “The Blue” Schmerf” and Sarah Anderson who beat Jenny Paine in the recent election to the same committee of only five people doesn’t pass the smell test for me. How about you? Lord knows what “Sketchy” Jim has in mind but I don’t think that making Sarah Anderson’s life easier is on the top of his list.

And by the way, the Fake News Superior Telegram? No reporting on this story that I can find. But you will see as we go on that the Fake news has really outdone themselves on this one.

MAY 6,2025—CITY COUNCIL MEETING

913. I really would like you to watch the video of the city council meeting. I know I’m asking a lot. Really a lot. But this is one for the ages. Paine is on defense and looks completely caught off guard. He continued to try and push for the vote on these appointments but when it looked like the council was not going to give him his way, which is rare, his narrative switched over to try and postpone the voting for two weeks and then everything seemed to fall apart. Paine wanted out of that room ASAP.

914. Councilor Fennessey obviously seemed like the adult in the room while Paine seemed completely unhinged. Funny enough it was Paine who beat him in the 2017 Mayoral election, a mistake that Superior should always regret.

There are special appearances from Tooler Elmo, The “Puppet” called Moffat, Jack ‘Visiting Angels are on line 1” Sweeney and others. But the most bizarre part of it is when council president “Evil” Linda “Ghastly” had a meltdown and started crying.

She was wearing some beautiful gold chains and earrings. She was also wearing a Spuds MacKenzie t-shirt. Yes that Spuds MacKenzie. I love Spuds MacKenzie. I think that’s the first time I saw somebody crying while wearing a Spuds t-shirt. And why do I call her “Evil”? I’ll let you know in an upcoming Blog. FYI. The Google definition Of Ghastly is:

Ghastly" means shockingly repellent, frightening, or terrible. It can describe something that is intensely unpleasant, disagreeable, or objectionable, or something that resembles a ghost. While often used in a literal sense to describe things related to death or ghosts, it can also be used figuratively to describe things that are simply very bad or awful.

This whole segment of the council meeting was obviously about the appointment of the Notorious J. V. S., but her name was never once mentioned by anyone that night. What’s up with that?

So please watch the video. I don’t want to be alone in my misery. The segment itself starts at the 52 minute mark. Here is the link.

915. https://www.youtube.com/live/LlYBo_gC0iE

COMMENTS

916. There are three things people never want to watch. How hot dogs are made, a City of Superior council meeting headed up by Jim Paine and a Jim Paine “State of the City” speech. Look at all the harm Paine and his wife are causing this city just because of their selfish, disgusting lust for power.

917. Did you count how many times he used the word “Postpone”? I ran out of fingers and toes trying to figure that out. So now he has two weeks to strong arm and probably threaten the council to vote for his precious little power hungry Jenny, the sore loser.

WHICH ONE JENNY, YOURS OR JIM’S?

His nauseating and impossible to understand never ending diatribe was pretty much indecipherable. It’s just hard to explain. He can read his cringe worthy state of the city speeches off a prepared statement but he proved tonight he doesn’t think well when he has to go off script. In fact, he’s awful. This city is in big trouble.

One other observation. Paine who is desperately trying to get this postponed because he knew he didn’t have the votes. He said that since the council only had his proposal for 24 hours that maybe they didn’t have enough time to decipher it and a 2 week delay would be good and of course that would give him more time to bully them into voting for his little princess, the Notorious J. V. S. Because even though her actual name didn’t come up at the meeting it is the only appointment that city council had a problem with. No one else, just her.

That’s funny because in December 2022 when Jordan Wheat’s license for the Palace Bar came up for a vote, Paine slapped his “Manifesto of a Madman” letter on city council explaining why he wanted them to vote against her only 2 hours before the meeting. And of course a copy was sent to the Democratic political operative Shelly Nelson. And when the vote came up council members Fennessey and Johnson asked for a 2 week postponement. Paine said no. Why? Because unbeknownst to us Paine had been working behind the scenes for some time securing the votes from most of the council. He knew he had this in the bag. So they voted 8-2 not to postpone and then 8-2 not to grant her a license. In the end, 24 hours to review his wife’s appointment wasn’t enough time but 2 hours for Jordan’s was more than enough. Can you spell corruption? I can. J-I-M P-A-I-N-E.

FINAL COMMENTS ON THIS STORY

918. Jim and Jenny Paine are like a couple of low end dime store cult leaders. Kinda like a couple of gypsies, grifters if you will. Two unhinged power seeking politicians with no real accomplishments to brag about. Two Marxist/Communist types where their selfish lust for power is their only real goal. And with the help of the local press and people like Shelley Nelson have gotten them to where they are now. But their glass dome of protection was smashed to smithereens when The Notorious J. V. S. was tossed out like a garbage bag full of Thanksgiving leftovers by the voters of Superior. Then the duo of destruction, with a lot of help from Shelley Nelson and the Superior Telegram went into damage mode and all hell broke loose. Sorta sad and sickening when you think about it. And it stinks!

MAY 7, 2025

919. On the last Blog #96 I ran this story from the Telegram.

“Council selects 2 vice presidents”

I purposely left out the last paragraph because it wasn’t that important to the story and some information was left out by Shelley Nelson from yesterday’s council meeting. So here is how the paragraph appeared in the Telegram.

In other business Tuesday, councilors:

Authorized city officials to waive the bidding process and enter into a contract with OIR Group in an amount not to exceed $50,000. The California-based firm that provides independent police oversight is being consulted to address division in the Superior Police Department.
Approved a new grant program paid for by the small business grant program to help building owners with the cost of architectural code reviews required to change the use of commercial properties.
Approved funding to complete reconstruction of the skate park at Heritage Park with Grindline Skateparks Inc. for a total cost of about $1 million. The project was originally planned to be built in two phases but the condition of ramps in the current park threatened to close the facility.

COMMENTS

920. What’s missing is what I considered the most important part of the meeting. Here it is.

THE MISSING PARAGRAPHS

10.2. COUNCIL PRESIDENT GRASKEY and MAYOR PAINE recommend committee, board, and Commission appointments. MOTION to divide by Councilor Fennessey to separate the appointments in columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the handout from all other appointments was not recognized by Mayor Paine for ambiguity and lacking a main motion to precede it.

MOTION to postpone to next regular meeting by Vice President Moffat, was seconded by Councilor Ledin. MOTION to divide and postpone all appointments other than Standing Committees (comprised of the Human Resources Committee, Public Works Committee, Finance Committee, Licenses and Fees Committee, and Public Safety Committee) appointments by Councilor Johnson and carried via voice vote. POINT OF ORDER by Councilor Moffat to clarify the motion to divide process.

MOTION to postpone all appointments except Standing Committees was carried by unanimous roll call vote: AYE – 10 Ledin, Anderson, Moffat, Sweeney, Fennessey, Elm, Ludwig, Herrick, Johnson, Graskey NO – 0 MOTION to approve 20 Standing Committee appointments including:

To the Human Resources Committee appoint Councilor Sweeney, President Graskey, and Vice President Moffat as members, with Councilor Anderson to serve as an alternate member;
To the Public Works Committee appoint Councilor Ludwig, Councilor Ledin, and Councilor Moffat as members, with Councilor Elm as an alternate member;
To the Finance Committee appoint Councilor Sweeney, Councilor Elm, and Vice President Herrick as members, with Councilor Fennessey as an alternate member;
To the Licenses and Fees Committee appoint Councilor Sweeney, Councilor Fennessey, and Vice President Herrick as members, with Councilor Anderson to serve as an alternate member; and
To the Public Safety Committee appoint Councilor Elm, Councilor Johnson, and Councilor Anderson as members, with Councilor Ledin as an alternate member. was made by Councilor Johnson and seconded by Vice President Moffat and carried via voice vote.

920.

Here is the agenda link to the council meeting of May 6, 2025

https://www.superiorwi.gov/AgendaCenter/Vi ewFile/Minutes/_05062025-1078

COMMENTS

921. Once again the name Jenny Van Sickle is not mentioned in the “PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING” even though that’s what all this is about. Unbelievable isn’t it?

So why did the award winning scribe Shelley Nelson omit this paragraph from her article? Did she just have a brain fart and forgot to? Did she feel it wasn’t newsworthy? Or was she once again covering up for the Mayor? Based on her past history I would say it’s the latter. So the question becomes why? Why would Shelley Nelson omit this important part of the story?

Simple. Paine did not want the story out for obvious reasons. Mostly because it stinks to high heaven. Bringing back a defeated politician and giving her a position in government only weeks after the voters said “No thanks, we don’t want you” is just not a good look. He can now spend the next 2 weeks trying to convince city council to vote for the return of Jenny without too much pressure thanks mostly from the mainstream “Fake News” press.

922. I am curious how this cozy relationship with Shelley Nelson and the Mayor works. When he wants to quash a story does he call, email or text her? Or does she contact him? Or does she instinctively know which ones to bury after doing it for this long? Hey Shelley, feel free to drop me a line and I’ll be happy to put it right here on the Blog. I’m sure my readers would like to know as well. I think Shelley Nelson has a lot of “splainin” to do.

MAY 20, 2025

SUPERIOR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 20

THE RETURN OF JENNY?

923. I need another favor from you, my loyal readers. I would really like you to watch the video from this meeting. But this one is much better than the last one. It’s shorter for one thing but Councilor Fennessey was the star of this show. He made one of the best presentations I’ve ever seen by any politician at any level.

STAR OF THE SHOW

He explains why the Notorious J. V. S. should not be appointed to that board. He was calm, clear, concise, prepared, believable, passionate and just made a lot of common sense. In other words the exact opposite of Jim Paine. I couldn’t help but think what a different city Superior would be if he had been elected in 2017 instead of Paine.

Here are a few things to watch.

A- The “Puppet” called “Moffat” chimed in with a few blurbs that for me, sounded like they may have been rehearsed.

On the subject of Moffat, I found this post on Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page. Here it is.

This was on Craig Sutherland’s Facebook. Not sure what’s behind it but I don’t disagree with his assessment. He doesn’t seem to be a fan of the “PUPPET” called “MOFFAT” This is the entire post. Short and sweet.

Craig Sutherland

Feb 4, 2025

This guy is fucking nuts.

This guy is fucking nuts.

COMMENTS

Short post but some readers did leave comments.

Yup. I think the minions are trying to out talk everyone else
Yup I’m watching him polish Jim’s shoes while he talks
that’s not his shoe he’s polishing.
didn’t mean to offend you but having sat on that council it’s easier to make a statement that isn’t directed to one person but easier to find humor in a response or behavior. There was nothing said by Councilor Moffat that was directed to the resolution as presented. Watch the meeting and then watch the last one and then watch the next one. There are pet projects and issues that involve some councilors to the affect of showing relevance. Look at the 2nd District Councilor. She has an appointment so a five second answer becomes a 5 minute speech with drama, confusion, and anger.
Just so ya know, and this is from experience and service on the Council, resolutions DO NOT go through committees. A few of the Councilors may have wanted you to think differently. Nose growers
They can't even get along as a council. How are they supposed to run a business?

-------------------------------------------------------

B. Notice how quiet Paine is while Fennessey is ripping his wife apart. More on that after the video.

C. Linda “Spuds” MacGraskey is not crying or wearing her Spuds MacKenzie shirt. I’m disappointed.

D. Frog ‘Legs” Prell makes a few statements. You can make your own assessments on them. I personally find them very unconvincing.

The main players in today’s story are Paine, his wife the Notorious J. V. S. (in spirit only, the reek of her political ambitions permeating the air in the council chamber), a Puppet called Muffat and a side of Frog legs, with a special appearance by councilor Fennessey that make the four previously named players look like idiots.

924. The issue at hand starts at 1:02. Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/live/2J-hjEOKgZU

925. Did you notice how Paine was mostly silent during Fennessey’s smackdown of his wife? He knew he had the votes in the bag. He had 2 weeks to do what he had to and he got it done. So why bother defending her honor? It’s all about power after all.

SHE’S BACK!!!!

926. It’s just another blow to the city and another reason for businesses and people not to move or relocate to Superior. Residents have ever right to feel defeated after watching this dog and pony show. The people voted her out and I doubt any of them thought that it would be OK for her husband to appoint her to a board. You know when people say “Too soon? Well this was “WAY TOO SOON”.

BAD DAY

It’s a bad day for Superior, it’s a bad day for the voters, it’s a bad day for businesses, it’s a bad day for many of the people who work in city government, it’s a bad day for common sense. You can’t sugar coat it, it’s a very very bad day. Just because something isn’t illegal it doesn’t mean it’s immoral. When you pull off a stunt like this it leaves the voters with a sense of frustration and disillusionment and it leads to even more resentment and distrust towards those in power.

For me it was like watching baby seals getting clubbed to death. The baby seals were the taxpayers and Paine, City Council and of course the Notorious J. V. S. were holding the clubs.

SUPERIOR TELEGRAM, SHELLEY NELSON HIT NEW LOW

927. “Cut and Paste Shelley “The Hack” Nelson is not a reporter. She is a deflector, an enabler, a political operative for the Democrat Party and the #1 sycophant and #1 fan girl for Jim Paine.

JIM PAINE IS NO STRANGER TO ENABLERS

It has gotten to the point that she is now insulting the intelligence of her readers. She thinks we are stupid. Maybe some like Dee Dee “Flamingo Feathers” Fedders and others are, but I think that most of you who read the Blog know better. Writing only one article on the biggest story of 2024, the property tax scandal, two weeks after the story broke and offering no real new information or perspective just doesn’t cut it. And even worse her paper the Telegram didn’t even name it in their top stories of 2024 article. That is a dereliction of duty.

And the coverage of the story of the humiliating defeat of Jenny Van Sickle in the spring 2025 elections which I think was the biggest story concerning any city councilor in the 15 years I lived in Superior was a joke. Considering her high profile and controversial time on council and the wife of our sitting Mayor the coverage by her and her paper was insulting to their readers. As I’ve said before, every time I read a Shelley Nelson article I am left with more questions than answers. Maybe she should quit the Telegram and become Paine’s press secretary. But she has hit a new low with her lack of coverage or maybe we should call it her cover up in this next story.

This article appeared in the Telegram on May 21, 2025, the day after, 24 hours after the city council meeting where the comeback of Jenny Van Sickle to the demonic, corrupt halls of the institution known as Superior City Hall was now complete. So one would expect a comprehensive, detailed story about the political comeback of the year by one of the two most visible political figures in Superior, the other being her husband Mayor “Silent Bob” Paine. Right? Wrong.

Here is the Telegram article, the day after her amazing comeback.

Council hires contractor for East End road project

Union officials object to the low bidder for construction on East Fifth Street

By Shelley Nelson

May 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM

927-SUPERIOR — Contracts and related agreements have been awarded for the reconstruction of East Fifth Street between 24th and 31st avenues east.

The Superior City Council on Tuesday, May 20, awarded the contract for construction of the nearly $3.4 million project to M. Jolma Inc. of Ashland despite concerns raised by northern Wisconsin building trades.

The company submitted the lowest of five bids for the project that includes full excavation and replacement of the road and sidewalk, a new drainage system and utility work.

The union trade association questioned whether the company met the requirements of the city’s responsible contractor ordinance.

“This is not a union, nonunion issue,” said Kyle Bukovich, president of the Northern Wisconsin Building and Construction Trades Council. “This is straight up with the responsible contractor ordinance.”

Bukovich provided councilors with a packet of information from the village of Minong about a project that M. Jolma was contracted for, but allegedly didn’t complete the work.

It shows that the village had to get another construction company to come in and fix everything to finish the project, Bukovich said. He encouraged councilors to reach out to Minong to request information pertaining to the Wild River Trail Campground.

“We believe M. Jolma is not the most qualified bidder on this project,” Bukovich said.

An attorney representing M. Jolma said the Minong contract is subject to negotiations as the company and village work to resolve payment for the project.

“We obtained a certificate of substantial completion,” said attorney Aaron Dean. “The engineer agreed that we completed our work in early June of 2023. The engineer has signed pay applications, and we haven’t been paid $221,000.”

Derek Pederson, vice president of the trade council, said M. Jolma’s response on an affidavit stating that the company is a responsible contractor is false because the company was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor for noncompliance with the federal Davis-Bacon Act.

“Why did they not want to disclose this information?” Pederson asked. “What are they hiding? Can we really trust the contractor will be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money? Does the city want to work with a contractor that starts off lying on documents to the city?”

Councilor Brent Fennessey said after watching the Superior Public Works Committee meeting, he doesn’t think M. Jolma meets the strict definition of a qualified bidder.

“But neither does the second highest bidder, the third highest bidder or the fourth highest bidder,” Fennessey said. “All of them have something where we could dig up something to say ‘gotcha.’ … I’m almost more inclined to see us just scrap this whole thing and do it over, allowing the bidders the opportunity to do it right.”

Councilor Nicholas Ledin said Fennessey “hit the nail on the head,” but it’s a project that needs to get done, and there are protections for the city in place.

“We do need to take a look at the responsible contractors ordinance because indeed it’s something that is going to come up again,” Ledin said.

Councilor Garner Moffat said he’s confident that city staff can manage the process and make sure the goals of the project are met, and wages will be appropriate.

Councilors voted 6-4 in favor of awarding the contract to M. Jolma. Councilors Mike Herrick, Mark Johnson, Sarah Anderson and Fennessey voted against it.

Councilors also approved a $282,000 contract with Short Elliot Hendrickson for oversight of the East Fifth Street reconstruction project, and agreements with Superior Water, Light and Power and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway outlining responsibility for utility work and the rail crossing at about 25th Avenue East during the project.

In other business, councilors:

Awarded a contract to Northern Interstate Construction for a new splash pad in Wade Bowl at a cost of $688,000.
Adopted an ordinance change to eliminate the $5 charge for a provisional tavern operator’s license.
Appointed or reappointed 48 residents and council members to serve on 20 boards, committees and commissions that serve the city and community.

COMMENTS

928. So you might be wondering why I ran this story about yet another sketchy city of Superior story. Well for one thing it seems that almost every story coming out of this city is sketchy doesn’t it? But the reason is that this is it. This is Shelly Nelson’s award winning coverage of the comeback of the Notorious J. V. S. What? Did you miss it? It’s the final line of the article.

“• Appointed or reappointed 48 residents and council members to serve on 20 boards, committees and commissions that serve the city and community.”

So there you have it. Her comeback is complete and Shelly Nelson did not mention her name even once in both articles she wrote about these two council meetings. And voila(that’s french you know) the Sicklemeister is back in the saddle again an all’s well in the corrupt city of Superior, the laughing stock of the Mid-West.

AND NOW

BOOBIES, TRACKERS AND BREASTFEEDING

929. This has to be the weirdest story I’ve seen in the 15 years I lived in Superior. It’s so bizarre that you feel like somebody wrote this as an elaborate spoof because it doesn’t sound like it could be real. But apparently it is. How can a small little city like Superior continually be involved with one stupid story after another. All you have to do is look at the people running it.

The down side is we are missing important facts that the non-transparent Mayor Paine is withholding, so we will go with what we have beginning with this story.

Mayor: Superior Police Dept. Internal Struggles Near Possible ‘Crisis’

April 23, 2025 by Dan Hanger

930. SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior Police Department is dealing with “urgent” internal struggles that Mayor Jim Paine said needs an outside review as soon as possible to keep the situation from becoming a “crisis.”

Mayor Paine made his concerns known at the April 17 Public Safety Committee meeting.

He said there are a number of cultural issues, interpersonal conflicts and potential personnel concerns that have “overwhelmed” the ability of senior administration.

Senior administration, of course, includes Police Chief Paul Winterscheidt who took over as chief at the beginning of 2024 after Nicholas Alexander retired from that role.

Chief Winterscheidt did not speak on the record about the internal concerns while at the committee meeting and instead let Mayor Paine lead the conversation.

“I mean, I don’t want to paint a picture of an absolute crisis here, so I hope I’m not sounding too alarmist. We have issues that left untended will grow into serious problems and potentially a crisis,” Paine said. “We’re not sure exactly how to tend to these issues. So that’s what we’re consulting on.”

Paine did not elaborate at the meeting on specific examples or explanations about the internal issues of the police department.

The committee approved Paine’s request to hire an outside consulting firm, OIR Group, at a cost of no more than $50,000 to investigate specific allegations within the police department, while also reviewing the overall health and effectiveness of the department before providing recommendations for the city to consider.

The city council will have the final say on the $50,000 contract as early as the next council meeting May 6.

Wife of Superior Police Chief Suing The City

April 24, 2025 by Matt McConico , Dan Hanger

931. SUPERIOR, Wis. – Mikayla Marie LeRette, the wife of Superior Police Chief Paul Winterscheidt, is suing the City of Superior and former Superior Police Capt. Thomas Champaigne.

LeRette is a currently an investigator for the Superior Police Department.

The federal lawsuit was filed in March 2025. It has two key claims in it.

The lawsuit alleges LeRette’s squad car was illegally tracked by Capt. Champaigne, and that she was not given appropriate privacy when expressing breast milk following her pregnancy and return to work.

The lawsuit comes as Superior Mayor Jim Paine says the Superior Police Department is dealing with “urgent” internal struggles and an outside review is needed as soon as possible to keep the situation from becoming a “crisis.” Mayor Paine made his concerns known at the April 17 Public Safety Committee meeting.

The mayor said there are a number of cultural issues, interpersonal conflicts, and potential personnel concerns that have “overwhelmed” the ability of senior administration.

Some of the incidents in the lawsuit allegedly happened before and after LeRette’s husband became Chief of Police.

Winterscheidt became chief Jan. 27, 2024.

The suit claims in November of 2022, LeRette requested a place to “express her breast milk during the working day and would need breaks from work and a suitable place to do so.”

The suit says, “There was no area within the police department designated for lactating mothers. Because there was no better alternative offered to her by her superiors, Plaintiff LeRette agreed to put a chair in the women’s locker room (which includes toilets, sinks, and showers, and almost no privacy)…. she would place a chair behind a curtain in the shower stall, use an extension cord to connect the pump to electricity in the shower area.”

LeRette says she complained about the accommodations to then Police Chief Nicholas Alexander and no additional actions were taken.

The court filing continues to allege, “From November of 2022 until September of 2023 Plaintiff LeRette experienced countless interruptions while expressing breast milk, including interruptions from male janitorial staff, male members of the police department and [her direct supervisor] entering the shower stall and turning the lights off on Plaintiff LeRette while she was lactating and sighing loudly in disgust while doing so.”

A separate issue in the suit also claims then Capt. Champaigne placed an electronic tracking device on the police vehicle that had been assigned to LeRette.

The suit says the tracking device was moved to a different vehicle when LeRette was assigned to a new vehicle.

The lawsuit alleges that even after Champaigne’s retirement, her vehicle still had a tracking device placed on it.

It is not know when the tracking stopped. The suit says the tracking was on-going from at least Feb. 28, 2024 to Mar. 25, 2024.

The court filing did not specifically explain how LeRette discovered the tracking timeframe.

LeRette says she never consented to having a tracking device on her car. The suit continues to claim the tracking of her car was illegal because there was no warrant authorizing LeRette’s vehicles to be tracked.

There are no future scheduled hearings for the case at this point. Lawyers for each side of the case have until early May to filed additional documents including certain pretrial motions, objections, or request that the court can determine the case without a trial on the merits. After those filings are made it is expected the judge will schedule future hearing.

932. Here are some comments from readers of Dan Hanger’s Facebook.

So NO ONE in the police department, on the Police and Fire commission, in Human Resources or the city administration knew how to appropriately accommodate a nursing mother?? Un-flipping believable.
Its a corrupt place all the way around.
Exactly! Was going to say the same thing. I don't have trust in any officers from Superior.
I’m sorry but that police department needed outside help...a longggg time ago.
here must be more to this. A tracking device is common place especially on state/city vehicles. To say it 'followed' her to another vehicle is a drama pull. Sounds like a possible divorce and money grab.
Ok ok. I was a drug addict for many years. (Been clean over 9 years) I was the plaintiff of many arrests by Paul Wintersheidt ( Mr. PEARLY WHITE WINTERSHEIDT) while he was on the drug task force before he was chief. I know personally for a 100% fact, he loves using tracking devices on vehicles. I have no opinion on her breastfeeding privacy but I can almost GUARANTEE, he put that tracker on her car, not the old chief. Wintersheidt has absolutely no qualms about breaking laws when It comes to anything. Maybe she should be looking at her husband, not the whole dept.
So. In the entire courthouse facility, (I.E. meeting or conference room, private office, etc.) that has a door that locks? There isn’t one room she could have used in private? I find that very hard to believe.
More to this than we’re being led on…I know and heard so many stories. God bless the good ones who do good for our community but TIME for the investigation, long over due!!

City Council Approves Outside Investigation Into Internal Issues With Superior Police Dept.

May 6, 2025 by Dan Hanger

933. SUPERIOR, Wis. — Urgent internal struggles within the Superior Police Department will officially be handled by an outside consultant for no more than $50,000 after the city council unanimously approved the measure at tonight’s city council meeting.

Last month, Mayor Jim Paine told the Public Safety Committee there are a number of cultural issues, interpersonal conflicts and potential personnel concerns within the police department that have overwhelmed the ability of senior administration to fix, which includes Police Chief Paul Winterscheidt who took over as chief at the beginning of last year.

“The issues are very complex, and they’re beyond the professional experience of most of the folks that we have on staff now,” Mayor Paine told FOX 21 Tuesday. “We need to have our police department functioning at the highest possible level, and we need to do that as quickly as possible. And it’s worth spending some money to make sure that that that department is functioning.”

While specific issues within the Superior Police Department have not been publicly released, FOX 21 has reported police investigator Mikayla LeRette, who is Chief Winterscheidt wife, filed the lawsuit against the city in March.

The lawsuit alleges LeRette was not properly provided a place to pump breast milk upon her return from pregnancy leave 2022.

And in 2024, LeRette said her squad car was illegally tracked by Capt. Thomas Champaigne.

Court documents do not reference why her department vehicle was allegedly being tracked.

Mayor Paine told FOX 21 the city has the facilities and policies necessary to fully support pregnant and breastfeeding mothers over and above the requirements imposed by law.

Meanwhile, according to the Superior Telegram, investigator LeRette’s lawsuit follows an internal investigation conducted last year into whether LeRette misrepresented her working hours and took absences without authorized leave.

934. Here are a few comments from readers of Dan Hanger’s Facebook.

How about they do it within our city counsel too
How about firing up the fiber optic high speed internet and see that there will literally be less than 1% willing to pay for it, instead of wasting absurd amounts of taxpayer money to wire up the whole city.
Sounds like a bunch of disgruntled children. Lets waste more money.
You would think Duluth and Superior would have at least a MOU to assist each other's department with internal investigations as they would be "deemed" outsiders and save $$$. This was done routinely in the Federal Bureau or Prisons to assist other federal institutions. Not a hard thing to do and would save money/time.
What about all the other issues. Supposed to be running the city can't even run your department's.
Can't wait to the real details to be known. This is so one sided.

MY COMMENTS

935. Without more information it’d hard to really say a lot but I can assure you there is more to this story. Here my takeaway for now.

The Mayor said:

“The issues are very complex, and they’re beyond the professional experience of most of the folks that we have on staff now,” Mayor Paine told FOX 21 Tuesday.

I Say:

Then you should get better staff. You have 10 councilors and a lawyer on staff and now the Notorious J. V. S. the smartest woman in Superior is back and all the connections that these people have you are trying to tell us you all can’t figure it out and so instead you want to spend 50 G’s for an outside firm? Sorry I’m not buying it.

Here at the Blog we will keep our eye on this story and keep you updated.

936. That’s it for today. I’ll see you next time.

Thanks,

Brian

COOL SHELL FORMATION ON MY BEACH WALK

SEEN ON BARKERS ISLAND? PROBABLY NOT

blog 96

Fri, 16 May 2025 21:04:05 GMT

THE DUMMIES EDITION

FEATURING JIM PAINE, CITY COUNCIL AND FRIENDS

899. Welcome to today’s Blog. Everyday I go through all kinds of articles, browse Facebook, read newspapers and scour the internet on the lookout for news that I find would interest you, the readers. But I’ve been thinking lately that almost every political news article coming out of the City of Superior has some weird twist, angle, motive or bizarre side to it. I have come to the conclusion that we are dealing with a bunch of dummies. So today we are going to explore some stories to back up my statement. Welcome to the Dummies Edition. Superior style. Ugh!!!

STORY # 1

Superior City Council Still Without President

City Attorney Frog Prell continues to work on a memo telling the council if a game of chance is allowed to choose president

June 4, 2019 by Andrew Kirov

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior City Council is still without a President.

This, as City Attorney Frog Prell continues to work on a memo telling the council if it’s allowed to cut a deck of cards or use another game of chance as a tie-breaker to elect the next President.

At the June 4th meeting, the council voted to table the presidency decision until June 18th.

In the previous three meetings, a council has abstained from voting from either Ruth Ludwig or Brent Fennessy so a tie-breaking vote could not be cast by Mayor Jim Paine.

According to Councilor Dan Olson, the council elected him President in 2008 by cutting a deck of cards.

THEY LIKE TO PLAY CARDS

It’s something he thinks should happen this year so the council can independently elect their leader without a vote from the Mayor, to keep his power in check.

“From where I stand in politics, small town politics, the mayor doesn’t need to break a tie like that,” said Councilor Olson. “He should be a part of the process but shouldn’t be making the recommendations that he will arbitrarily make a decision for the other ten people.”

Mayor Jim Paine has repeatedly said he thinks it’s illegal to play a game of chance to elect a Council President and has said it’s his responsibility as mayor to cast tie-breaking votes.

COMMENTS

900. These clowns, a mayor and 10 councilors can’t achieve what millions of school children achieve every year all across America. What a bunch of dummies. Way to go Jim! And keep in mind, this story was from June 2019, so they certainly learned their lesson right? Nope, read on.

STORY # 2

Council reorganizes following election

Vice president selection postponed

Councilors Sarah Anderson and Mike Herrick

By Shelley Nelson April 16, 2025

SUPERIOR — For the first time since 2023, a newly elected member joined the City Council for its annual reorganization meeting Tuesday, April 15.

Councilors Sarah Anderson, Tylor Elm, Mike Herrick and Lindsey Graskey were sworn in for two-year terms on the city’s legislative body. For Anderson, it was her first oath to represent the people of the 2nd District after winning the seat April 1.

Herrick, of the 8th District, and Graskey, of the 10th, ran unopposed in the April 1 election. Elm held onto the 6th District seat in a contested race. Councilors selected Graskey to serve as the council’s president for another year. Graskey has held the post since April 2024.

However, the council couldn’t agree who should serve as council vice president after two nominations arose during the selection process.

DUMMIES

Councilor Brent Fennessey nominated Herrick for the post, which was seconded by Herrick. Graskey nominated Garner Moffat, with a second from Councilor Ruth Ludwig. Councilors voted 5-4 in favor of Moffat, but six votes are needed to make the selection.

After Mayor Jim Paine asked if there was an objection to proceed with another round of voting, Fennessey asked if the council could use a game of chance to decide the vice presidency.

In 2019, Fennessey won the council presidency by drawing the high card after three meetings and multiple rounds of voting failed to select a president between him and Ludwig after one councilor chose to abstain from the vote to prevent the mayor from casting a tie-breaking vote.

Games of chance have been used in Wisconsin to break a tie between two candidates. However, City Attorney Frog Prell rendered a controversial opinion in 2019 that would allow a game of chance to decide the selection of council leadership.

“I have always insisted that that is not an option,” Paine said. “That is obviously, the city attorney and I have disagreed years ago. We have not discussed that tonight, but my ruling would be that that’s out of order.”

As the parliamentarian, Paine said the council cannot waive away the rights of members, including those of councilors in the minority. Fennessey said a precedent was set when the council selected its president by a game of chance.

Paine said there’s actually very little precedent for using a game of chance. “I would like to suggest that we postpone this to the next meeting,” Graskey said. “Maybe a full council will help determine the leverage here.”

Graskey made the motion to postpone the decision, which was seconded by Councilor Nicholas Ledin, and approved by the nine members present. Councilor Jack Sweeney was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting.

COMMENTS

901. It really is unreal that after the 2019 debacle, here they are 6 years later, same mayor and some of the same councilors trying to figure out what most 5th grade children figured out years ago. Maybe Paine should have kept his big nose out of it and let council figure it out themselves. Like his good buddy Tampon Tim said, “Mind your own damn business”. It is obvious he has no leadership skills. So, a couple of weeks later, another meeting. Here it is.

STORY # 3

Council selects 2 vice presidents

Garner Moffat

By Shelley Nelson

May 07, 2025

SUPERIOR — The Superior City Council will have two vice presidents for the coming year.

Councilors Garner Moffat and Mike Herrick will share the leadership role after an unconventional option was presented to the council. The decision was delayed April 15 after a close vote gave neither nominee the position.

Councilors Nicholas Ledin, Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Lindsey Graskey and Moffat favored Moffat for the role April 15; Councilors Sarah Anderson, Brent Fennessey, Mark Johnson and Herrick voted for Herrick that night. Neither candidate received the six votes necessary for the leadership post, so the matter was postponed to Tuesday, May 6. Councilor Jack Sweeney was unable to attend the April 15 meeting.

“This was postponed from the last meeting, so we basically pick up where we left off,” Mayor Jim Paine said on May 6. “And we have a full council now, but I think you’re all aware we’re likely heading for a tie, an impasse, or very best case, a very close vote.”

Paine offered the option to select Moffat and Herrick to share the role of vice president for the coming year.

“I guess I don’t necessarily hate the idea,” Fennessey said. “It is a little unconventional. I wanted to ask, what if we first take a crack at it. If we’re at an impasse or a tie, if you would forego your ability to break the tie, whether we do that by roll call vote or a secret ballot … first give us the chance to crack this nut.”

The mayor agreed to withhold his vote to break a tie through one round of voting. By secret ballot Tuesday, Herrick and Moffat each received five votes.

The tie vote prompted Moffat to make a motion to elect himself and Herrick to both serve as vice president, which was seconded by Ludwig.

“It is unconventional; I will agree with that,” said Graskey, who was selected to serve as council president April 15. “But I’m willing to work extra hard to make sure that this is something that is not an irritation to this council, more or less a positive.”

Fennessey said he would prefer to go without a vice president. “I just think it feels a little strange to have two vice presidents,” he said.

The council split 8-2 to select Moffat and Herrick to serve as council vice presidents; Sweeney and Fennessey voted against the motion.

“I think that was a pretty remarkable show of faith in both of those councilors,” Paine said after the vote..

COMMENTS

902. Well Mayor, I think that was a pretty remarkable show of ineptitude and lack of leadership by 11 grown adults. I’m not sure that I’ve ever lived under such a stupid administration. It’s mind boggling. And it’s no wonder why this city is so dysfunctional. Quite frankly, it’s scary. Next story is Northland News Now.

STORY # 4

Unconventional move as Superior City Council elects

two co-vice presidents

By T Kaldahl Published: May 6, 2025

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Northern News Now) - In an unusual move Tuesday the Superior City Council voted for two council vice presidents.

Last month at the swearing-in ceremony the council elected Lindsey Graskey as council president.

However, the decision for vice president was postponed to Tuesday night and again it was not an easy choice.

After much back and forth, the council finally went into a secret ballot and passed what they call an “Incidental Motion.” They elected Garner Moffat and Mike Herrick to serve as co-vice presidents.

“To make sure we work together in sync and to make sure that the council is heard,” said Graskey. “It is unconventional, I will agree with that, but I’m willing to work extra hard to make sure that this is not an irritation to the council, more or less a positive unity.”

The co-vice presidents will work for one year as a pilot example.

If the city likes the new administration structure, they will write in a city ordinance for future co-vice presidents.

COMMENTS

903. Do you feel like you have a front row seat at an “Idiot Convention”? And if that’s not bad enough Paine said:

“If the city likes the new administration structure, they will write in a city ordinance for future co-vice presidents.”

Are you serious? Hell, just make them all vice-presidents. And God knows, there is never enough city ordinances.

STORY # 5

Do our friends at Soupnutz.net have an opinion on this? You Betcha!

Trading Bays and Catching Rays:

How Superior’s City Council Mistook City Hall for a Sauna

May 12, 2025

The Great Sauna Meeting of 2025: City Council Melts Down—Literally

Ah, the Superior Common Council meeting of May 6, 2025—where democracy sweated it out in real time. Let’s set the scene: the thermostat in the building had apparently declared war on comfort, cranking up the heat like it was auditioning for a remake of The Towering Inferno. Mayor Jim Paine kicked off his report by apologizing for the heat but not too much because, as he put it, he’d been “living with it all day.” Living with it? Buddy, you didn’t just live with it—you marinated in it.

And you have to wonder: was all that sweating from the heat…or from that little stunt where he allegedly tried to trade away Pokegama Bay for a family easement issue? That’s right—rumor has it, Paine was ready to swap a chunk of Superior’s waterfront like it was a Pokémon card just to smooth over some backdoor handshake. I guess when you’ve got the power to negotiate city assets like you’re playing Monopoly, the thermostat isn’t the only thing getting turned up.

But hey, he told folks to step outside if they couldn’t handle it. Nothing like a good old-fashioned civic sweat lodge to hash out shady land deals and half-baked budget reports . Who needs transparency when you’ve got steam clouds thick enough to hide all the paperwork?

“Oops, My City’s on Fire”—Mayor Payne’s Report

While the council was collectively contemplating spontaneous combustion, Mayor Payne soldiered on with his report. He casually dropped the news that the thermostat was clocked at 89 degrees below zero earlier that morning. That’s not a thermostat malfunction—that’s Narnia. I half expected Mr. Tumnus to stroll in and ask for a zoning permit. But no, the heat was on, and the Mayor just told folks to step out if they couldn’t handle it. Nothing like a good old-fashioned civic sweat lodge to really hash out the local ordinances.

The Mayor also mentioned the Joint Finance Committee meetings and upcoming budget talks in Madison. He even offered councilors a ride if they wanted to join him. I’m picturing him behind the wheel of a rusty minivan with a “My Other Car is a Budget Deficit” bumper sticker.

Public Works: Potholes, Pump-outs, and the Death of Spring Cleanup

Councilor Ludwig delivered the Public Works Committee report with all the enthusiasm of someone reading a eulogy for road maintenance. First up: the Tower Avenue Project, which is supposed to “enhance traffic flow and improve safety.” That’s government-speak for “we’re gonna rip up the roads, and you’re gonna hate your commute.”

But the real funeral was for Spring Cleanup, which is being dragged out back and shot because the landfill is closing. That’s right, folks—your annual pilgrimage to dump all your broken dreams and rusted lawn chairs is coming to an end. A little part of Superior dies with it, right? I say we hold a candlelight vigil next spring. Bring your busted microwaves and mattresses for one last hurrah.

The Skate Park Saga: A Million Bucks for Concrete Glory

Now here’s where it gets spicy. The Parks and Recreation Committee pushed through a $1,012,000 budget for the Heritage Skate Park rebuild. I didn’t know skateboarding was this lucrative. A million bucks to essentially recreate what every kid in the 90s did with a wooden ramp and a half-broken BMX bike. But wait—it’s going to be made of “better materials.” So, concrete instead of splinters and prayers, I guess.

There was a whole debate about whether skateboarding is going to be relevant in ten years. Councilor Sweeney wanted hard numbers, like it was some sort of Skateboarding GDP Report. Spoiler alert: it’s now an Olympic sport. So yeah, it’s probably going to outlive most of the councilors debating it.

The Great Co-Vice Presidency Gamble of 2025: Now with Extra Clowns

And finally, the pièce de résistance: the council couldn’t decide on a Vice President because of a tie vote. So what do they do? They elected both nominees as co-Vice Presidents. That’s right—five card-carrying members of the Clown Posse, still in power, still juggling city business with the grace of a three-legged giraffe. Among the honk-nosed elite: Garner I Want a Raise Moffat , who managed to squeak into the co-VP spot, probably promising to approve any motion as long as it includes extra sprinkles on his donut.

But wait, the circus isn’t over. Oh no, the Big Top’s still up, and Lindsey Open Meetings Violation? Never Heard of It Graskey somehow kept her throne as Council President. You’d think multiple slaps on the wrist for skirting transparency laws would be a dealbreaker, but in the political funhouse that is Superior, breaking the rules is basically a resume booster. It’s like failing upwards is the official city sport—commit a few violations, and you don’t get benched; you get promoted.

I mean, why punish incompetence when you can reward it? It’s practically a tradition at this point. Graskey’s got more second chances than a sitcom character, and now she’s calling the shots while eyeing $600k in taxpayer dollars to paint a grain silo. Because nothing screams fiscal responsibility like turning agricultural storage into a vanity project.

So now we’ve got two Vice Presidents, one president with a rap sheet for open meetings violations, and a council that collectively believes the best way to fix gridlock is to double the steering wheels. Democracy in action, folks. Or maybe it’s just the dress rehearsal for the next season of American Greed .

Taxi Wars: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin—A Battle of Bureaucratic Stubbornness

One of the weirder discussions was about the taxi cab licensing disaster. Apparently, taxis from Duluth can drop people off in Superior but can’t pick them up. It’s like they have a restraining order against their own business model. The Licensing and Fees Committee decided to do absolutely nothing about it , blaming it on Uber and Lyft. Because when in doubt, just point at Silicon Valley and shrug.

COMMENTS

904. Thanks again to Soupnutz,net, always on point! Speaking about on point, our next story is from our friends at the Duluth Monitor. Most of the complaints I’ve gotten from our readers have to do with unsatisfactory dealings with the city and this article from the Duluth Monitor is one that many of you can relate to.

City of Superior ignored complaints about houses cracking on Ohio Avenue, neighbors say

By:John Ramos Date: May 9, 2025

Ohio Avenue compactor, Feb. 2024. Credit: Cheryl Nelson

In February 2024, construction of three new Superior homes began on the 1500 block of Ohio Avenue. After the foundation holes were dug and filled with sand, a compactor was used to tamp down the fill. The last step is required prior to building; if the base isn’t compacted properly, it will create structural issues when it settles after the house is constructed.

The compactor, operated by contractor Joe Kimmes, was large and noisy, and its vibrations shook the neighboring homes. Cheryl Nelson, who lives across the road from the construction site, observed bread bags vibrating in the kitchen as Kimmes operated the heavy roller.

Shortly after the compacting began, Nelson (who had recently had her kitchen repainted) observed two new cracks on her freshly painted walls, running from the corners of door frames toward the ceiling. She found additional cracks in her basement walls; drywall was separating at the seams.

Nelson visited the City of Superior Building Inspections Office to report the cracking, where she spoke to an employee named Brian. The city’s Chief Building Inspector is named Brian Bustrak, and he did not offer much help, according to Nelson.

“All he said was … [for me to] contact my own insurance,” Nelson told the Monitor. “And I said, ‘Why would I file a claim on my insurance, [and make] my rates go up, for something that was damaged from this builder and the equipment he was using?’”

Nelson heard nothing further from the city. Every time she looked at her cracked walls, she grew more frustrated. She said the vibrating continued for approximately two more weeks, at which point Kimmes brought in a smaller roller and her house finally stopped vibrating.

“I had just paid all of that dang money … to have someone come and paint it for me—and I work hard, you know? I saved and saved for it—and then to have the cracks happen, and then there was no [response from the city], you know? Nothing. I was very mad,” Nelson said.

Crack in Cheryl Nelson’s wall. Credit: John Ramos

Of the seven neighbors who live on Nelson’s block, the Monitor was able to contact four of them. Two neighbors, in addition to Nelson, reported cracking in their homes. The fourth neighbor—whose home was nearest the construction site—reported no damage.

Mike Flaten lives on the opposite end of Nelson’s block. A large crack appeared on Flaten’s kitchen ceiling when the vibrating began, near the skylight. Flaten also discovered a new crack running from a door frame to the ceiling. Flaten told the Monitor that the cracks appeared shortly after Kimmes began operating the large compactor.

Mike Flaten : They dug everything out and hauled it away. Then he started bringing in sand, and when he had so much to compact in there, that’s when it started. It had to have been [operating for] at least a month.

Monitor : And when did you start noticing it was cracking—right away or did it take a while?

Flaten : Oh, right away. It was within a couple, three days. Because when he was down below, when he was down in the hole doing it, it wasn’t so bad. It was rattling all over, but when he got just a little bit higher up, that’s when we noticed it.

Monitor : I notice you got glass stuff and things [in a cabinet]. Was that all rattling around?

Flaten: Yeah, it was a rattle-trap. It shook everything.

Like Cheryl Nelson had reported, Flaten said the house-shaking vibrations ended when a smaller compactor replaced the large one.

Andrea O’Flanagan, another neighbor, told the Monitor she had discovered new cracks in her walls and ceiling as well. She said she had called the city to register a complaint at that time.

Cracks in Mike Flaten’s kitchen ceiling. Credit: John Ramos

Lack of city response

When Cheryl Nelson visited the City of Superior Building Inspection Office in February 2024 and registered her complaint with “Brian” (presumably Brian Bustrak), Mike Flaten happened to be conducting business in the adjacent office of the Superior Municipal Employee Credit Union office, which shares a waiting area with the Building Inspection Office. After overhearing Nelson speaking to Inspector Bustrak about the cracks in her home, Flaten joined Nelson at the counter to add his own complaint.

According to Flaten, Bustrak showed them the project’s building plans and informed them that the project had secured all the required building permits from his department.

The Monitor first learned about the complaints at the Superior City Council meeting on Sept. 3, 2024, from 8th District Councilor Mike Herrick, as councilors were discussing an unrelated, nearby project on Iowa Avenue.

Councilor Mike Herrick : Is there going to be any basement put in this particular area? The reason why I’m bringing that up is because there was some new development on Ohio Avenue where a lot of homes, their walls became cracked because of the type of work they had to do to build these particular homes there …

Superior Mayor Jim Paine : I’m not entirely sure I follow all of your concerns, Councilor … You were hoping there would not be a basement?

Herrick : I was just wondering if they were going to do any type of rough construction … [and] hopefully doing it in a manner where it will not damage any of the homes—because, like I said, I’ve gotten calls on a project that was just built on 16th and Ohio where … people [had] their walls shaking and cracking and things like that.

Paine : From nearby construction?

Herrick : Yes.

Paine : Okay. That is an issue that I think our building inspection can pay attention to, but I’ll alert them to the complaint that you’ve had.

Herrick : Okay. All right. Thank you.

A public records request submitted to the city by the Monitor failed to produce any evidence of the following:

That the neighbors’ complaints were ever documented by the Building Inspection Office;
That any city employee ever visited the site after the complaints were made;
That anyone contacted Joe Kimmes to inquire about the large compactor being used on the site; or
That Mayor Paine ever notified the Building Inspection Office about Councilor Herrick’s complaint.

In fact, our public records request produced no responsive data whatsoever.

Documenting the damage

The Monitor visited Ohio Avenue on Sept. 4, 2024, to document the cracking. We also submitted questions to Building Inspector Bustrak via email:

BRIAN BUSTRAK

Was this event investigated?

Was the builder notified that these complaints had been made? Did the builder suffer any repercussions?

Are there no city codes to enforce with regard to construction damaging others’ property?

When we looked up the properties in question (1513 Ohio, 1517 Ohio, and 1521 Ohio), it appeared that the New Construction permits had expired for all three dwellings. Is this the case?

We received the following response from Assistant Public Works Director Chris Carlson the same day:

All the permits are current and remain active for two years from their issuance date … To the best of our knowledge, the projects are being built in compliance with all applicable building codes.

The Monitor responded:

Is the city’s only response going to be that the developer has permits? The Monitor‘s readers will want more. Does having a permit mean that someone can bring a giant roller onto the property and vibrate everyone’s homes for several weeks? Does the city have no guidelines regulating the size of the equipment that can be used on residential projects? …

I am pretty sure Mr. Bustrak is the person who took the neighbors’ complaints [back in February], so I would certainly like to speak with him. Did he make a record of these complaints? What did he do in response?

Two months passed without a response. On Nov. 18, 2024, Monitor Publisher John Ramos visited the Building Inspection Office in person and spoke with Bustrak. Bustrak was unable to recollect that Cheryl Nelson and Mike Flaten had ever visited him to complain about the damage to their homes.

Ramos : Hey. John Ramos, with the Duluth Monitor.

Bustrak : Uh-huh.

Ramos : I sent you some questions about the Ohio Ave. project.

Bustrak : Yeah … I forwarded that on to my boss …

Ramos : All right. That’s the last word on it? You’re not going to tell me anything else?

Bustrak : That’s about…that’s about all I can do, is…

Ramos : I mean, you could answer my questions.

Bustrak : Some of your questions were rather loaded and have pre-suppositions in them.

Ramos : Like what?

Bustrak : Do you have a copy of that? I can pull it up.

Ramos : Of my questions?

Bustrak : Yeah.

Ramos : Well, they were: Did you receive complaints from residents of Ohio Avenue? Did you make a record of those? And then I requested the record of those. The only answer I was given was from Chris, and he said something like, “They have their permits” or something.

Now, what the residents were telling me was there was a massive roller on that site—like, for interstate construction or something—which is why everybody’s houses were vibrating. Now, after they complained, it turned into a smaller roller and the problem stopped. But my question was about that massive roller. What governs that kind of thing? …

Bustrak : I can try to answer questions that are factual. To the best of my knowledge, I have only secondhand information [that] somebody called. They didn’t speak to me directly, but there was a complaint. When there is a phone call complaint, if there’s follow-up, we do keep a record. So say somebody called and talked to somebody, there is not necessarily a phone record.

Ramos : I was told that two people were down here, in person, and they talked to a Brian.

Bustrak : Ah, ah, Brian Waldoch is the owner of the project.

Ramos : No, I was told that they came [here]. One person came down to do a complaint—they talked to a Brian. A second one, who was doing business here [in the credit union]—he heard them talking and he was like, “Hey, I live on that block and my house is cracked, too” …

Bustrak : I have no recollection of speaking to somebody at the counter about that …

Although Bustrak could not recall discussing the matter with Nelson and Flaten, he downplayed their concerns.

Ramos : So I have pictures of three different people’s houses with cracks in the walls and the ceiling, and I’m like, “How come the city doesn’t care about this?” I don’t get it. Like, it all happened at the same time.

Bustrak : I…I—to say there’s a building that has cracks in it and to say that there’s a building that has cracks from a compactor running across the street, you know, that’s like saying one plus one equals three.

Ramos : Well, they all told me that’s when it happened. So, okay, you’re saying that they’re not telling the truth?

Bustrak: I’m saying…

Ramos : I have video of their houses, stuff vibrating—so, I mean, I don’t have video of the crack appearing, but I have video of their bread bags vibrating like this.

Bustrak: I can really not speak to that.

When Ramos attempted to take Bustrak’s picture, Bustrak ran—literally—into the back office.

The Monitor heard nothing further from the city for six more weeks. On Dec. 31, 2024, Ramos emailed Public Works Director Todd Janigo:

I have had this story sitting on my desk for a while now. A few weeks ago, I stopped in and spoke with Brian Bustrak about it. He denied that he had ever spoken with the Ohio Avenue neighbors or taken a complaint from them. I have two neighbors who tell me that they did speak with Mr. Bustrak, in person, in his office, back in February.

Bustrak also downplayed concerns about cracks in houses, saying that I could show him a crack, but there was no way to prove how it happened.

Be that as it may, I feel he is avoiding the issue.

1) I am concerned that no record exists of the neighbors’ visit to Bustrak in February. Doesn’t the city have a process to document complaints?

2) Even if everything on the building project was legitimate, wouldn’t the city at least go to the site to verify this, once complaints were received?

3) The issue here is that the compactor being used on the site was enormous and vibrating houses all around. I have photographs of cracks in three houses … It seems to me that the city should have at least looked into this. Isn’t there a city policy governing the size of machines that can be used on residential construction?

4) The issue, it seems to me, is the lack of response from the city. As far as I can tell, nobody did anything when neighbors complained—didn’t visit the site, didn’t contact the developer for more information, didn’t write up a formal report. Why not?

I would like to get to the bottom of this, but so far the city has been very unresponsive to my concerns—which is the same thing the neighbors have experienced.

After hearing nothing for two weeks, Ramos sent another email to Janigo and Bustrak on Jan. 13, 2025—this time copying Mayor Paine on the exchange.

I have been looking into the matter of houses on Ohio Avenue which cracked during nearby construction activities last February. The response from city staff has been minimal, both in regards to my public records request and my questions. Brian Bustrak actually denied to me that neighbors ever expressed their concerns to him, and (apparently) no record of such complaints exists.

I am concerned by what appears to be a complete disregard of citizens’ concerns. The neighbors continue to contact me, wondering why the city refuses to acknowledge them. They have also raised their concerns with Councilor Herrick.

I reiterate the questions earlier in this email exchange, and restate two of them here:

1) The problem, as described by the neighbors, is that the contractor used a compactor far too large for the site, which vibrated buildings for a block around and cracked some of them. Does the city have guidelines regarding the size of machinery that can be used for residential construction—or are there no guidelines?

2) Did anyone from the city speak with the builder after the neighbors made their concerns known? Who? When? What did the builder say?

I would also like a substantive response to my public records request, which I submitted four months ago.

The mayor responds

On Jan. 13, 2025 (four-and-a-half months after Councilor Herrick believed Mayor Paine had referred the matter to the Building Inspection Department), the Monitor received the following email from Mayor Paine.

I’ve looked briefly into your questions to get you some immediate answers.

To my knowledge, neither city nor state law regulates the size of machinery used in residential construction. The building code governs design and construction, not means and methods. I don’t have a thorough knowledge of the building code, but our public works staff weren’t aware of any regulations on machine size either. We have some restrictions on the size of vehicles that can travel city streets but there are several exemptions and contractors can receive permits for construction sites. We’d have to know the weight of the machine (or the make and model) to determine whether there was a possible violation, but it seems unlikely. Most construction equipment is under weight. The limit typically applies to much heavier trucks.

I don’t know whether anyone spoke to the builder about this specific concern, but it’s important to remember that we can’t regulate construction or impose requirements beyond the code. Obviously, I would hope that the contractor would be respectful of the neighbors but, if they are otherwise following the law, we have no authority to intervene. We have occasionally asked contractors to change methods based on neighborhood complaints, but it seems these complaints came after the fact.

As I read through the chain of emails, it seems you are saying that the neighbors have collected evidence that damage to their homes was directly attributable to the construction methods. If that is true, it’s possible they would have a civil claim against the builder, but I certainly can’t give legal advice. Like Councilor Herrick, I’d like to help these neighbors any way I can, but I can only impose existing regulations and legally permissible consequences on the builder.

Mayor Paine also personally visited Ohio Avenue, spoke to neighbors, and observed the cracks in Cheryl Nelson’s home.

On March 4, 2025, Ramos asked Mayor Paine a few questions after the regular Common Council meeting.

Ramos : So was there a follow-up on Ohio Avenue?

Paine : Yes. Yes.

Ramos : And I heard you visited some of them.

Paine : Yeah, I called…I don’t know if it was everybody, but a few people. And then I went out there to…

Ramos : Cheryl’s house?

Paine : Yeah, with the cracks? So I looked at the cracks and I gave her some advice. I was pretty cautious about it, because I’m not in a position to give any legal advice. I’m not an attorney, so I can’t advise her on her legal options, but one piece of advice I gave her was to talk to an attorney … I wanted to be real careful about [giving legal advice], but, I mean, small claims court works for stuff like that, if you can’t have direct mediation with a contractor and the contractor damages your home … Usually, I advise people to call that contractor first ….

Ramos : I did talk to one person who said, when [builders] do these kind of projects, they have to go around and take pictures of the neighbors’ foundations and things prior to vibrating the earth, so they’d have a Before, and, in case something happens, an After picture.

Paine : I mean, that sounds like a really reasonable thing to do. I don’t know if that’s code.

Ramos : It’s not, like, required or anything?

Paine : Doing residential work in residential neighborhoods, we run into quite a few problems. You know, nobody likes a construction site. Even roofers can really irritate people. And so we try to push a certain amount of courtesy in neighborhoods. But, like I told you before, to a certain extent, the law is the law, and so we can’t, like, pull a permit.

There are some things we can do if somebody’s, like, making a lot of noise in the middle of the night. I guess the biggest complaint is contractors starting work too early.

I wish I had a better answer, but I talked to them.

Kimmes comments

On March 24, 2025, the Monitor spoke with Joe Kimmes for more than an hour. Kimmes said he had not heard about his compacting work cracking houses in the vicinity. He also questioned why he was hearing about it for the first time from a reporter, more than a year after the job had been completed.

Kimmes vehemently denied that his compactor could have cracked the homes. He stated that the houses were likely cracking because soil correction had not been completed properly before they had been built.

“They didn’t do the soil correction correctly, like I did,” said Kimmes. “If you don’t do the soil correction, of course there’s going to be cracks in your foundation. It has nothing to do with a little bit of vibration from a roller.”

Kimmes repeatedly explained that soil correction had to be completed for new construction. “What would you have liked us to do?” he asked. “I guess that’s my question. Would you have liked us not to compact the ground at all? We do it on every single site we ever go to.”

“I’m not disputing that the ground needs to be compacted,” said Ramos. “I’m just wondering if you take any responsibility.”

“It’s not my responsibility at all,” said Kimmes. “The houses move when you don’t do the soil correction right. So it had nothing to do with the fact that we rolled.

They’re Karens looking to get paid … I’ve been doing this since I was twelve, so if there’s some Karen that thinks that it’s my fault, that I rolled the ground and that caused her house to move, it will never get proven in court—never in a million years—that I rolled it with my little, tiny roller and I made her house move.”

Ramos mentioned that the neighbors had said he used two rollers—a big one initially, which caused problems, and a smaller one later, which didn’t.

“If the city felt like I did something wrong, they would have contacted me right away,” said Kimmes. “We didn’t do anything wrong. The reason that those houses are failing is they’re sitting on top of an old landfill and so they’re not dug down 18 feet into the ground for the soil correction, where it had to be.”

Kimmes also pointed out that the home closest to the work site had reported no cracks.

Later in the conversation, Kimmes speculated that the neighbors simply might not want to have new houses in their neighborhood.

Joe Kimmes : They’re just being difficult because they don’t want a house there. That’s the only reason why they’re not happy. It happens everywhere we go, John. It’s got nothing to do with what’s actually going on there. It just has to do with the fact that there’s a house going in and there used to be a nice field there where their kids could play. Now there’s another house there and now they got a neighbor in it and … they don’t want it there.

The Monitor appreciated Kimmes taking as much time talking with us as he did. More than once, Kimmes expressed concern that the Monitor was going to portray him as a “bad guy.” He insisted that the opposite was true.

Kimmes : I’m not a bad guy, man. I try to do my job to the best of my ability. I don’t want neighbors mad. I don’t want my customers mad … It does bother me that anyone was even mad at all, and that I hear about it a year later … We’ve been here [in Superior] forever. We like everybody to back us. We’re good people and we do a good job. We’ve been doing this for a long time and we want everybody to be happy … I would go a long ways just to get somebody to be happy … I just don’t want people mad. There’s no reason for it. I’d try to work with anybody I could, if I knew there was a problem.

Take-home messages

Throughout this investigation, it is Chief Inspector Bustrak’s repeated denial that he discussed the matter with Nelson and Flaten, in conjunction with the city’s overall lack of responsiveness, that we find most concerning. Had Bustrak taken the matter seriously in February of 2024, when Nelson and Flaten registered their complaints, city staff could have notified Kimmes about the complaints and prevented additional damage, at the very least, by having Kimmes use the smaller compactor sooner than he had planned.

Instead, Bustrak appears to have done nothing after speaking with Nelson and Flaten. He didn’t even bother to document that the conversation had occurred. When he was asked about it nine months later, Bustrak simply denied that he’d spoken with the two neighbors.

The Monitor believes that Nelson and Flaten spoke with Bustrak in February 2024. There were no discrepancies between their stories (which we heard separately, and on the same day). Bustrak either really did forget about speaking with them, or he lied to protect himself—neither of which reflects well on the City of Superior.

The fact that Bustrak fled from the Monitor’s camera was eye-opening.

On March 4, 2025, when the Monitor followed up with Mayor Paine on how the issue was being addressed, Paine stated the following:

Paine : It was kind of a long time ago, so it’s tough to know exactly what was said and in what tone it was said in, but I did talk to Building Inspection about, like, listen, when folks come in—even if it doesn’t feel within our wheelhouse, even if it’s not something we’re able to help with—we do what we can to help. We offer whatever advice we can and try to at least explain the rules in a way that people can feel heard, at least .

As previously noted, the mayor himself also appears to have failed his constituents, by failing to notify the Building Inspection Department of the matter, after telling Councilor Herrick he would do so, during the Sept. 3, 2024 meeting of the regular Common Council.

This story underscores the importance of documenting events and exchanges with City of Superior staff and elected officials. When lodging a complaint with the city, recording your conversation can prevent problems like this in the future. It is difficult for people to deny their comments when you have a recording to help them remember.

UPDATE TO THIS STORY

The Superior City Council appointed Brian Bustrak to fill the top position in the building inspection division at its July 18 meeting. Bustrak will take over when the current chief, Peter Kruit retires. Kruit’s last day on the job will be Jan. 4, 2024.

COMMENTS

905. Wow, now that’s how you write an article. Take note “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson” and the Superior Telegram. Of course they didn’t pick up this story, but that’s no surprise. It doesn’t fit their left wing ideological Democratic agenda. And they rarely ever print any stories that reflect negatively on their cherished little Man-King, Jim “The Dummy” Paine.

Speaking of Mayor Paine. Another failure. While your too busy endorsing failed candidates, changing names of holidays, going to “Safety” conferences in Washington, shutting down or making it difficult for businesses, endorsing BLM and many other stupid things like trying to cancel NTEC, a billion dollar energy project, investing or pissing away taxpayers money in what are likely to be failed projects like Disconnect Superior, the Princess Theater and The Carnegie Library, you seem to have forgotten one thing. You are the Mayor of the city, not the whole country.

You stick your nose in things that have little or nothing to do with running the city. You couldn’t handle the voting in of a council vice president and in this story by The Monitor once again exposes your lack of leadership and understanding of what your job as Mayor entails.

Your job is keeping people safe, making sure the roads and infrastructure in good condition, creating an environment that is conducive to businesses. Basic stuff. That’s what the people want.

You don’t seem to have any understanding or instincts about what your constituents want. You really are not cut out to be a mayor in my opinion. I think it’s a safe bet that you will go down as the worst or one of the worst Mayors ever in Superior. And guess what? You’ve earned it. Your inability to deal with problems which results in making them worse and more complicated is epic.

And now we have this bizarre and strange story and now lawsuit with the police dept that involves breastfeeding of all things. We will deal with that on the next Blog.

906. I just wanted to say that none of my statements today are geared towards our newest councilor Sarah Anderson since she wasn’t part of most of the events that we covered today.

That’s it for today. I hoped you enjoyed it and I’ll see you next time on the Blog.

Thanks,

Brian

blog 95

Mon, 05 May 2025 23:32:39 GMT

MO’ MONEY

MO’ GRANTS

MO’ PROBLEMS

MO’ TAXES

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS

YOUR BENJAMINS!!!

882. Welcome to Blog 95 or as I like to call it, “Jim Paine’s Revenge For Jenny Tour” as he systematically ruins this city. Giving away taxpayers money like Tic Tacs on Halloween. It’s like a fire that can’t be extinguished.

FIRE MARSHALL JIM

This next story should convince you that Fire Marshall Jim Paine is not competent to be Mayor of this or any city or any other elected position anywhere for anything. Even you, Dee Dee “Flamingo Feathers” Fetters need to take notice. Here it is.

Questions remain with Superior’s new assessments

2025 assessment roll is not yet completed

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

June 24, 2025

SUPERIOR — The assessment review board for the city will meet June 4 within the legal timeline required by state law. However, board members will simply adjourn the meeting until 9 a.m. Sept. 24 because the 2025 assessment roll is not complete.

Dates for the release of the assessment roll and open book hearings have not been confirmed, but city officials anticipate the Sept. 24 meeting will include a review of the assessment roll and a chance for property owners to object to their valuations.

The delay comes after the city has been without a full-time assessor since early February and questions remain about the city’s compliance with state law following a citywide revaluation in 2024.

COMMENTS

883. Mayor Paine, you’re kidding right? After overseeing and making a complete mess of the 2024 assessments that cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of tax dollars with your bogus appraisals, you are poised to repeat your absolute momentous debacle again in 2025? Oh and by the way Dee Dee, take note of this. It was Jim Paine who fired the assessor, it’s not like he quit. So when an elected leader or a CEO fires a top employee, it is their job to have the situation under control so the change can be as seamless as possible. Unless of course you are Jim Paine. And it would have been nice if “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson would have questioned Paine on this.

BACK TO THE STORY...

State law requires property assessments collectively be assessed within 90% to 110% of fair market value, the latter of which is determined by the state.

“There is some question about whether or not we are going to come in under compliance,” Mayor Jim Paine said. “So, we were not compliant as of the end of last year, which was our final year and therefore would trigger a reassessment.”

COMMENTS

884. Paine = the definition of insanity. You would think after 2024 he would have all his ducks in a row for 2025. But not Jim Paine, the laziest and most incompetent mind in politics. Taxpayers Beware!!! And by the way, if a reassessment is necessary, will it cost the taxpayers another $355,000.00 like the last one?

BACK TO THE STORY...

The city’s Human Resources Committee authorized filling the open assessor position on Monday, April 21 after approving an updated job description. However, the administrative delay in filling the position is not connected to the delay in completing the 2025 assessment roll, Paine said.

COMMENTS

885. This just gets worse. This is from Blog 89:

“We regret to inform you that your employment with the City of Superior was terminated effective February 4, 2025,” Mayor Jim Paine wrote in a Feb. 18 termination letter. “This decision follows our previous discussions and the severance package offered to you, which you have chosen not to accept.”

So, he was fired on Feb 4 but it took until April 21 for the city’s Human Resources Committee to approve an updated job description. Really? Seriously? Dee Dee are you buying this? Gee Jim, don’t you know anybody in that department you have some pull with? Maybe speed up the process? Or did you fire all of them too? Even Tampon Tim isn’t buying it.

BACK TO THE STORY...

The city is waiting for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to determine whether the city’s assessments are compliant with state law.

Colin Payton, the city’s property appraiser and acting assessor, said he will begin the necessary compliance checks with the Department of Revenue starting Monday, April 28. However, he said he’s been monitoring economic trends and sales from the last year and values are lining up with where they should be.

Payton said, with the timing of the assessor’s departure there simply wasn’t time to have a contractor come in to do an evaluation of everything.

COMMENTS

886. Paine said:

“However, the administrative delay in filling the position is not connected to the delay in completing the 2025 assessment roll.

Payton said:

“With the timing of the assessor’s departure there simply wasn’t time to have a contractor come in to do an evaluation of everything.”

Shelley Nelson said:

Nothing

I say: Question? Who’s telling the truth?

BACK TO THE STORY...

“If there is some adjustment that can be made prior to finalizing the roll, then I will... pursue that,” Payton said.

“There’s a very real possibility that it will come in compliant, but all that would mean is that we don’t have to do a full revaluation of all commercial and residential,” Paine said. “We would still be reevaluating a number of commercial properties.”

Paine said there is still the possibility that large commercial properties were valued too low.

“There’s still going to be a pretty aggressive effort on the large commercial properties,” Paine said, noting it does not include small retail properties.

COMMENTS

887. This is about the fourth or fifth time that Paine has talked about raising taxes on commercial properties. Just one problem here. Jim Paine cannot just waive a wand and raise taxes. They must be assessed. I would even argue that based on him and his administration that commercial values have dropped, not increased. If I had a commercial property in Superior I would start doing my homework to fight the city because my gut tells me you are going to be hit with major tax increases like the residential taxes in 2024. Maybe even worse. If I was looking to buy or build commercial property, I would avoid Superior at all cost entirely. In fact I might seriously consider moving out of Superior. There are many other cities and states that would welcome your business more than this one. And he mentions “A pretty aggressive effort on the large commercial properties”. What exactly does that mean? I think you, our readers know. So, Paine is telling our largest employers that he is coming to send them a massive tax bomb right up their arses. Nice, real nice Jim “Job Killer” Paine.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Paine said that work will continue until the full assessment book for 2025 is done.

That full book includes all assessments citywide that will be reviewed by the Assessment Board of Review when it meets in September.

“I have been hopeful that as we raise the commercial values, that should offset a lot of those new, higher residential values,” Paine said.

COMMENTS

888. Paine said:

“I have been hopeful that as we raise the commercial values”

“As we raise”? It’s like it’s a done deal? I guess the new assessor, whoever that might be, gets it right or guess who’s getting fired next?

BACK TO THE STORY...

Paine said even if the city is required to conduct another full revaluation, he doesn’t anticipate the property values will change as dramatically as they did in 2024.

COMMENTS

889. Tell me he didn’t just say that because that’s what he said last year and how did that work out for ya? Does Paine just have a short memory or does he think that you do?

BACK TO THE STORY...

Prior to the revaluation in 2024, the city’s overall assessed value was about 63% of fair market value, according to Department of Revenue data. The city first came out of compliance with state law in 2021 when assessments accounted for about 83% of fair market value.

“Once again, folks should challenge their assessments … if they think they could not sell their property for that amount,” Paine said. He said people would be required to provide information to support their claim, but he encouraged people to call the assessor’s office at 715-395-7222 to make an appointment.

“We will be going into another uncertain tax period with the school district, and we don’t know what will happen with the citywide assessments,” Paine said. “But just to be safe, at the very least, folks need to make sure their assessment is correct, and we absolutely need their help doing that.”

COMMENTS

890. This is a mess. The biggest story and the biggest scandal coming from the city of Superior in 2024 and perhaps the past several years is poised to perhaps repeat itself in 2025. And all because of one man. Jim Paine. The most reckless, stupid, lazy and incompetent Mayor I have ever had the displeasure to live under. I really am running out of things to say. But the real question is how much more can the residents and businesses of Superior take from this guy? I would say nothing more. We will talk more on this on an upcoming Blog.

And now it looks like we might have problems with the School District and if that’s true, watch out. We will delve into them starting with these two stories.

Superior School Board discusses paid holidays, Act 2

Nondiscrimination policy poised to roll back to 2020 version.

By Maria Lockwood

April 09, 2025 at 11:53 AM

SUPERIOR — Superior School District employees will get two additional paid holidays under handbook changes that the Superior School Board advanced during its Monday, April 7, Committee of the Whole meeting. Board members also voted to change Title IX language and discussed a new scholarship and the implementation of new state reading requirements. Action items were moved forward to the April 14 regular board meeting for final approval.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be paid holidays for professional and support staff under the handbook changes. Another change would affect the work days of teachers. Elementary teachers would be expected to be at school at least 30 minutes before the school day begins. Secondary teachers would be expected to be there 25 minutes before the school day begins. All teachers are expected to stay at least 10 minutes after the end of the instructional day.

Board members voted to rescind a Title IX nondiscrimination policy that they adopted July 15 and revert to an older 2020 policy based on a recent court decision. Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in all education programs and activities that receive funding from the federal government.

New regulations passed in April 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education included gender identity and sexual presentation in the definition of sex-based discrimination. On Jan. 9, a federal district court struck down the 2024 regulations and they are no longer effective.

The Title IX policy put in place in July was crafted under the 2024 regulations, so the district is moving back to the language used prior to the change. “A lot of work went into that. It’s frustrating, now we’re going backwards,” District Administrator Amy Starzecki told the board.

Jamie Wilson, director of food service, told board members that Coca-Cola will fund two $1,500 student scholarships for the next five years. The new scholarships were part of Coca-Cola's bid to continue providing beverage service at the high school.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Crystal Hintzman provided an update on work the district has done to comply with the state’s new reading law, Act 20.

The law requires Wisconsin schools to shift to a phonics-based curriculum model known as 'the science of reading' for students in 4-year-old kindergarten through third grade and assess reading levels to achieve proficiency in reading before fourth grade. Staff development work began last spring in the Superior School District and assessment work has been going on behind the scenes, Hintzman said.

It has been an unfunded mandate so far. The state has yet to release the $50 million allocated for the program to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction to provide support to districts to offset the cost of implementing Act 20, Hintzman said.

NEXT SCHOOL BOARD STORY

Superior School Board increases wages for teachers, staff

The 2% raise for 2025-26 had already been budgeted.

By Maria Lockwood April 16, 2025 at 1:50 PM

SUPERIOR — The Superior School Board approved across-the-board wage increases for the 2025-26 school year of 2%. The board voted Monday, April 14, to add 2% to the base step for teachers and support, professional and administration staff.

“To the entire school board, I want to thank you all for the commitment you’re making by investing in our teaching staff with next year’s raise," said Superior High School biology teacher Lee Sims. "It’s no secret that we’re in challenging financial times, with declining enrollment and lack of state funding for public schools.” A raise of anything less than inflation would be losing ground, Sims said, and the board’s decision shows that they value Superior teachers.

COMMENTS

891. Excuse me Lee Sims, it was the taxpayers that gave you a raise not the school board. You also said:

"It’s no secret that we’re in challenging financial times, with declining enrollment and lack of state funding for public schools.”

You are right Lee Sims. It is challenging financial times, for taxpayers and yes your enrollment is down. In my opinion no raises are deserved at this time. And I’ll tell you why here on the Blog.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Board members acknowledged that there are still some pay inequities regarding support and administration staff. “So we’re going to make an effort this summer to meet as the Personnel and Negotiations Committee, to look at all those groups and really comprehensively look at them and make sure they are more equitable going forward,” said board member Nick Olson.

The cost of the salary increases will amount to a little over $314,000 for teachers, about $161,000 for support staff, nearly $25,000 for professional staff and nearly $51,000 for administration staff, according to the agenda. The increases had already been included in the district's budget.

In other business, the board:

Approved overnight field trips for the Superior High School Spartan Spin class and for eighth grade science students to attend the Lake Superior Youth Symposium.

Approved handbook language to add two paid holidays — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr. Day — for professional and support staff.

TAXPAYER

COMMENTS

892. What do our friends at Soupnutz.net have to say about all this. Lots.

April 2025 School Board Meeting Highlights: Budget Woes and Accountability Concerns

April 15, 2025

April 7, 2025 – School Board Meeting Recap

Subtitle: When $80 million doesn’t stretch far enough, but excuses still do.

Opening Act: The Usual Roll Call Fumble

A classic slow start—people can’t tell if they’re voting or just showing up. Half of them sounded like they wandered into the meeting looking for the free cookies.

Superintendent Report: Delays, Absences & “We’ll Get to It Later”

The much-hyped Four Corners and student updates? Postponed.
One teacher was sick, so a bunch of reports got punted to next week.
Overnight field trips? Approved. So hey, somebody gets out of town.

Budget Time: The $80 Million Mystery

Now we get to the “fiscal fire drill” part of the show, where Business Manager David See takes the mic—and taxpayers take a deep breath.

“Your taxes are going to go up… unless the state saves us.”

Excuse me? You’re sitting on an $80 million dollar budget , shrinking student population, and still can’t make it work? Meanwhile, See’s solution? Blame Milwaukee, inflation, property values, the weather, probably Mercury in retrograde too.

Here’s what taxpayers are hearing loud and clear:

“We’re broke.”
“It’s not our fault.”
“Give us more money or brace for cuts.”

Translation : We’re mismanaging funds , but we’ve prepared a very informative PowerPoint about why it’s not on us.

And the locals? Not buying it.

Frustration with See is reaching terminal levels. Many believe he’s no longer just a bearer of bad news— he is the bad news . Spreadsheets, vague justifications, and kicking the can have turned into a credibility crisis. The phrase “we’re fiscally responsible” is starting to sound more like satire than stewardship.

Cuts, Chaos & Cop-Outs

See laid out a financial horror show:

Up to $1.5 million drop in equalization aid.
Property values up? Taxes go up too—because logic is dead.
Enrollment’s down, but hey—have more babies or shut up.

And the killer quote?

“If something doesn’t change, your taxes are going to go up.”

They’ve said this for years , and now voters are asking: Why hasn’t anything changed? Where’s the accountability? Where’s the innovation? Why is a district with more money than some third-world nations still shaking a tin cup?

Fundraisers or Full-Time Jobs?

Parents are burned out. Sports and clubs are nickel-and-diming families into oblivion.

Kids are now part-time telemarketers.
Fundraisers are relentless, redundant, and regressive.
Some sports are running deficits— while the district still claims to be “fiscally responsible.”

Handbook Drama, Teacher Workdays & Token Holidays

Some minor handbook tweaks were discussed, mostly around teacher flexibility and whether principals get to own teachers’ time like a late-stage cult leader.

Oh, and they tossed staff two new holidays —the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and MLK Day—as if that’s gonna hush the growing discontent over compensation, workload, and insurance.

Title IX: The Bureaucratic Bungee Cord

Thanks to legal flip-flops, the board now has to revert back to the 2020 Title IX rules. Tons of work down the drain, morale in the toilet.

Literacy Update: Good Intentions, Zero Funding

Curriculum Director Crystal Hintzman updated the board on Act 20 compliance and literacy training. Teachers are doing the work. The state? Not paying a damn cent of the promised $50 million support fund.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the real talk:

The district has an $80 million dollar budget and still can’t keep the lights on without begging.
Teachers are grinding. Parents are paying. Kids are hustling.
And David Seee keeps standing at the mic like a man allergic to solutions, saying, “Well, it’s complicated.”

“We’re fiscally responsible.”

— A phrase that now comes with a side of rage and an eye roll.

Taxpayers are no longer amused. They’re organizing. They’re watching. And they’re asking the one question the board hasn’t answered:

Where the hell is our money going?

COMMENTS

893. Thanks again to Soupnutz.net for another great story. Here is my take.

NOT ANOTHER CENT, NICKEL, DIME, QUARTER OR DOLLAR. NO MO’ MONEY!

When you look at the chart above the city and county take in a combined $21,918,235.00 and the school district takes in $19,584,932.00. That’s almost 50-50. I don’t know about you but does it make sense that it would cost as much to run the schools than the city and county combined?

894. I think it’s time that we get an outside forensic audit of the city, county and school district finances because this continuous call for more taxes has got to stop.

I have quite a few beefs with the schools.

How come every time I look at the news the schools are crying poor?
What happened to all the billions that schools got during COVID?
If you’re enrollment is down, why the need for more money?
Why does the US pay more to educate kids than any other country but only ranks 31st in the world?
Why are kids graduating that have problems reading, writing or even have problems breaking a dollar bill?
Why are kids graduating and have little to no work skills?

FINAL THOUGHTS

895-Jim Paine has said many times in the last few months that the city did not collect more property taxes in 2024 than the previous year. Really? Then why are so many people complaining that their tax bills were so much higher than the previous year? If Paine is right, and I don’t believe him, then who got the money?

It should not be hard to find out. Why doesn’t he, the county and the school district get together and produce the total tax billings for 2023 and 2024 and then we can see who got what. That would be pretty easy to do. If they aren’t willing to do that, then all those who vote against it ought to be voted the hell out of office.

In fact until they produce those numbers and agree to an outside audit, all tax increases, raises, grants etc. should be frozen. It may seem a little radical but I think what they are doing is way more radical. You deserve transparency and accountability. It’s about time you get it.

The vast majority of teachers (82%) say that the overall state of public K-12 education has gotten worse in the last five years. Only 5% say it’s gotten better, and 11% say it has gotten neither better nor worse according to the Pew Research Center.

FROM THE I CAN’T HELP MYSELF DEPT.

895. Fresh from his embarrassing NFL Draft commercial, Jim Paine’s good buddy, the always incompetent and always useless Governor, Tony Evers is at it again. This is from Saturday’s Angie Sapik’s Facebook page: P.S. I love the comments.

It's Wisconsin fishing opener!

Governor Evers proposed a higher license fee for fisherman in this state budget. No trolling here, just casting that out there for everyone to know.

Good luck today, fisherman!

COMMENTS FROM HER READERS

He caught a “snake”…seems fitting!!
Who puts the worm on his hook?
he uses his mouth…
If you hold a fish like that..i expect a snoopy pole in the photo
No clue how to hold a fish. Same as his aptitude for governorship. One thing Evers is good at, though is lying. He promised, to our faces, funds to maintain two State Parks in our county. The money is suddenly not there in the budget. Even more egregiously, Evers has instructed law enforcement to render no cooperation or assistance to ICE in rounding up criminal illegal aliens for deportation.
Clearly Evers is in lock-step with the DNC, and his neighboring Democrat Governors surrounding Wisconsin. He is a mere pawn-puppet of the pathological lying, morally bankrupt, radical left-controlled Democratic Party.
Couldn't anyone try to to show him how to hold a fish? Never mind, I'm sure he told them he knows the best way.
Show this tool how to hold a fish!!
Way to hang on to a hammer handle Tony.
I see he had to have his latex gloves on before touching the little northern. He needs No Balls Walz to give him a Tampon.

AND MY FAVORITE

10. Way to hold that fish, RETARD!

THIS IS FROM CRAIG SUTHERLAND’S FACEBOOK PAGE

Craig Sutherland posted this on Saturday:

Let’s not forget that these citizen appointees are recommended by the mayor—who happens to be married to former councilor Van Sickle. If that’s not nepotism, I’m not sure what is! Ask your city councilor to vote NO. Other notes: He has his staffer and another councilor(Ludwig) appointed as citizens.

AND NOW!!!!

JIM PAINE ENTERPRISES PRESENTS

“THE REVENGE FOR JENNY TOUR 2025”

I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I F’KIN KNEW IT!

ME AND THE WIFE. I DON’T KNOW THE KID IN THE BACK

895. True story. The day after Sarah Anderson beat Jenny van Sickle I said to my wife that Paine better not give her some kind of appointment or job in city government. I’ve seen this one too many times at all levels of politics by both parties and I absolutely hate it. It’s an insult to the voters.

But the most disliked person in Superior, Jim Paine is trying to give the second most disliked person in Superior, Jenny Van Sickle, his wife, an appointment to the Metropolitan Interstate Council.

Not that it matters but what is The Metropolitan Interstate Council?

The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council, commonly referred to as the MIC, is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Twin Ports. MPOs conduct transportation planning, with the overall purpose of improving the movement of people and goods to their destinations—helping to get them where they need to go, safely and efficiently.

MPOs also set priorities for how federal funds are spent on current and future transportation projects. A key goal is to focus the area’s limited transportation funding on projects that yield the greatest benefit for all users (people who drive, bicycle, walk or roll and take the bus, as well as freight) and integrate with the existing transportation system.

896. I really don’t see where Jenny Van Sickle has any special expertise or education background for this. I also don’t care if it’s a paid or unpaid position. She has been a very divisive person in city government. I don’t think she would be good for morale at work or the voters of Superior.

And Jim Paine should know that. And Jenny should as well. It’s a big FU to the voters. It obvious these two political animals have no morale compass and no respect for their constituents. It’s only about them and their political ambitions. Tensions at city hall are high right now. We don’t need another scandal at this time.

897. Jenny, you lost your election fair and square. You’ve been out of office, what?, five minutes and you’re already trying to sneak back in through the side door? Give me a break. It’s time to move on. And you, the voters should immediately email or/and call your councilors and have them vote against this appointment. And by the way, the Fake News Superior Telegram? No reporting on this story that I can find so far.

THE VOTE IS TOMORROW, TUESDAY MAY 6th at 6:30 PM

And Superior, Jimzilla and Jenzilla have a message for you:

JIMZILLA

JENZILLA

898. That’s it. Thanks for reading and see you next time on the Blog.

blog 94

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:41:49 GMT

Please note: On our last Blog a picture and paragraph was omitted. It is now been inserted. It is on Point 852. You can use the link that you have or here is a link to the Blog: https://www.palacebartruth.com/blog-93

THE FAKETY, FAKE, FAKE, FAKE, EDITION!!!

FAKE DIAMONDS

FAKE BOOBS

WHAT’S FAKE AND WHAT’S REAL?

FAKE ROLEX

FAKE NEWS

WE’LL TRY AND SORT IT ALL OUT!!!

863. Welcome to Blog 94. Did you know that Pope Francis and Mayor Paine had something in common? Apparently the Pope was a very difficult person to get along with. He did not like people arguing with him and did not like to be told he was wrong. Mmm? Pope Paine the First? Probably not.

POPE PAINE?

POPE

864.Lots of breaking news in the last few days. We have a gaggle of goofball Mayors {including our own} who think they are going to save millions of lives. My guess is the number will be closer to zero. And we have Jim Paine the know-it-all and the smartest man in the room chime in with yet another Paine-Ism. All that and more. So let’s start with some breaking news.

Just when you think things in the world can’t get anymore stupid it does. This next story is so stupid on so many levels that it demands an explanation.

Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety

The Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety (MIPS) is a partnership between the Mayors Innovation Project, AARP Livable Communities and Smart Growth America to help mayors create communities that are safe, vibrant, and equitable for people of all ages. MIPS will provide mayors an opportunity to learn from both topic experts and their peers about how to create safer streets and better protect their most vulnerable neighbors.

THIS IS FROM MAYOR PAINE’S FACEBOOK PAGE

April 13, 2025

We need to improve pedestrian safety, especially for kids. I wrote a grant to the Mayor’s Innovation Project and Superior was one of only 12 cities selected. Over the next year, I’ll work with these cities to create better ways to move you safely through Superior. The project will partner with the AARP and Smart Growth America to design our cities in a way that fosters economic development and builds nicer neighborhoods.

COMMENTS

865-WHAT? I lived in Superior for almost 15 years and not once did I feel like I needed someone to create better ways to move me safely through the city. How about you? Off the top of my head I don’t remember reading any stories about people getting hit by cars in Superior. I’m not saying there haven’t been any but I don’t think it’s an epidermic. On the other hand, here in Vegas there seems to be one every other day. I smell a scam. A big scam. And we will get on that later in this Blog. Here are a few comments left by readers on his Facebook page.

1-AARP is political stooge. Why don’t you fly to DC and meet with the pro business Trump officials and bring some great paying jobs to Superior. This is a great opportunity for you to serve Superiorities. You didn’t reply to my message. Like I said, I’ll go with you.

2-Let's start with all the potholes

3-Let's be honest you care more about abortion than you do the kids! You're not fooling me. What's the real agenda behind your city plan?

Of course the infantile Paine had to respond.

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

You got me. I’m in the pocket of the “Walking to School Safely” lobby.

866-MY COMMENT- Maybe not, but you are in the “raising taxes lobby”, more regulations lobby” and “less freedoms lobby “and many other “Lobbies”.

So you might be better off keeping your snotty remarks to yourself. And FYI, we don’t need “Walking Lessons” from you and the other 11 knuckle heads on that commission.

867-MY COMMENT-And of course, no comment section would be complete without hearing from # 1 Jim Paine Super-Fan, Dee Dee “Flamingo Feathers” Fetters:

4-DeeDee Fetters

Very good news. I love how you keep moving forward with a new innovative ideas which allow our city to continue to shine.

So what do our friends at Soupnutz.net have to say about this? Here it is.

Anti-Business Mayor Jim Paine Joins Pedestrian Safety Club—But Still Can’t Navigate a Pro-Business Agenda

April 21, 2025

Soupnutz.net Exclusive: Paine Wants Safer Sidewalks—Too Bad He Keeps Tripping Over His Own Policies

Good news, Superior! Mayor Jim Paine has been selected to join the 2025 Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety (MIPS), a prestigious little club where 12 mayors sit around and brainstorm how to help people not die while crossing the street.

That’s right—while the rest of the country is worried about inflation, housing, and not choking on climate change, Mayor Paine’s laser-focused on making sure your stroll to Kwik Trip doesn’t turn into a “Final Destination” reboot.

“We want folks to want to walk through their neighborhoods and through their community year-round,” Paine said.

Translation: Please ignore the shuttered storefronts, but do enjoy the improved crosswalk while passing them.

Business in the Front, Crosswalk in the Back

Mayor Paine insists safer streets will boost the economy, saying:

“If folks have any doubt about their safety, they probably won’t cross that street. And a business may lose an opportunity at that customer.”

Cute theory. But here’s the reality: Crossing the street doesn’t cost Superior businesses customers—Mayor Paine’s anti-business administration has that covered all by itself.

Let’s talk receipts:

Opposed the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, a job-creating project with strong labor backing.
Wants to municipalize broadband and water services like he’s building a Soviet Sim City.
Regularly rolls out red tape like it’s a damn carpet to stop businesses.

You want walkability? Cool. But how about making sure there’s still something to walk to?

The Voters Have Spoken—and They’re Tired of the B.S.

And speaking of getting walked out—let’s not ignore the giant political wrench voters just threw into Paine’s pedestrian paradise: his wife, Jenny Van Sickle , got voted out of office.

Yeah. Maybe now he’ll finally find that ambition he’s been saving for a rainy day—now that the citizens of Superior sent a crystal-clear message : We’re tired of the antics, the performative politics, and the vanity projects.

Maybe getting served a slice of humble pie at the family dinner table will finally snap him out of his “sidewalks will save the world” trance.

Icy Sidewalks and Even Colder Politics

Let’s get real: trying to create a pedestrian-friendly utopia in a city where half the year the sidewalks are basically iced-over booby traps is a stretch. It’s adorable. It’s delusional. It’s Peak Paine ™.

Meanwhile, Superior’s business community is getting frostbite waiting for some pro-growth policy—and watching as City Hall pours its energy into slapping neon paint on crosswalks and calling it economic development.

Final Crossing Signal

Look, we’re all for not getting run over by a speeding minivan. But while Jim Paine’s out there fighting the noble war for walkability, the rest of us are wondering when he’ll stop tripping over the private sector.

The sidewalks might be safer soon, but the city’s economic future? Still in a dangerous intersection.

COMMENTS

868-Another great article from our friends at Soupnutz.net. Make sure you subscribe to get the latest news from them. Now what does the Superior Telegram have to say? Here it is.

Mayor eyes pedestrian safety with national cohort

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram-April 18, 2025

SUPERIOR — Mayor Jim Paine is joining a cohort of a dozen mayors from across the county to work toward safer streets for all Superior residents.

Paine was selected to participate in the 2025 Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety, a partnership among the Mayors Innovation Project, AARP Livable Communities and Smart Growth America.

Paine said he was selected to join the cohort based on a grant application he wrote that demonstrated the political will to improve pedestrian safety, work done toward that goal and demonstrated willingness to carry forward recommendations of the institute.

“That’s the case I really made, that pedestrian safety and walkability have been one of my highest infrastructure and community-building priorities since well before I was elected,” Paine said. “This was part of my 2015 campaign for mayor.”

COMMENTS

869-What? Are you serious? With all the problems like drugs, high taxes, pot holes, roads in some areas barely drivable and public safety you are trying to tell me and my readers that “Pedestrian safety and walkability have been one of my highest infrastructure and community-building priorities since well before I was elected,”

In the fifteen years I lived here nobody has ever expressed that concern to me. In other words I’m not buying that BS.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Over the next six months, the mayors will engage in a mix of virtual and in-person sessions with national experts and fellow mayors to address safety challenges.

In early May, Paine said they will attend an intensive session in Washington, D.C. Monthly meetings will follow.

While the city has an active transportation plan that was adopted by the city council in 2020, Paine said Superior still has some pernicious problems that can’t be solved easily, such as large streets and high-traffic corridors where the standard approaches don’t work as well as they should.

“What I’m looking for are really the small ideas that can be executed in big ways,” Paine said. The mayor encouraged residents to reach out to his office to help identify problem areas.

COMMENTS

870-I’m being serious when I say I could follow Joe Biden’s train of thought over the last 4 years much easier than I can follow Jim Paine’s. This last paragraph is close to impossible to understand. But I wish Shelley Nelson would have asked him what he meant when he said the following because I sure don’t.

Paine said. “What I’m looking for are really the small ideas that can be executed in big ways.”

And don’t forget this line:

“In early May, Paine said they will attend an intensive session in Washington, D.C. Monthly meetings will follow.”

The key word here in “INTENSIVE”. Typical Paine. He does this all the time. He slips in a word or two to give you the impression that not only is he the “smartest man in the world”, he’s also the “hardest working man in the world” as well. And people who do that are usually quite the opposite. Go back to some of my older Blogs that have copies of his “cadaver like” schedules.

Is Jim Paine the smartest man in the room? No. Is he the weirdest man in the room? Yes. There is something seriously wrong with this guy. Maybe it’s neurological. Is there a doctor in the house?

IS THIS STORY IMPORTANT?

871-No, it’s not important at all. In fact it’s completely bogus as far as I’m concerned. But if you listen to Jim Paine, it’s one of the most important things in the world to him. He just told Shelley Nelson the following:

“That’s the case I really made, that pedestrian safety and walkability have been one of my highest infrastructure and community-building priorities since well before I was elected, ” Paine said. “This was part of my 2015 campaign for mayor.”

Like I said, the story itself is not important but the story within the story is. I will do my best to explain this once again, Jim Paine mangled story.

SAFETY STARTS AT HOME AND SCHOOL

872-When I was a little boy growing up in Ottawa, starting in kindergarten (no pre-school back then) safety was priority one . And of course prior to going to school we had parents who were constantly hammering us about safety. At school they provided us with flyers, stickers, books, buttons and more safety stuff. And the Canadian government ran radio and TV ads with the two safety mascots they invented. Elmer the Safety Elephant (1947) and Walter Safety (1963) (He was the water safety guy). In fact he had a catchy song that I remember to this day. Kind of like the Oscar Mayer song.

ELMER

WALTER SAFETY

And that’s why to this day I always look both ways before I cross a street. Hell, I even look both ways while I’m crossing. It’s automatic. I don’t even think of it. So I guess everything they taught us back then worked. We didn’t and don’t need twelve hack politicians to figure it out. More on them later.

WHO IS THE AARP?

873- The AARP are the ones who are sponsoring the “Terrible Twelve” Mayors in their quest to teach you how to walk. So I decided to try and get a better understanding about them. In their own words, this how the AARP view themselves.

“Advocating for you and for all Americans age 50-plus has been at the core of AARP’s mission since our founding in 1958. It's a big part of what we do every day from our headquarters in Washington, D.C., and from our offices in all 53 states and territories. “

“AARP doesn’t endorse or give money to political candidates, parties or campaigns. We do not work with candidates or campaigns to use our name in ads or other campaign efforts. Ever. When AARP’s name is misused by a campaign, we ask that they take it down. Our non-partisan status matters to us and to our members, especially in this day and age, and has been verified by numerous independent fact checkers”.

COMMENTS

874-After reading up on them my takeaway is that they really go out of their way to push the non-partisan narrative but I’m not so sure I’m on board with that at all. If you Google them it should take you about 10 seconds to find thousands of people who don’t agree with their non-partisan statements. Here are some random statements I got off the internet:

1-Yes, though they do this in a round about way. By their expenditures in lobbying efforts, donations to PACS and charities that support Democrats and liberal policies.I would say LIBERAL is the more important part of AARP than anything else. If it was always so or not I cannot say, but it certainly is now. Read their magazine and articles by AARP printed by other media outlets. With very very few exceptions thy always come down on the side of progressive-liberal policies, and ideals….

So massively so that AMAC was created to provide a more balanced view, since AARP seldom if ever supports a conservative policy or approach to problems.

2-“AARP” is a pretend “seniors organization” in which the membership has ZERO voice. The officers are appointed by the controlling company, and the “president” appeared before Congress to support a bill that was OPPOSED by 80% of the membership.

3-AARP is definitely on the left side. I left them several years ago and joined AMAC which leans to the right side.

4-Is AARP really nonpartisan?

No such thing these days, they are as liberal as it comes supporting democrats for decades.

5-I’ve had the opportunity to compare both the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) directly.

AARP generally represents the Swamp, or the status quo—which often aligns with Democrat Party ideologies.

AMAC is a far more conservative organization I’d describe as Libertarian and certainly more aligned with the ideologies of Ronald Reagan.

Therefore I’d agree AARP is more political supportive of the DNC and my money goes to AMAC membership.

6-I don’t know if they officially endorse the party, but AARP is definitely in cahoots with the loony left.

COMMENTS

875-Like I said, you can find thousands of comments like this online. So I read somewhere that this party, conference or whatever you want to call it with the “Terrible Twelve” would not cost the taxpayer any money. So I did some research. Here is what I found:

HOW IS THE AARP FUNDED?

The AARP is funded by members, donations and through the commercial operations of its business arm, AARP Financial, which provides both retirement planning, investment and insurance services to AARP members at discounted rates. The AARP receives substantial additional funding from the “FEDERAL GOVERNMENT”. It is not affiliated with any religious organization.

TAXPAYER

The AARP does have a significant political advocacy arm that spends tens of millions of dollars every year lobbying the government on issues of interest to its membership. In addition, the AARP receives millions per year from the “FEDERAL GOVERNMENT” in subsidies for its work to provide education to seniors on issues related to health care, financial planning and retirement. The AARP is technically a nonpartisan advocacy group, and has lobbied legislators of both major parties.

COMMENTS

876-So there you have it. The “Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety” will be subsidized by taxpayer money. And it gets worse. If you go on Open Secrets, 95% of AARP donations went to Democrats. So this notion that they are non-partisan just doesn’t hold up. So I then decided to take a closer look at the “Terrible Twelve” because if Jim Paine is in it, intelligence and hard work, mustn’t be a requirement.

THE TERRIBLE TWELVE CITIES AND BIOS

877-So who are these Mayors and where are they from? Well we did the work so you don’t have to.

* Little Rock, AR has been named the 5th most dangerous city to live in the nation by US News. A Google search gave us this. Yes, that's correct. Little Rock, AR has been consistently ranked among the most dangerous cities in the United States, including in the top 5, based on crime statistics. Studies and news reports frequently cite high rates of violent crime, property crime, and aggravated assault in Little Rock as contributing factors to its dangerous ranking.

** Hard to believe that a city of 7,899, would have pedestrian problems or would have much to add at this type of conference. I don’t think this is a “Real” conference anyway. More on that in my final comments. Me thinks ole’ Maureen might be in it for the free ride. In fact, I think they all are. And Everett, we have a problem. See the following story below.

After relationship with mayor, Everett deputy mayor quietly resigns

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

NICK AND CASSIE SITTING IN A TREE...

EVERETT — After an outside investigation earlier this year into his romantic relationship with the mayor, the former deputy mayor no longer works for the city of Everett.

On Oct. 17, Nick Harper submitted his letter of resignation, effective two days later, city spokesperson Simone Tarver said in an email. The city didn’t announce his departure or say why he resigned. Tarver said the city doesn’t usually publicly announce employee resignations.

In this case, the employee in question made headlines , becoming the subject of a publicly funded investigation and public scandal .

Tarver said Harper was on “protected medical leave” leading up to his resignation and did not receive a severance package.

“Having lived and worked in Everett since 2006, it has been an honor to have had the opportunity to serve in the City these past five and a half years,” Harper wrote in his resignation letter obtained via public records request. “The City is fortunate to have a very dedicated workforce, and I wish each and every team member the best.”

His resignation letter did not reference the relationship. It was addressed to city Labor and Administrative Services Director Kandy Bartlett.

“Once again, I want to extend my gratitude to you, and everyone I have had the opportunity to work with at the City for allowing me this opportunity,” Harper wrote.

The relationship between the mayor and her subordinate caused a stir in City Hall last year. It was disclosed to human resources and the City Council prior to the investigation, Tarver said.

In February, the City Council voted to hire Amy Kangas Alexander, of Stokes Lawrence P.S., to investigate the relationship between the mayor and her deputy mayor.

A few months later, the investigation found no misuse of city funds or violations of policy, according to a 203-page report .

“In summary, the preponderance of the evidence does not support that the personal romantic relationship between Mayor Franklin and Mr. Harper has involved malfeasance, misuse of City resources or violation of City policies,” the report concluded.

City policy does not require an employee to report a romantic relationship with coworkers.

Franklin had separated from her husband in July 2022 and filed for divorce in November 2022. The relationship with Harper began between September and December of that year, Franklin confirmed in the report.

“We’re not going out to dinner with flowers and roses,” Franklin reportedly told the investigators. “That’s not what this is. Lunches, drinks, conversations. We have affection for each other. (That’s) a reasonable term, that we are dating. I wouldn’t say, now we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. I would say we’ve developed strong feelings for each other.”

They both denied any “uninvited sexually-oriented verbal or physical conduct,” or any “quid-pro-quo element to their relationship” or favoritism, the investigation reported.

“I had a lot of big projects late summer and fall, and we probably just spent more time working together,” Franklin told Kangas Alexander. “At some point in the fall, we probably realized that we were developing feelings for each other, something beyond a work relationship.”

Before Franklin hired him as deputy mayor in 2018, Harper served as a state senator. He’d been elected in 2010, but resigned in 2013 amid rumors of an extramarital affair. At the time, he stated: “My work in Olympia takes me away from my family far too much.”

“To be a full-time husband, to be a full-time father and to maintain my full-time law practice, I cannot continue to give this job the amount of dedication it deserves or the people of the district deserve,” he added in 2013.

A little over a month after Harper’s resignation from the city, Franklin hired former Police Chief Dan Templeman as the city’s senior executive director. He started working in the mayor’s office Monday alongside Lori Cummings, who holds the same title.

Harper made over $211,000 a year plus benefits, according to the city’s salary schedule.

Executive directors sit parallel to deputy mayor in the city’s organizational chart . Tarver did not have Templeman’s exact salary as of Tuesday, and she did not respond to a question about whether Templeman’s hiring is effectively a replacement for Harper’s position.

COMMENTS

878-Sound familiar? Maybe with her on board they could call the conference:

“The Mayors Institute on Extramarital Affairs”. Just a thought.

And you know how phony this thing is? Remember that awful goofball Mayor of Sheboygan, Ryan Sorenson, another Democrat who tried to shut down Dave’s Who’s Bar Inn? He was also charged with ethics violations. The whole story is on Blog 68. Well he was at the same convention last year. Which in my opinion, says a lot.

SUMMATION

879-This whole thing reeks of scam. Here is what we know.

1-Just like the Superior Telegram and Duluth News Tribune, the AARP are nothing more than an arm or advocate or shills or call it whatever you want, of the Democrat Party.

2- 11 of these Mayors are Democrats, one is Independent.

3-All 12 of the cities are stagnant or declining in population with the exception of 3 of them and their increases are less than half of one percent.

4- There is nothing that I can find that any of these mayors have any expertise in on the subject of Pedestrian Safety.

5-Most of these cities are small and if they have Pedestrian Safety issues it’s probably because they aren’t running their city properly and should not be attending this convention.

6-This is a complete waste of taxpayers money. They wrap it up in a nice name like the “Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety”. Who’s going to say no to that? I will for one. It should be called “A Big Pile Of Democrat Crap” because that’s what it is. Cities have mayors, city councils, police and transportation departments that should be figuring out their safety plans.

And they are going to have monthly meetings in Washington, D.C.? And all or partly paid by the taxpayers and funneled by the AARP. Just look it up, it’s on their website.

7-If I miss one thing about Superior it’s the traffic or lack of traffic. Go live in Ottawa, Fort Myers or here in Vegas. That’s traffic. I’ll take the traffic in Superior any day.

FINAL COMMENTS

880-This is nothing more than a gift, a reward if you will from the Democrat Party to their most loyal little soldiers like Jim Paine. Like I said it’s all wrapped up in a nice little name and funneled by, in this case the AARP. There are hundreds of these going on through many other organizations. These are the things that Trump and Musk are talking about with the Department of Government Efficiency, better know as DOGE.

Here in Vegas, I see this stuff all the time. Go to any of the big casinos and their wearing their convention badges and their drinking, gambling and eating at the best restaurants. It’s all about good times. And that’s great but not on mine or your dime.

This stinks to high heaven and after this Blog is published I’m going to send it to DOGE. I will let you know if and when I hear something. We don’t need people like Jim Paine and his ilk running around Washington, Vegas or any other city for that matter living the high life on our tax money.

At the end of the day I’ll put my safety and the safety of my children in the hands of Elmer and Walter, things that actually worked. Not in the hands of the “Terrible Twelve”.

ELMER

WALTER SAFETY

881-Well that’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed it. Stay safe and I’ll see you all on the next Blog.

Thanks,

Brian

blog 93

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 00:24:50 GMT

WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY?

YOU WON'T FIND IT ON THE TELEGRAM OR NEWS TRIBUNE

BUT YOU WILL FIND IT HERE!!!

846. Welcome to today’s Blog. I want to start today with some breaking news. This was posted on Friday night, April 11, 2025, by The Duluth Monitor. The incident actually occurred on March 22, 2025.

Duluth Monitor 15h ·

It took three cops to get the cuffs on the sixth grade math teacher.

Former Superior Teachers Union president charged with drunk driving, resisting arrest

By: John Ramos

Date: April 11, 2025

At 11 p.m. on March 22, 2025, the Superior Police Department received a report of a red Jeep Cherokee driving erratically and striking curbs along Highway 2, near 29th Avenue East. The reporting party followed the Jeep through town and observed it pull into the rest stop just outside of Superior on Highway 2.

When officers arrived, they found 54-year-old Linda West sitting in the driver’s seat of the Jeep. Ms. West is a sixth grade math teacher at Superior Middle School and president of the Superior Teachers Union.

An excerpt from Officer Samuel Finkbeiner’s report follows:

I started talking to Linda. While I was speaking with her, I observed she had glassy eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of intoxicants coming from her person. Based on my training and experience I know these as signs of intoxication. I informed Linda that I could smell the odor of intoxicants coming from her and that she clearly has been drinking tonight. She stated, “I have.” I asked if she had her identification on her and she demanded we turn our lights off.

I proceeded to tell Linda to step out of her vehicle as she was now becoming uncooperative. She stated she would not. I informed her she would be forced out. Linda continued to refuse to get out and fight with getting out of her vehicle. I had a hold of her arms and I could feel muscular tension as I did so. Eventually she got out and she was walked to the front of my squad car. Linda continued to pull away from officers and was ordered to “stop resisting.” She continued to pull her arms away where three officers had to get her to place her arms behind her back. Linda was uncooperative for most of our contact. She was escorted to the back of my squad car...

I went and spoke with the complainants … [They] stated they followed her and observed her hitting curbs and going in the middle of the lane …

I returned to my squad car and read Linda the “informing-the-accused” form. Linda was disruptive the entire time I read the form by talking over me and kicking the partition in the back seat … I transported her to the Douglas County Jail to administer the Intoximeter...

West blew a 0.19 on the Intoximeter—more than twice the legal limit for driving.

West received a charge for Operating While Intoxicated, and another for her blood alcohol content being greater than 0.15. She was also charged with Resisting/Obstructing.

On March 31, 2025, Linda West entered pleas of not guilty to all three charges. Her next court hearing is scheduled for June 4, 2025.

A text message sent to Ms. West, requesting comment, had not received a response as of press time.

BUT THERE IS A TWIST

Update, April 12, 2025.

The Monitor received a phone call from someone who identified themselves as Kyle Smith. Mr. Smith stated that he was the current president of the Superior Teachers Union and asked us to correct our article. He refused to verify whether or not Ms. West currently held a position with the union.

Our conversation follows.

Monitor: So Linda West is not the president?

Kyle Smith: No. She was about three years ago.

Monitor: Well, that can’t be right, because the 990 form for 2023 lists her as the president, so that was just over a year ago.

Smith: Well, I don’t know what you’re looking at, but that’s two years ago.

Monitor: So who’s the president?

Smith: I’m just saying that she’s not the union president anymore.

Monitor: Okay. And do you know who is?

Smith: I do.

Monitor: Can you tell me, so I can call them? I need to verify this stuff. You’re saying I’m wrong, but you’re not giving me an avenue to verify it.

Smith: Okay, I’m the current president, so that’s all I need to say.

Monitor: Okay. Can I get your name?

Smith: Yeah, it’s Kyle Smith. I don’t want to see my name in it.

Monitor: Does Linda West have a position with the union at this time?

Smith: I’m not going to comment any more. I just wanted you to fix your story, that’s all.

Monitor: Well, to fix the story would be to give me her actual position.

Smith: No. I think I’m just going to leave it at that, okay?

Monitor: So you’re not going to tell me if she has a position with the union or not?

Smith: I’m just going to tell you to correct the title, so that’s all I’m going to say.

Monitor: All right, I’ll let my readers know.

WHAT THE HELL?

COMMENTS

847.This incident occurred on March 22. Today is April 16. I can’t find anything from the Superior Telegram or Duluth News Tribune. But that’s not the only DUI story that the Duluth Monitor broke. Check this out.

Spouse of Douglas County sheriff pleads no contest to OWI

By: Duluth Monitor Date: October 6, 2024

On Aug. 17, 2024, Wisconsin State Trooper Zachary Lind issued 45-year-old Lindsay Izzard a ticket for Operating While Under the Influence in the vicinity of 23rd Avenue East and 6th Street in Superior. Lindsay’s husband, Matt Izzard, was elected sheriff of Douglas County in August of 2022. The Izzards live in Foxboro, about ten miles south of Superior.

The Lindsay Izzard case was not formally charged until Sept. 9, 2024 (23 days after her infraction). She was charged with Operating While Under the Influence in Douglas County Circuit Court.

On Sept. 10, the following day, Ms. Izzard was also charged with Operating While Under the Influence, With a Blood Alcohol Content Equal To or Greater Than .15—an intoxication level which often leads to enhanced penalties.

On Sept. 17, Lindsay Izzard emailed the court (using her official College of St. Scholastica email account, where she works in the Student Health Service Office), stating that she had “already started payment” on the first ticket, and added that she wanted to enter a plea of NOT GUILTY to the second.

On Sept. 23, the Douglas County District Attorney requested a special prosecutor to try the cases against Izzard, because a “conflict of interest exist[ed] regarding the district attorney or the district attorney staff.”

Judge George Glonek appointed Bayfield County District Attorney Kimberly Lawton as the special prosecutor overseeing the Izzard cases.

On Sept. 27, Sheriff Matt Izzard announced that Douglas County would be enhancing public safety by putting more deputies on the roads for traffic enforcement.

On Oct. 3, 2024, Lindsay Izzard pleaded NO CONTEST to Operating While Under the Influence. She was fined $1,006, her license was suspended for seven months, and six demerit points will be attached to her license. The second charge was dismissed.

Ms. Izzard’s penalty was clearly not as severe as it might have been. The stipulation between Ms. Izzard and the prosecution notes that “The parties jointly recommend the guidelines for under.15 for aggravated driving”—meaning that the more stringent penalties for driving with a blood-alcohol content of.15 would not apply to Ms. Izzard. For one thing, Izzard’s vehicle will not be equipped with a breath alcohol ignition interlock system.

Neither Matt nor Lindsay Izzard responded to requests for comment. Both their Facebook pages disappeared shortly after we contacted them via Facebook Messenger and email

COMMENTS

848. On August 17, 2024 she was issued a ticket but was not formally charged until Sept. 9, 2024 (23 days after her infraction). On Oct 3, 2024 she pleaded no contest. The Duluth Monitor broke the story Oct 6, 2024. Nothing from the Superior Telegram or Duluth News Tribune yet. Then on Oct 10, 2024 The Duluth Monitor ran another story on this incident.

Lindsay Izzard flipped car at Family Fun Days

John Ramos Oct 10, 2024

On Aug. 17, 2024, Officer Zachary Lind with the Wisconsin State Patrol and City of Superior Police Officer Aaron Lofgren responded to the scene of a rollover crash near 23rd Avenue East and Sixth Street in Superior. Officer Lofgren observed a female standing near a white Cadillac XT5 SUV, which was lying on its roof in the roadway. Nearby, a parked red Ford Fusion had received damage to the rear driver’s side wheel well.

According to a witness, the SUV had been traveling southbound on Sixth Street, when it veered out of its lane and drove “into the parked vehicle. The impact made [the SUV] flip entirely and eventually end on its roof. [The driver] then crawled out … as it was upside down.”

The driver was 45-year-old Lindsay Izzard and the upside-down SUV was registered to Matt Izzard. Matt, Lindsay’s husband, was elected Douglas County sheriff in 2022.

A large crowd gathered, some taking pictures. A street dance was underway nearby, at the East End Family Fun Days celebration. Eighties rock cover band Hellcat was playing onstage as officers processed the scene.

HELLCAT

Lindsay was uninjured. When Officer Lind conducted a preliminary breath test, Lindsay registered a .167 blood-alcohol content.

Lindsay had been participating in the festivities. According to Lind’s report, Lindsay stated that she had “Probably three glasses of wine at the Hammond at five o’clock and probably three seltzers between Hudy’s and Dodgie’s.”

Officer Lind transported Lindsay Izzard to St. Mary’s Hospital in Superior, where he supervised a blood draw. Lindsay was then released to a “responsible party” in the parking lot of the hospital, her aunt Mary Higgins, who “stated she was sober and would take responsibility for Izzard and signed the responsibility form.”

On Sept. 9, 2024, the state police received the results back from the lab: Lindsay Izzard’s blood-alcohol content was 0.156.

Lindsay was charged with two offenses: Operating a Vehicle While Impaired and Operating a Vehicle While Impaired With a BAC Greater than 0.15. No charges were issued for the property damage.

On Oct. 3, 2024, Lindsay entered a No Contest plea to Operating a Vehicle While Impaired. The second charge was dismissed.

Lindsay Izzard was fined $1,006. Her license was suspended for seven months, and she received six penalty points on her record. She is also required to participate in an Intoxicated Driver Assessment and Safety Plan.

Neither Lindsay nor Matt Izzard responded to requests for comment.

COMMENTS

849.

Recap:

August 17, 2024 she was issued a ticket.
Not formally charged until Sept. 9, 2024 (23 days after her infraction).
Oct 3, 2024 she pleaded no contest.
Duluth Monitor broke the story Oct 6, 2024.
Oct 10, 2024 The Duluth Monitor ran another story on this incident.
Nothing from the Superior Telegram or Duluth News Tribune yet.

AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD RESTED

GENESIS 2:2-3

AND ON THE 56TH DAY THE TELEGRAM PRINTED THIS:

Wife of Douglas County sheriff pleads to operating while intoxicated

Oct 16, 2024 BY MARIA LOCKWOOD Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — The wife of Douglas County Sheriff Matt Izzard, Lindsay Marie Izzard, 45, of Foxboro, pleaded no contest to an ordinance violation of first-offense operating while intoxicated. Izzard had her driver’s license revoked for seven months after making the plea on Oct. 3 in Douglas County Circuit Court.

She must also pay a fine and have an alcohol assessment, according to online court records. A second ordinance violation of first-offense operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration was dismissed.

The traffic citations were issued to Izzard in connection with an Aug. 17 crash on the 2200 block of East Sixth Street behind the Lake Superior Community Health Center.

The vehicle Izzard was driving struck a parked vehicle and flipped over, landing on its roof, according to the crash report from the Superior Police Department.

The parked vehicle sustained significant damage in the crash, which was reported at 10:03 p.m. Aug. 17. Izzard was wearing a seat belt and did not need medical treatment.

The report said Izzard admitted to drinking and consented to field sobriety testing, which was completed by a member of the Wisconsin State Patrol.

COMMENTS

850. OMG! 56 days later The Superior Telegram finally prints a story. The story has no picture of any kind. The story is printed on page 2 of the paper. The story is about 1/8th of the page, about the size of 3 packs of matches. Keep in mind that when the Maniac of the Midwest, Melissa Hyatt opened her new venture she got a large color 1/2 page story on the front page of the Telegram and Tribune. Remember?

851. No picture, page two and an article smaller than many of the obituaries. Responsible journalism? I don’t think so. The story was actually printed in their Oct 24, 2024 paper. Just for shits and giggles, here are the important headlines that were on page 1 that day.

Superior celebrates decade of spooky fun
Superior landfill to close to public
Superior, Northwood school districts ask for tax increase to support operations

(FYI, about six weeks after this story the property tax bills started going out. You really can’t make this stuff up)

I could not find any reporting in the Duluth News Tribune on this story.

TALKING ABOUT IRONY...READ THIS!!!

On the same day Oct 18, 2024, on the same page, right under the previous story is another OWI story. It comes with a picture and the story is slightly longer. Here it is:

Superior man charged with fifth OWI

BY MARIA LOCKWOOD Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — A Superior man who allegedly almost hit a pedestrian while driving while intoxicated is charged with a fifth OWI.

James Richard Biscay, 69, faces one felony count of fifth offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. He waived the time limits for his preliminary hearing Tuesday, Oct. 15, in Douglas County Circuit Court. A $750 cash bond was set for Biscay, who remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Police officers responded to the Kwik Trip at 6007 Tower Ave. around 5:32 p.m. Oct. 10 for a report that a driver hit a cement pole and almost struck a pedestrian in the parking lot, according to the criminal complaint. The driver was identified as Biscay. Superior Police Detective Griffith Coffman reported that Biscay smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and glossy eyes and admitted to drinking two “Keystones” earlier. Police Sgt. Matthew Brown reported that Biscay was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and he was unable to perform field sobriety tests. Biscay had a restriction on his driver’s license that limits his blood alcohol concentration while driving to 0.02. The complaint listed four prior operating while intoxicated convictions, all in Douglas County, the most recent in 2010.

Biscay’s next court appearance is Oct. 29 to determine if he has retained an attorney. He appeared without a lawyer Oct. 15, according to court records.

COMMENTS

852. The incident took place Oct 10, 2024 and was reported in the October 18, 2024 Superior Telegram paper. That is 8 days.

In the case of Former Superior Teachers Union president Linda West charged with drunk driving and resisting arrest, this incident occurred on March 22. Today is April 16. I can’t find anything from the Superior Telegram or Duluth News Tribune. That is 25 days and counting.

In the case of Lindsay Marie Izzard it took the Superior Telegram 56 days to finally report it in a small page 2 article with no picture.

So as my wife would ask me, “what’s your point?” Well I’m not going to start reporting on DUI stories. I used these 3 stories to demonstrate the hypocrisy in the type of reporting coming out or in many cases not coming out of our local media. The media in our area is driven more by ideology than truth and facts. A lot of stories go completely unreported. That’s what today’s Blog is mostly about. I understand that not all DUI or many other stories for that matter don’t need to be reported but when they are unusual or involve prominent people in our society they should be with truth and honesty and quite frankly, that’s not what we are getting. And today I’m going to highlight some of those stories.

853. But first, I have our first ever “Timbits” episode today featuring Tampon Tim Walz and JimSickle Paine. Full disclosure, I stole that name for Paine from a readers comment on a Craig Sutherland’s Facebook post. I love it. Here we go:

$127,629.00 yearly

$100,000,00 yearly

COMMENTS

WOW! Tampon Tim makes $127,629.00 per year as the Governor of the state of Minnesota and JimSickle Paine makes $100,000.00 per year as Mayor of Superior. Tampon only makes $27,629.00 a year more than the Mayor of Superior. When it comes to these two, neither one is worth a nickel. But if you had 2 qualified people, the Governor of Minnesota should be making more and as far as Mayor of Superior goes the maximum should be around $50,000.00 (or less) regardless of who it is because it really is a part-time job. I hope you enjoyed our first episode of Timbits. More to come.

“The Infamous Hot Tub Interview”

853. The next story is one I’ve wanted to report on for a long time and it comes from none other than the award winning scribe “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson. It is one of the worst or best examples of bias, one-sided, sickening and incomplete reporting you’ll find anywhere. I dubbed it “The Infamous Hot Tub Interview”. After I read it back in 2023 I could just picture these two sipping fake champagne or cheap wine out of a pre-used unwashed plastic cup in a hot tub. Get your barf bags ready. Here it is:

A Superior first: Paine is city's first mayor to run unopposed twice

Without a challenger in the April election, Mayor Jim Paine becomes the first Superior mayor to go unchallenged in back-to-back elections; only two other mayors have ever run unopposed in Superior.

By Shelley Nelson February 20, 2023 at 7:00 PM

SUPERIOR — The city is headed for an historic election this spring.

It’s not what’s on the ballot that makes it historic; it’s what’s not — a declared challenger to the mayor. While mayors have run unopposed in the past — in 1939, 1979 and 2019 — no Superior mayor has ever run unopposed twice. In the course of 44 elections for mayor over the last 134 years, most incumbents have faced multiple challengers. For Mayor Jim Paine, who finds himself without a challenger for the second time since taking office in 2017, it’s a humbling honor that the public seems to have a level of confidence in the work that has been done in the city.

“I’ve always insisted that the best campaign is just doing a good job, making sure that we’re working for the people of Superior,” Paine said.

That level of public confidence in local government extends to the city councilors up for reelection this year. Every councilor whose term expires in April is also running unopposed.

COMMENTS

854. The narrative that the Mayor and Shelley Nelson are pushing here is that everything is going so great in Superior and that’s the reason there are no challengers. I don’t buy that for a minute. Paine is do delusional that I think he actually believes that but Shelley Nelson should have known better. Keep in mind this article is from Feb. 2023. People had just checked out of local politics. They were so disillusioned with this Mayor and City Council that they just gave up. And the other reason was that people who have an opposite view of the current council did not run because they didn’t want to be part of this dysfunctional council. And really, who can blame them? I heard from a good source that two previous councilors under Paine chose not to run because it left “A Black Hole in their Soul” or words to that effect.

BACK TO THE STORY…

While spring elections in Wisconsin are considered nonpartisan, that wasn’t always true in Superior’s mayoral politics.

The only contested race for Superior city government on the ballot this year is the 3rd District special election to replace a city councilor who resigned in November. The term for that seat expires in April 2024.

“I think the perception is that people are comfortable with what’s going on in the city,” said Khalil “Haji” Dokhanchi, professor and chairman of the social inquiry department at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Dokhanchi said if you look at the way people vote in Superior, a nearly 2-1 margin in favor of Democratic over Republican candidates in recent elections, more conservative candidates could find it difficult to run against Paine, and other Democrats simply aren’t going to run against him. Partisan politics very much played a role in how mayoral elections were decided. Superior’s first mayor, Alex J. McRae, was a Democrat. In 1890, when he was running for reelection, McRae stepped away from the race to give a fellow Democrat, David Dobie, a shot at defeating the Republican candidate for mayor, Martin Pattison. Twice Pattison defeated Dobie to become Superior’s second mayor and the first mayor to serve consecutive terms in office.

After Pattison left office in 1892, no other Superior mayor served consecutive terms until Harvey W. Dietrich was elected in 1898.It wasn’t until Bryn Ostby was elected in 1935 that any mayor served three consecutive terms in office. While Ostby was the first mayor to run unopposed in Superior’s history, it happened at a time when residents, discontent with Superior’s financial struggles, eliminated the mayor-council form of government altogether at the end of Ostby’s term in 1941.

COMMENTS

Khalil “Haji” Dokhan

855. Thanks to Khalil “Haji” Dokhan for the history lesson. But I don’t think Shelley Nelson should have interviewed him beyond that. Or at the very least she could have also spoken to someone with an opposing view. But she didn’t. He contributed to Paine’s campaign and is a big supporter, which he has every right to. More on this further down.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Dokhanchi, who acknowledged contributing to Paine’s campaign and supporting him as mayor, said he would think differently about Paine if his work wasn't producing results.

“If he wasn’t doing a good job, if we had financial problems, if our numbers were going down, if there was some problem in the city, I would be critical,” Dokhanchi said.

Paine seems capable of managing crises, engaging the community and advocating for the city, he said.“What you do have to have is a passion, a vision and an ability to articulate that, and he has all of those,” Dokhanchi said. “He has a vision for the city and where he wants to go, and he’s willing to fight for it. People may disagree with him … but I think what he is able to do is say ‘I have a vision.’”

COMMENTS

856. As I said, I don’t think Shelley Nelson should have interviewed him beyond his history lesson. Do Shelley Nelson and Mr. Dokhanchi live in Superior?

Because if they do who in hell do they talk to? I would bet any amount of money that if you took a poll that said “What person do you dislike the most in Superior?” Jim Paine would be at the top of the list.

Back in June of 2022 I knew that there was no chance of getting the license for the Palace renewed. I had to then figure out what to tell my employees, my suppliers and my customers about the reality of our situation. It was a very bad time for us and in my almost 50 years of owning businesses a situation I had never faced before.

I also knew that about 75% of my customers were Democrats. We spoke politics once in a while, mostly federal politics and rarely, if ever, local politics. I have to say that I personally didn’t follow city politics all that much. And of course since I was always outnumbered we didn’t speak politics that often. And now I am going to have to tell them what I thought about Paine, a Democrat who was responsible for closing the Palace and how that was going to suck for me. As if I didn’t have enough stress.

857. But something unexpected happened. As I started telling the story to our customers, the second I mentioned Paine’s name their mood immediately changed. They would go from happy to mad in a nano second. Many would curse at the mention of his name, they would tell me stories of their encounters with Paine or about friends or family who had issues with him as well. It’s like I ruined their day or shot their dog.

I was stunned. I don’t think I had ever talked to them about Paine. Like I said, I really didn’t spend much time following City politics. Many were still very upset with his relationship with Jenny Van Sickle. I had never even heard of it. I had to Google it when I went home.

858. But I think the biggest takeaway for me was the level of anger they had towards him. Kind of like mine. Unhealthy. So I talked to my wife about this after my first day of talking to some of our customers about our situation and she experienced the same thing. For the rest of the month of June every day we would discuss this odd turn of events. I worked the early shift and when I got home she would go in and start her shift. I then got a little obsessed about the fact that I had not found one, not one person I talked to had anything good to say about Paine. None. By the end of the month we probably spoke to around 150-200 people and she found one, only one that showed support for Paine. I never found any. And I’m not exaggerating any part of this story. That is the way it all went down.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Paine planned and organized a campaign last summer, fully anticipating a challenge when he launched the effort in the fall. Despite running unopposed, Paine said he’s still willing to participate in election-related public forums or endorsement screening opportunities to share his vision for the city.

“I really have a lot of big ideas for the next term,” Paine said. “I have a plan for … the next stage in Superior’s development, and I want to talk about it. I know some of my ideas can seem new, or controversial, or even radical, but I believe that big change comes from big ideas, and I want to talk about them. And I want to convince the public that taking on big challenges, maybe even taking on big risks, was going to be good for Superior.”

859.

COMMENTS ON JIM PAINE

Blah, Blah, Blah. Typical Jim Paine BS. Let’s break it down.

PAINE SAID

“I really have a lot of big ideas for the next term,”

“Despite running unopposed, Paine said he’s still willing to participate in election-related public forums or endorsement screening opportunities to share his vision for the city.”

I SAY

Going to one of those “Forums” would be like going to euthanasia day at the animal shelter or even worse, going to one of his “State of the city” speeches.

PAINE SAID

“I really have a lot of big ideas for the next term”. Keep in mind this article was done in Feb 2023.

I SAY

860. Well now it’s April 2025 and we have seen your “Big Ideas”

Here are a few of them:

Going back on your word with NTEC, an almost billion dollar project that would have provided the city with jobs and millions of tax dollars.
Making sure that Superior’s reputation as a “Business Unfriendly” city stays intact. Look what he did to the Vape shops. Many of them set up shop in Superior, invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process, created jobs and pay thousands of dollars in taxes every year. Then he came out with a list of rules that are designed to put them out of business.

TRIFECTA OF TERROR

3. And don’t forget the “Trifecta of Terror”, Disconnect Superior (55-65 million dollars), Princess Theater (3-4 million dollars) and Carnegie Library (5-7 million dollars). Oh, I forgot that he also wants to give UWS 10 million for a new facility. And that will provide the city with zero yearly tax dollars because university are exempt from city taxes.

I predict that all of these projects are doomed for failure. And the ongoing costs to keep these projects going will likely be in the one to two million dollars range every year. The total cost of these projects will come to approximately 86 million dollars. The city’s yearly budget is around 36 million.

The math here is scary. I will do a more detailed report on the “Trifecta of Terror” at a later date.

He doesn’t have Big ideas, he has Stupid ideas, Scary ideas.

4. And don’t forget the “Great Superior Shocking Tax Swindle”. While it’s not one of his “Big Ideas” it’s an example of his lack of intelligence to implement one.

5. And the worst of them all, he screwed that Mini-Golf guy for an extra 500 bucks in rent. What a small, petty, inept,

miserable little man he is. That pretty much sums up JimSickle Paine for ya. Now I have a “Hot Tub Rash”.

COMMENTS ON SHELLEY NELSON

861. The media culture in the Twin Ports has sunk to a new low. Is it asking too much to hear both sides of the story? Is it asking too much to hear the truth? Aren’t reporters supposed to be curious by nature? Democracy relies on good journalism. Are we getting that here?

This was not an informative, honest report about the realities on the ground. This was a one sided love letter from Shelley to Jimmy with a special appearance by Khalil “Haji” Dokhan. This is why these two newspapers and much of the left wing media is failing. Yes, like all the ones that have been pushing the “Joe Biden is just fine” narrative for the past 4 years. People weren’t buying it then and they are certainly not buying it now. And back in 2023 when you ran this article, most people in Superior were not thinking what a wonderful job Jim Paine and the incompetent City Council was doing.

What happened here is called Political Apathy and/or Political Alienation

Political apathy

In political science, political apathy is a lack of interest or apathy towards politics. This includes voter apathy, information apathy and lack of interest in elections, political events, public meetings, and voting.

Voter apathy is a lack of interest among voters in the elections of representative democracies. Political apathy or lack of interest is often cited as a cause of low turnout among eligible voters in jurisdictions where voting is optional, and the donkey vote where voting is compulsory. This phenomenon occurs to some extent across all countries or entities where citizens are able to vote. Political apathy has led to increased concerns regarding representative democracies because election results do not encompass the entire population who are eligible to vote.

Political alienation

Political apathy is sometimes considered distinct from political alienation, "the sense that voters feel like the political system does not work for them and any attempt to influence it will be a fruitless exercise.

"Political alienation is adversely related to political efficacy, the voter's trust in their ability to influence politics. The most common electoral consequences of political alienation are abstention and protest voting.

MY FINAL COMMENT

862. In my opinion you have lost your moral and civic authority. With your “Cut and paste” reporting and your omission of important stories how do you expect the people to believe you. Well many don’t and they shouldn’t.

This, Shelly Nelson is really what happened. Not the propaganda filled pile of crap that you tried to pass off as a piece of journalism.

FINAL THOUGHT

Thanks everyone for reading today’s Blog. I hope you have Happy Easter weekend and I’ll see you on the next one.

Brian

blog 92

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:54:55 GMT

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

SARAH ANDERSON

SARAH ANDERSON!!!

Welcome to today’s short but very sweet Blog. I just wanted to congratulate Sarah on her very exciting win. I don’t know Sarah. I never met or talked to her but I did follow her campaign. She worked very hard and set a good example for other people who may want to run for office in the future.

It’s no small feat to defeat a high profile incumbent, but she did. Hard work does pay off and Sarah proved that and I wish her the very best in her new position. Time to kick some you know what!

And I’d to thank Randal Wuorinen for having the heart and courage for his run as well. You should be proud of what you accomplished. And there’s always next time.

I don’t want to get in all the political muck today. But don’t worry, I’ll save that for the next Blog

Superior, there’s still hope.

SEE YOU ON THE NEXT BLOG

blog 91

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:19:21 GMT

ELECTION DAY PART 2!!!

JENNY VAN SICKLE

TYLOR ELM 

TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!

SARAH ANDERSON

RANDAL WUORINEN

TUESDAY APRIL 1, 2025

Welcome To Election Day’s Part 2 Special

816. Today we will explore the ins and outs of tomorrow’s election with help from our friends at Soupnutz.net and others.

Let’s start off with everybody’s favorite Bridezilla, Jenny Van Sickle. Do you guys remember that show? OMG, back in the day I used to kill myself laughing watching it. It’s right up there with Tool Academy. So let’s start off today with a truly uninspiring story about Superior’s most disliked Bridezilla and #1 narcissist Jenny Van Sickle. This story was published April 22, 2022.

FROM BLOODTHIRSTY DESIRE FOR POWER

TO CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

817. The sickening and opportunistic story of “I Married the Mayor” Jenny Van Sickle’s rise to power (if you really want to call it that). And of course, special thanks to Jim Paine’s “Butt Boy” Tooler Elmo. From April 25, 2022, here is the story.

Van Sickle becomes first Indigenous City Council President in Superior

April 25, 2022

The first person of color to serve on the City Council in Superior, in far northern Wisconsin, is now the first person of color to serve as its president. Jenny Van Sickle, an Alaskan Native of Tlingit and Athabaskan heritage, was elected President with eight votes in favor, one opposed and one abstention at the council’s regular meeting Tuesday, April 19.

COMMENTS

818. Keep in mind this article is from 2022 when “Woke” and “DEI” and all that other nonsense was “in fashion”. But based on the Biden administration, I think we have learned that “First is the worst” has been the result of most of these stupid policies. So I really don’t care about Jenny’s or anybody else’s background when it comes to color, sex and things like that. I only care about qualifications, experience and who really is best for the job. So the question here is, does Jenny have the best credentials to be president of the council? I want the “best” not necessarily the “first”.

But you have to ask yourself how did this happen? You can read how in my final comments of this story. Only a couple of years ago she was almost booted from council because of her relationship with Mayor Paine. She and the Mayor dragged the city through a long and embarrassing process that divided the administration and the residents including the threat of lawsuits between her and city attorney Frog Prell and now she is “El Presidente”.

BACK TO THE STORY...

In an interview Sunday, Van Sickle said representation in public service is important to give young people someone to look up to. “(Superior) has a really rich, indigenous population, culture and history that has a real opportunity to shine. And you know, maybe I hope that I can be a part of the little kids in Superior starting to introduce themselves by their clan houses or with their Indigenous names,” she said.

“I want little kids to see themselves in this landscape, in their government, in their art, in their food. And we have a really long way to go to realizing all of that progress in representation here in the Northland. This is a pretty good step towards that.”

She identified transportation as a top priority – especially creating a more sustainable transportation system.'

“Transportation is the lifeblood of my work,” she said. “We’re going to continue electrifying our city fleet. We will be electrifying our fire department as well. We just invested in solar. We are making a lot of environmental moves.”

COMMENTS

819. Maybe she could electrify the Mayor’s and City Council’s chairs if you catch my drift. After all, we can have very cold winters is Wisconsin.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Additionally, Van Sickle said taking over as president also gives her responsibilities beyond representing her own district. “When you make that shift into leadership, your goal becomes to help your councilors, your team, your council achieve the goals that their neighbors sent them to accomplish,” she said.

COMMENTS

BOYZILLA JIM

BRIDEZILLA JENNY

820. Sounds like “Boyzilla Jim” fed “Bridezilla Jenny” one of his famous word salads. But no thanks Jenny. We’ll keep our local Councilors and you stay in your district, wherever that is.

BACK TO THE STORY..

Professionally, Van Sickle works as outreach specialist for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and noted most of the 10 members of the City Council work full-time jobs and have young children. She noted that seven of the 10 are 40 years old or younger.

“This is a very ambitious Council, that is laser focused on efficiencies, innovation, and just a very determined forward facing council,” she said.

Van Sickle was named one of Madison365’s most influential Native American leaders is 2020 and was honored with the inaugural Wisconsin Leadership Community Choice Award for Woman of Excellence in 2019, awarded by vote of Wisconsin residents. That award came just months after she was formally censured for making a social media comment critical of the City Attorney. She said earning the vote of the community meant a lot at that time.

“(The award) really saved me because I had internalized all of the shame and all of the humiliation, all of the comments, the hatred. I internalized it all very, very personally,” she said. “And the Woman of Excellence recognition helped me start to see outside the bubble I was living in, and it changed things for me. And after that, I got obsessive about working really, really hard for the city. And just hoped that one day the hard work would shine through and I would earn trust.”

Van Sickle’s term as president will last one year.

FINAL COMMENT

821. Me, Me, Me,..I, I, I and a bunch of word salads. That’s what I took from this article. “Jenny the Nauseating Narcissist” is interested in one thing and one thing only and that’s her ascension to political power. I personally don’t see it going anywhere. But I still can’t figure this out. All this nonsense for basically nothing. As I said before she makes $7,500.00 a year as a councilor and that is pretty much absorbed by having a second home/apartment. Jenny, what is the end goal here? I’m at a loss. I don’t like the way she portrays herself as a victim because she brought all this on herself. The real victim here is the City of Superior. The whole thing reeks of a politician’s lust for power.

Anyway here is how it went down:

PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Selection of Council President.

MOTION by Councilor Bender, seconded by Councilor Elm and carried, to nominate Councilor Van Sickle as President.

Councilor Van Sickle was elected Council President by roll call vote: Aye – 8 Ledin, Van Sickle, Bender, Sweeney, Elm, Ludwig, Johnson, Graskey

No – 1 Fennessey

Abstain – 1 Herrick

OH, ONE OTHER THING I FOUND

CITY ASSESSOR JOHNSON recommending waiving the bidding requirement and approving an agreement with Associated Appraisal Consultants, Inc. (AAC) for revaluation services for the City of Superior, in the amount of $355,000.00.

MOTION to approve by Councilor Elm, seconded by Councilor Bender, and carried.

The Regular Meeting of the Common Council was called to order by Mayor Jim Paine at 6:31 p.m. in the Government Center, Board Room 201

Meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m.

COMMENTS

822. So in less than one hour (58 minutes to be exact)) on April 19, 2022 Jenny Van Sickle was was voted in as city council president. And guess who seconded the motion? Yep, Tooler Elmo.

And Associated Appraisal Consultants were awarded a contract in the amount of $355,000.00 for the property tax reevaluations. And if that wasn’t bad enough they waived the bidding

requirements. And to make it worse guess who brought up the motion to approve it? Yep, Tooler Elmo.

I’d say that was a lot of damage in a short amount of time and Tooler has been a busy little boy.

823. Next is another great article from our friends at Soupnutz.net.

Anti-NTEC UMD Professor and City Councilor’s Wife Walk Into a Bar… And Endorse Jenny Van Sickle?

March 18, 2025

Ah, endorsements—where political alliances are wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket of “concern for the people.” Let’s take a closer look at this one.

Jackie Ledin, one of the signers, just so happens to be the wife of City Councilor Nick Ledin —a proud card-carrying member of the Rubber Stamp Committee , where the only thing faster than his “yes” vote is the time it takes for him to text the mayor for approval. So, let’s not pretend there’s any objectivity here.

NICK AND JACKIE LEDIN

Then we’ve got Lynn Wohlwend Professor in Writing Studies , an anti-NTEC professor who has been quoted in the exact same articles as Jenny’s husband, Mayor Jim Paine —which, let’s be honest, makes this whole endorsement read more like an inside job than an independent opinion.

Now, about Jenny—sure, she’s passionate. She’ll stay up all night reading and researching, which is great, but let’s hope that research goes beyond her Femininist Justice League on Facebook. She’ll “listen to concerns , call experts, and guide you to the right resources.” That’s nice, but is she calling experts or just the same politically connected crew that wrote this endorsement?

Look, we all want leaders who stand up for what’s right and put residents first, but let’s not act like this isn’t a well-orchestrated nod from the mayor’s inner circle. If you like political dynasties and closed-door deals , this endorsement’s for you. If you want real independence? Might want to look elsewhere.

824. And Soupnutz.net isn’t finished yet. Here is an article from March 26, 2025.

Superior’s Budget Projection Was Only Off By $2.5 Million — So Basically Perfect, According to City Hall.

March 26, 2025

The Budget Is “Balanced”—If You Ignore the Math

Back in 2022, the City of Superior passed a budget with a clear financial vision: by 2025, they projected a lean and reasonable $33.4 million in expenditures.

Fast forward to 2025: the adopted budget now sits at $35.88 million — and that number is still climbing.

By 2029? The city is projecting a $39.2 million budget and a $2 million shortfall to go with it. Which raises an obvious question:

How do you grow a $30 million budget into a $40 million one… in a shrinking city?

"responsible financial planning have all positioned our city for continued success."

Telegram Quote - City Councilor Tylor Elm

Elm & Van Sickle: The Budget Hawks Who Keep Missing

Enter Tylor Elm and Jennifer Van Sickle — two Superior City Council members who love to talk about fiscal responsibility almost as much as they love to miss budget projections by millions.

They were part of the team that adopted that 2022 budget and helped shape the trajectory that got us here. Now, as the budget balloons and deficits loom, they’re doubling down on the claim that this is all part of some master plan.

It’s fiscal leadership, they say. 

It’s forward-thinking, they say. 

It’s math — and we’re supposed to believe it.

Declining City, Rising Budget – Something Doesn’t Add Up

Here’s the kicker: while the city’s budget has grown by more than 30% in just a few years , Superior’s population has declined.

The school district has lost over 1,000 students since 2019 . That’s not just an education statistic — it’s a warning sign about the long-term health of the community.

And yet, the budget keeps growing . More money, fewer people, and now a projected deficit on the horizon. At this rate, we’ll be spending $50 million to manage empty sidewalks and shuttered schools.

Where Did the Money Go? Ask the Buzzwords

So far, no one has offered a detailed explanation of how or why the city overshot its 2025 projections by $2.5 million.

Instead, we get phrases like:

“Budget flexibility”
“Strategic reinvestment”
“Forward-looking fiscal tools”

Which is a fancy way of saying: We blew past our own numbers, but trust us — this is fine.

Elm and Van Sickle continue to promote themselves as the budget adults in the room. But if this is adulting, maybe we need to bring the kids in to fix it.

The 2029 Cliff: Spoiler Alert, It’s a $2 Million Drop

According to the city’s own 2025 adopted budget, things aren’t getting better.

By 2029 , they’re already forecasting a $2 million shortfall , even as they plan to spend $39.2 million that year.

Let’s be clear: you don’t “project” a shortfall unless you know your current spending is unsustainable. And yet, Elm and Van Sickle are pressing ahead, as if fiscal cliffs are just scenic overlooks.

"Van Sickle said they were all achieved while improving the city's financial stability."

Telegram Quote - Jenny Van Sickle "Mayors Wife"

Voters Are Watching — And Doing the Math Themselves

Both Tylor Elm and Jennifer Van Sickle are up for reelection. Their campaign messaging is heavy on financial stewardship, efficient government, and responsible budgeting.

But here’s what voters see:

A $2.5 million increase over 2025 projections
A $2 million deficit on the 2029 horizon
A city that’s shrinking , not growing
And two council members still insisting they’re the fiscally sound option

That’s not a platform — it’s a punchline.

For the Busy, Broke, and Baffled

2022: City projects 2025 budget at $33.4M
2025: Actual budget is $35.88M — and rising
2029: Projected budget is $39.2M with a $2M shortfall
Meanwhile: Population and school enrollment are falling
Elm & Van Sickle: Running on “fiscal responsibility”

Coming Soon: Even More Responsibility, With Fewer Results?

This is the part where most officials would take a step back, reevaluate, maybe even issue a statement of accountability.

Instead, Elm and Van Sickle are asking for two more years. Two more years to grow the budget, shrink the reserves, and hand out another batch of financial forecasts we’ll all regret reading later.

So as you stroll past their campaign signs that say:

“Van Sickle 2025: A Proven Record of Leadership”

“Elm for Council: Trust, Transparency, and Results”

Just remember — some records aren’t worth repeating.

COMMENTS

825. Thanks again to our friends at Soupnutz.net for their fine work. Check out their website for some really great articles, pictures and humor. I only post a handful of their articles here on the Blog but I read everything on their website.

Now let’s switch gears here to some of Craig Sutherland’s recent posts:

Craig Sutherland Feb 28

Councilor Van Sickle seems eager for recognition for the “time and effort” she’s spent, and claiming to have “taken seriously the responsibility” to find a solution for lead line replacement. However, all this “time and effort” has yet to bring forward any assistance to the residents for replacing their lead lines.

It’s quite commendable that she has now “taken seriously the responsibility,” because she didn’t take it seriously when she voted NO for the recent lead line resolution, and when she voted NO for funding lead line replacement funds in the amount of $1.5M in 2024, and $1M in 2023. (receipts in the comments)

Talk is cheap, especially when you are seeking re-election, but that’s all this is…cheap talk.

HERE ARE SOME READERS COMMENTS

1. I mean, God forbid she do anything to endanger her husband's pet broadband project. After her seeming miscalculation of Superior's water rates vs other municipalities, I'm wary of trusting anything she has to say about money.

2. When are the people in her district going to get it. Time she goes.

3. They could take dollars from the Federal money that comes into Superior that seems to be a mess of a hidden budget. The funds are partly used to fully fund the city sidewalk budget and pet park projects among other things. Its over a million dollars annually. A couple of years ago they wanted to build a new laundry for the city owned trailer park for over half a million only to find out it couldn’t be used in that instance. So. They dumped the entire sum into the pubkic works sidewalk fund. PS. The funds are supposed to produce affordable housing units. To date - none ever.

826. Craig Sutherland March 2

Sarah Anderson For 2nd District

March 2

If you see a sign in your neighborhood, feel free to take a picture and tag me - let’s keep the momentum going!

And if we haven't had a chance to chat yet, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm happy to stop by, deliver a sign and learn what's important to you.

827. Craig Sutherland March 12

Superior needs her!

Sarah Anderson For 2nd District

March 11 at 6:08 PM

Tossing the blue signs up! I'll be on the move in district 2 this weekend so you can put a face with that name, toss more signs, and to remind everyone to Vote April 1st !

828. Craig Sutherland March 17

This is a good read.

Sarah Anderson For 2nd District

March 16

**If you believe I am not qualified for running in the race for the Superior City Council, let me tell you more about myself, as the local media has failed to mention much of anything of importance**

My name is Sarah Anderson. I am 48 and have lived in the 2nd District neighborhood since 2007. My husband was born and raised right in East End neighborhood and his family’s small business has been around since the 70’s. I am a mom of 2 kids 15 and 18, who attend the high school; both kids have spent all of their school years in the Superior Public Schools. My family has been extremely involved in the Spartan and Superior community, whether it be through youth sports, other volunteering, or my husband coaching varsity football and lacrosse for the high school.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Professional with St.Louis County PHHS and have been employes there since 2014. I am a clinician in the Children and Family’s Division where I specialize in intensive trauma focused therapy with children who are at risk of out of home placement, who are already in placement, or at risk of being in residential placement due to unsafe behaviors caused by complex trauma that they have endured through situations that they had no control over. Prior to this position, I was an adult mental health social worker, I case managed adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses and/or who are chemically dependent. These individuals are ordered by the court for civil commitment.

Lastly, I was the first Lead Worker in the Initial Intervention Unit of Child Protection. In this position, along with investigating reports of child malteatment, I was responsible for training new and current child protection workers. I was tasked with staying up to date on current DHS ever changing policy and statute, as well as best practice guidelines, trainings in the community, and collaboration with other entities within the division and agency. Along with a partner, we created the new worker onboarding curriculum, which is still used today.

I bet you are asking, how does any of this make a person qualified for the city council? I will be the first to admit I am not your typical candidate. I’m not an accountant, an attorney, insurance agent, or a business owner -I do not even serve on any organizational boards these days! I will tell you why…because I am not any of those! I am a proud mom of kids who attend the Superior Public Schools, a wife of a small business owner that also works for a untility in Superior, I am an active and engaged member of this community, and I am a union member and public employee. I know what it is like having a “board or council” make decisions on my wages, my position, or health care benefits, even though they have never done the job. I am an employee who has spent most of her adult career working in a system and region that continues to put pressure on agencies that continue to have minimal resources- which means I have to be creative, innovative, and not afraid to advocate for others when they can not. I spend my days collaborating with community agencies, problem solving for the next crisis, and meeting people where they’re at, even if it’s not the “norm” for most. Making life changing decisions in real time for others -with others, is a daily occurrence in my work.

So yes - I am not your typical city council candidate, but I will be your favorite one and I will be your hardest working one-I guarantee it. If elected I promise to bring a positive energy back to this city, along with a genuine care and concern for what the residents of this community need and want. We will not always agree and thats okay, but we can always respect each other’s ideas, and maybe even meet in the middle some how. I do not have all the answers or solutions to the unending issues, but I will research, investigate, and dig in and find those that do

829. Craig Sutherland March 20

Secured a big union endorsement, let’s go!

Heartfelt thank you to all the Local Union members for your unwavering support! I am especially grateful for the endorsements from the Northern WI Building and Construction Trades Council, IBEW Local 242, and LiUNA Local 1091. Your trust in my commitment to workers' rights is invaluable.

Let’s commit to uplift one another and build a future where every worker is valued!

830. Craig Sutherland March 22

Randal Wuorinen for the 6th District

With the City Council election coming up on April 1st, I want to remind everyone to get out and vote. Early voting is also available if that’s more convenient.

District 6 needs new leadership. After more than seven years on the council, Councilor Elm has had his opportunity. It’s time for fresh ideas and stronger advocacy for our community. I’m committed to working hard for the people of District 6 and all of Superior.

There’s also a contested race in District 2. Councilor VanSickle has served for a long time, and like in District 6, it’s time for new energy. I support Sarah Anderson—she’s a fresh voice who’s ready to bring real change to Superior. If you live in District 2, please vote for her.

Let’s move Superior forward—starting with your vote on April 1st.

831. Craig Sutherland March 22

I continue to be humbled by the support shown to this one woman show! This morning, (half) District 2 was plastered with my face on the doorsteps. Don't worry if you don’t see one, you did not get forgotten, we ran out - more are on the way!

832. Craig Sutherland March 26

Randal Wuorinen for the 6th District

March 26 at 11:04 AM

The Election is less than a week away!! I've been out pounding the pavement in District 6 passing out flyers. I've met a few people in my journeys so far and they have been very kind!!

833. Craig Sutherland March 26

Soundtronics

March 26 at 3:49 PM

We think it’s time for a change when we first opened, we went to the city council to try to make our store more accessible for certain customers.

We were shot down instantly with no explanation why or no reasoning.

It’s time Superior gets with the times and some of these current counselor’s need to be replaced to make that happen.

834. Craig Sutherland March 27

I can’t believe how short-sighted our approach to manufacturing and growth in the City of Superior is! By restricting these opportunities, we're not just hurting businesses—we're slamming the door on higher wages for families. It’s infuriating to watch families pack up and leave with their kids because there’s no future here.

When we have fewer kids in school, we get less funding, and our education system suffers even more! This vicious cycle needs to end! We need to fight for our community’s growth and prosperity instead of letting Superior wither away.

READERS COMMENTS

1. We don’t need businesses we can just raise the taxes to make up for it democrat way

2. When I moved to eau Claire in 1987, the population was around 50,000 and the Oakwood Mall area was basically the mall and that’s was it..the city was being run by a city manager…in the last 30 years thanks to big box stores and competent leadership with a vision, that town boomed.

3. Yep, it’s sad that the city superior and Douglas County don’t push harder to get more business here we have the ports we have the railroad system. We have a airport. It’s a good area to build a factory, but yet nothing.

4. The worst part is that the powers that be can't see any way but their own. They're allergic to compromise. It's so sad.

5. No jobs, excruciating housing market, no faith in future growth and development, but you'll have fast internet.

6. I have said this since the 90's! I can remember as a kid, the huge Sidewalk Sale on Tower Ave. They closed Tower from Belknap down to Broadway. and it was a huge sale party! I remember there were street vendors, carnival rides, clothes sales ect... That was the biggest week of superior.

I barely remember the fair we had with a huge roller coaster that was torn down I think in 1970 to make the airport bigger and build more project housing. From what I was told, that fair was open all summer and was bigger than Valley Fair.

During the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's Superior was booming.

7. Someone offered to GIVE me (no joke) a business in superior and I refused because I don’t wish to deal with city council.

8. This City has been against any big company or business coming here for years…was quite surprised to see Kwik Trip welcomed. Everyone goes to Duluth to plant their business. All superior is a place for their multiple truck loads of trash…so disheartening….cuz at one point this city was the bomb…

MY COMMENT

845. You can really sense the disappointment and despair after reading these comments. But that what has happened in Superior over the years. And with this current Mayor and council, it has been going downhill at super sonic speed. Jenny Van Sickle and Tylor Elm don’t deserve another day in office. But getting rid of an incumbent can be difficult, but possible. You saw that on Nov. 5th. And if one or both get voted out it will send a message to the Mayor and to the remaining councilors that you’re not interested with “business as usual”. So good luck and “Vote About It”.

I’ll see you on the next Blog.

Brian

blog 90

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:33:08 GMT

ELECTION DAY!!!

JENNY VAN SICKLE

TYLOR ELM 

TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!

SARAH ANDERSON

RANDAL WUORINEN

TUESDAY APRIL 1, 2025

796. Welcome to Blog 90, the election edition. I just want to start by saying that like the Nov. 5, 2024 election, I believe that this is also a consequential election for Superior. I’ll explain as we go along today but I think that it’s fair to say that this current administration under Jim Paine and this City Council has been nothing short of an abysmal failure and poses an imminent threat to this city. Getting rid of Jenny Van Sickle and Tylor Elm would not only be good for Superior but would send a loud message to Mayor Paine that the taxpayers are fed up with this kind of pathetic leadership that we have experienced since 2017 and maybe it’s time for him to start thinking about a new career.

So let’s start with our friends at Soupnutz.com for their excellent take on both incumbents starting with Jenny Van Sickle.

District 2 Showdown: Who Will Win, Jenny Van Sickle or Sarah Anderson?

March 17, 2025

Brace yourselves, Superior! A political showdown is brewing in the 2nd District , and for once, it’s not just about potholes and parking complaints.

Councilor Jenny Van Sickle , who has held the seat since 2017 , now faces a challenger: Sarah Anderson , a mental health professional who—**important distinction—**is not married to Mayor Jim Paine . (We repeat: Not. Married. To . The. Mayor. )

Anderson lives in District 2 with her actual husband and children, while Van Sickle, also a District 2 resident, is married to Mayor Paine , who does not live in District 2 but instead lives in the 7th District , where Councilor Ruth Ludwig lives, but they aren’t married either . (Still following? Good. There will be a quiz later.)

Meanwhile, Van Sickle chairs the Public Works Committee, which means she gets a front-row seat to the crater-filled obstacle course we call streets—while doing absolutely nothing about it. She also oversees the department that graciously lets you pay to blacktop your own city alley . But don’t worry, she’ll happily remind you that the Osaugie Trail is freshly blacktopped —because clearly, that’s what needed fixing first.

Both candidates have shared their thoughts on the upcoming election. Stay tuned as this race heats up—because in Superior politics , nothing is ever as simple as it seems their stance on topics such as the replacement of lead water pipes , private utilities, housing and childcare.

Watch the Video at kqds 21

https://www.fox21online.com/2025/02/18/hear-from-candidates-in-the-race-for-superiors-2nd-district/

COMMENTS

QUESTION

797. Who do you think has the most annoying marriage? Jim and Jenny Paine or Alec and Hilaria Baldwin? You decide, but I’m going with Jim and Jenny. Why? Because Alec and Hilaria can be rather annoying at times but they do make me laugh. The other two just annoy me and aren’t funny.

MORE COMMENTS

798. I’m confused. I gave this a lot of thought and I just don’t understand why Jenny Van Sickle is a councilor. First off, from a common sense perspective no matter who the Mayor is, the spouse, girlfriend, partner etc. should not be allowed to be a city councilor. In fact the council at that time tried to do that. Here is the article:

June 30, 2019

Superior Council considers overriding mayor's veto

Mayor's veto of Councilor Jenny Van Sickle's censure comes up for a vote Tuesday, July 2.

Superior’s City Council is slated to consider overriding Mayor Jim Paine’s first veto since taking office in 2017. Seven councilors would have to vote in favor of the override to censure Councilor Jenny Van Sickle. Councilors split 6-4 in favor of the censure Councilor Craig Sutherland presented to members June 18. The censure was in response to a tweet Van Sickle posted June 13 concerning a legal opinion rendered by City Attorney Frog Prell.

Councilors Brent Fennessey, Craig Sutherland, Keith Kern, Esther Dalbec Dan Olson and Jack Sweeney voted in favor of the censure and would have to convince Councilors Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Warren Bender or Van Sickle to change their minds about the censure to override the mayor’s veto.

Censure is a means of discipline for members of a legislative body to express disapproval of someone or something in a formal statement. Immediately following the June 18 vote, Paine announced he would veto the measure because it punished political speech and would not foster an environment of free debate necessary to represent the residents of the city.

Paine said he is in a relationship with Van Sickle, and he checked carefully in advance of the censure vote to ensure there would be no conflict of interest in vetoing the measure because of that relationship. Under Wisconsin law, a conflict of interest is defined as using a public office to for economic benefit such as financial gains or something of substantial value.

“Obviously, I understand there’s a perception there,” Paine said. “But the other thing that comes into it is ‘can people in relationships even serve on the same body or should they?’” However, he said nothing prohibits people involved in a relationship from serving on the same body. In fact, Fennessey joined the Council when his father, former Councilor Tom Fennessey, was still serving, and Kern and Sutherland have been friends since childhood.

“Now, if they had censured her for some other behavior — other than political speech — say if she had broken the law or behaved very inappropriately toward a private citizen, for example, that would have been perfectly within order for censure, I believe,” Paine said. “I didn’t approve of her censure of Sutherland either, and if that would have passed, I would have vetoed that too.”

Van Sickle submitted a resolution to censure Sutherland at the June 18 meeting, but she withdrew it that night before it was considered by the Council. The Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, in Room 201 of the Government Center, 1316 N. 14th St.

COMMENT

Thanks for asking, this is what happened. Here in article from July 2, 2019:

Superior City Council Overrides Mayor’s Veto, Censures Councilor

Questions Raised Over Conflicts Of Interest, Proper Procedure

By Danielle Kaeding

July 3, 2019

Superior city councilors including Jenny Van Sickle, far left.

The Superior City Council overturned the mayor’s veto of a vote to censure one of its members on Tuesday night following questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Councilors had voted to censure Councilor Jenny Van Sickle at its last meeting for critical comments she made on social media about the quality of the city attorney’s work. Superior Mayor Jim Paine vetoed that censure. But, councilors overturned the veto in an 8 to 2 vote on Tuesday.

The mayor’s veto led to questions over a potential conflict of interest since Paine is in a relationship with Van Sickle.

After the meeting, Van Sickle said she hasn’t done anything illegal or unethical and she’s not concerned about any appearance of impropriety.

“In these chambers, I’m a councilor. I’m qualified. I was elected and re-elected on merit, and I’m proud that I have the guts to stand up to city attorneys that are making well over $100,000 to prosecute our citizens on their parking tickets,” she said.

During the meeting, Van Sickle said she was “not particularly proud” of the hurt she had caused through her remarks about the city’s attorney, stating previously that he has a “reputation of repugnant incompetence.” The city’s attorney, Frog Prell, filed a notice of claim last week alleging that Van Sickle’s remarks rise to the level of libel and slander.

Following the meeting, Paine said people will make up their own minds about his relationship with Van Sickle.

“The fact is all kinds of relationships occur in government, especially local government all the time,” he said. “It really is just up to the voters to decide if that’s inappropriate.”

The city council’s president, Brent Fennessey, said after the meeting the only thing that bothers him about it is the imbalance of power that it could potentially create.

“The whole system is set up so no one city councilor has too much power and the mayor doesn’t have too much power,” said Fennessey. “But, when the mayor and a city councilor are involved in a relationship together, that skews the whole balance of power.”

He said relationships between friends or family members who have served on the council don’t hold the same significance. Philip Freeburg, local government law educator with the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Local Government Center, said the state code of ethics for local government officials talks about conflicts that create financial gain. He said it also addresses conflicts that create a benefit for officials, their immediate family or an organization they’re associated with. “It doesn’t say anything regarding friends or other relationships, romantic or otherwise,” said Freeburg.

Freeburg said local ordinances may be more broad. Superior’s code of ethics says no officer or employee may use a public position to influence or gain unlawful benefits, advantages or privileges for the official or others.

Councilors Override Veto

TOOLER ELMO

Councilor Tylor Elm was one of two council members that changed his vote to override the veto on Tuesday. Elm said it appeared the veto didn’t follow proper procedure, according to the Wisconsin League of Muncipalities handbook for municipal officials. The city council’s president shared similar views prior to the vote.

“The veto is to be used for legislative purposes or acts. Because of that, that was my reason because my votes that I’ve done have always been in the purpose of following the law,” said Elm, noting the veto didn’t appear to be a legislative act. The city’s mayor disputed that argument, noting the censure was brought forward as a resolution.

“All resolutions are legislative. It’s a statement of what the council believes and that’s perfectly with in the scope of a veto,” he said.

Regardless, the mayor called the override one more symbol of, “just a bunch of nonsense” in recent weeks. He said the council hasn’t been able to focus on the real challenges facing the community, such as housing and infrastructure.

The public and councilors expressed disappointment in the actions of the council and its members during the meeting. Yet, Councilor Craig Sutherland said during discussion that city employees have been impacted by negative remarks, adding they also pose a challenge for attracting new staff.

“Let’s get back to where we were. Let’s treat each other with respect and move on,” said Sutherland. Van Sickle said people in Superior are disappointed in the council leadership’s inability to move the city forward. “And continue to belabor something that people were absolutely tired of talking about,” she said. “I regret nothing.”

She called the censure and veto override a stunning example of hypocrisy, noting the actions of other councilors have not been called into question. She said there’s a, “good old boy” mentality that persists in local government.

Despite a contentious few weeks, the council’s president said the body often works together to address a broad variety of issues.

“We have to move forward collectively as a body,” said Fennessey.

COMMENTS

799. They aren’t done yet. Another article on Jan,. 13. 2021. Month 19 into this mess:

Superior Councilor Raises Ethical Concerns Over Marriage of Mayor Paine, Councilor Van Sickle

In a letter to City Attorney Frog Prell, Sutherland worried votes by Van Sickle could inappropriately benefit Mayor Paine.

January 13, 2021

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Superior City Councilor Craig Sutherland is raising conflict-of-interest concerns with the City Attorney’s office over the recent marriage between Mayor Jim Paine and Councilor Jenny Van Sickle.

“I strongly believe we need some guidance on what to do moving forward,” Councilor Sutherland said. In a letter to City Attorney Frog Prell, Sutherland worried votes by Van Sickle could inappropriately benefit Mayor Paine.

“There are conflicts of interest with immediate family members I’m concerned of where one can financially gain not only within their salary but within their health insurance package that the city offers,” said Sutherland. “I feel these lines are very blurred.”

While he wants guidance from Attorney Prell, in this situation Sutherland believes Van Sickle, “she should be recusing herself from discussions and votes moving forward.”

a) the first sentence reads “No local public official may use his or her public position or office to obtain financial gain or anything of substantial value for the private benefit of himself or his or her immediate family.”

But Paine and Van Sickle say, that’s untrue.

“The state statute is very clear that there is no conflict of interest here,” said Mayor Jim Paine. “In fact, relationships in Government are very common throughout the state.”

According to Paine, the Mayor’s salary and benefits will never be effected by Van Sickle. “Councilor Sutherland did not tell the truth in his complaint.”

QUICK COMMENT

800. If anybody knows about not telling the truth it’s Jim Paine.

BACK TO THE STORY...

“My salary is not approved through the general fund budget. The council does not have the power to change my salary at all so a conflict can’t exist — that’s state law,” he said. “Furthermore even my benefits are a completely separate process.”

Still, Paine feels Van Sickle can and will recuse herself whenever an issue warrants.

“We are both gonna have conflicts from time to time and she in fact has recused herself from conflicting votes in the past. She’s demonstrated a very high degree of ethics when it comes to making sure she represents her constituents,” said the Mayor.

COMMENTS

801. Jimmy seems to understand all the laws and procedures about his pay. Can’t say the same about his knowledge concerning property taxes. Just sayin’.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Constituents, according to Councilor Sutherland, are at the heart of the issue.

He said he has heard questions from some of his own, hence his letter to Prell. “I feel like when we lose the trust in our constituents, we completely degrade the integrity of our organization.”

Paine on the other hand, said he has yet to hear of any. “Many of my friends, family and constituents have reached out to issue congratulations. None have issued concerns about a conflict of interest. Councilor Sutherland said that to me but I don’t believe he’s telling the truth.”

COMMENTS

802. It’s really rich when the habitual liar Jim Paine accuses Craig Sutherland of lying twice in one article.

BACK TO THE STORY…

Meanwhile, Councilor Van Sickle released a statement to FOX 21 which reads in part:

My number one focus is now what it always has been: providing the highest level of service and representation to East End, Allouez and Itasca. The results speak for themselves. It is no Councilors job to subjugate, undermine, or regulate any other member of the body. I am a professional and take my job seriously. This baseless complaint lacks a fundamental understanding of municipal operations. More of the same from this guy, he has entirely too much time on his hands.

“It’s pretty low to attack a person’s family and personal life even for Councilor Sutherland but quite frankly we’ve gotten used to this kind of behavior from him,” Paine said.

But Sutherland said it’s not an attack on either of their characters.

“I don’t want this to be personal at all I would like to add that,” he said. “If there is a ruling that says they can do this I’m completely fine with that.”

FOX 21 reached out to all the other Superior City Councilors to get their take on this. Of the ones that responded:

Councilor Jack Sweeney said he doesn’t give comment to the media

COMMENTS

803. Then why the f*ck are you a councilor?

Councilor Ruth Ludwig sees no conflict of interest

COMMENT

Ruth “Cymbals and Drums” Ludwig is a rubber stamp for Paine and a useless councilor.

Councilor Warren Bender said while a conflict of interest could happen, h e fully expects Van Sickle to recuse herself when it does

COMMENT

Hey Warren. What happens when you ASSUME?

Councilor Brent Fennessey said he has heard some of his constituents raise questions about the issue, but is holding back on an opinion to see what the City Attorney has to say.

COMMENT

Shuck and Jive, Shuck and Jive, Shuck and Jive.

Meanwhile, City Attorney Frog Prell said he needs more time to fully review the letter of concern from Councilor Sutherland before providing any comment.

COMMENT

Ignore, Stall and Delay, Ignore, Stall and Delay, Ignore, Stall and Delay, It’s the Prell way!

Now for the next article, Jan 19, 2021:

Superior mayor, councilor marry despite politics

January 19, 2021

A local government attorney said family members serving together is not unusual, but could pose challenges.

Councilor Jenny Van Sickle and Mayor Jim Paine, who met because of their shared interest in local government and community service, married in October but haven't merged their households yet.

Politics weren't even a consideration when Mayor Jim Paine and Councilor Jenny Van Sickle decided to get married Oct. 17, 2020.

For two political wonks with an interest in serving the community, they were a match, and it was the natural progression of their relationship.

“I am a councilor some of the time, but I have a whole life,” Van Sickle said. “We would never let politics be the reason we chose not to or put it off,” Paine said. “When you’re ready to be in a family, you’re ready to be in a family.”

Before they got married, however, Paine said they looked into what possible implications there might be, and they didn’t have to look very far to see that it’s not uncommon for families to serve together.

'Not that unusual' for family members to serve together"

Philip Freeburg, an attorney who teaches local government law at the University of Wisconsin-Extension Local Government Center, said the issue comes up frequently with school boards. In fact, as an attorney, Freeburg represented a city where the mayor was the father of one of the alderpersons.

“So this issue, not that unusual,” he said.

The nature of the family relationship, particularly where spouses are concerned, can pose challenges under Wisconsin’s ethics law and Robert’s Rules of Order, Freeburg said. Paine said he doesn't believe the marriage could be considered a conflict of interest.

“It really doesn’t even come close to meeting a conflict of interest,” Paine said. “The fact is that you need two interests to have a conflict, so a conflict of interest between your public duties and a private interest. So if her or I had a conflict say with a private contract or awarding money to her employer or something like that, or a family member of mine, if one of us had to recuse yourself, we would both have to recuse ourselves.”

Van Sickle has recused herself when matters involving Northwest Community Services Agency have come up on the agenda because she works for the organization, and the mayor has recused himself a couple of times when businessman Fred Paine, his uncle, had matters before the plan commission and city council.

“It’s fairly rare,” Paine said.

Freeburg confirmed that a conflict for one is now a conflict for both under Wisconsin’s ethics code, but he said there are degrees of conflict when it comes to issues like dealing with the city budget.

Councilor Craig Sutherland has asked the city attorney, Frog Prell, to look into whether Van Sickle should recuse herself when it comes to voting on the city budget because they contain her husband's salary and benefits, things that could directly impact her.

"I just want to make sure we're not setting ourselves up for something down the road, because there are state statutes and it's very gray to me," Sutherland said.

Prell said he hadn't had a chance to begin researching the issue after receiving the request from Sutherland last week; he declined to comment further because of the complexity of the issue.

In circumstances where compensation is being considered, Freeburg said a family member would be disqualified from taking action, but an ethics opinion concerning a school board determined that it is permissible to act on a budget when compensation is just one small part of the budget. The opinion was originally rendered by the Wisconsin Ethics Board and reaffirmed by the Wisconsin Ethics Commission in 1997.

“You’re just clerically filling in what the ordinance provides,” Freeburg said. “Normally, the council wouldn’t be voting on the mayor’s salary because they can’t raise or lower it during his term.”

In Superior, the mayor’s salary is established by city ordinance and state law prohibits local elected leaders from changing salaries during an existing term.

Robert's Rules, residency could pose challenges

The issue that could be a challenge isn’t a legal matter, but a matter that relates to how meetings are conducted, Freeburg said. Under Robert’s Rules of Order, the guide the city uses to conduct orderly meetings, it's required that all members of the body are treated equally.

“If I was that mayor, and I had three alderpersons that were seeking recognition at the same time, I would probably call on my spouse last,” Freeburg said.

Paine said he believes he called Van Sickle "out of order" two meetings ago after she interrupted another councilor who had the floor.

Van Sickle noticed a lack of favoritism after the rebuke during a recent debate on a special-use permit for Superior Water, Light & Power.

“I don’t get any special treatment, and I have to work really hard for the people I represent,” Van Sickle said.

Another issue the couple will have to face at some time is residency. Van Sickle, who represents the city's 2nd District, said she still lives in Allouez, despite the mayor owning a home near Hammond Park and the university.

When they do combine their homes, Paine said it would likely involve each of them moving from the places where they live now.

Until then, they're making it work, Van Sickle said.

“We have separate houses; we have separate finances; we have separate jobs — just a lot of shared goals," she said. "I don’t know that we’ll be able to combine our houses anytime soon, but for now, this works for us.”

COMMENTS

804. I think this might be the worst article of them all. If there was a prize for world’s largest word salad, Jim and Jenny Paine might have just won it. They sound like the most annoying couple on earth as well.

So that’s it right? Wrong. Another article Feb 2, 2021. We are now 19 months into this. Here it is:

Superior Council Wants State’s Ethical Opinion Involving Mayor Paine’s Marriage To Councilor

February 2, 2021

KQDS STAFF

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior City Councilor Craig Sutherland proposed a formal request through the council Tuesday night to have City Attorney Frog Prell seek an advisory opinion from the Wisconsin Ethics Commission involving possible ethical concerns around Mayor Jim Paine’s recent marriage to 2nd District Councilor Jenny Van Sickle.

Mayor Paine did not want a discussion on the topic at the council meeting while saying Attorney Prell is already doing his job on the issue to form his own legal opinion in the near future.

“Councilor Van Sickle and I have been completely public and transparent about the fact that we are married, that we have a relationship, and we acknowledge that there are conflicts. Both of us have recused ourselves numerous times when conflicts come up,” Paine said.

Councilor Van Sickle was offended by Sutherland’s formal request saying she’s doing everything ethically possible with city business and votes.

COMMENTS

Now who’s not telling the truth Jimmy and Jenny?

BACK TO THE STORY...

“Nobody needs to try to micromanage the Second District council seat. There is no sinister mystery to solve here. I’ve worked closely with the Ethics Commission for months and I take my responsibilities seriously,” Van Sickle said.

Councilors Sutherland and Brent Fennessey were vocal in the council meeting to say they wanted a formal vote to make sure the city attorney does finish his legal opinion on the relationship by requesting legal opinion from the Ethics Commission.

In the end, the council approved the formal request on the agenda.

COMMENTS

805. This is why I hate government. We are 19 months into this mess. In my world, the business world, it would have taken me 30 minutes, one hour tops and the problem would have been solved. But here we are. The next article is Feb 4, 2021:

Superior council seeks ethics opinion concerning mayor and councilor's marriage

The city ethics code allows any official who has doubts about any of the provisions in the code to apply to the common council for an advisory opinion.

February 04, 2021

An obscure paragraph in the Superior’s 1971 ethics code prompted a sometimes heated, 50-minute debate Tuesday, Feb. 2, by the Superior City Council.

At issue was whether the council would support obtaining an opinion from the Wisconsin Ethics Commission after Councilor Jenny Van Sickle married Mayor Jim Paine in October 2020. The council unanimously approved the request.

Councilor Craig Sutherland asked City Attorney Frog Prell if Van Sickle could vote on city budgets going forward because they would contain her husband’s salary and benefits. By state law, public officials can’t act in an official capacity on measures that would benefit the private interest of officials or their families.

The city ethics code allows any official who has doubts about any of the provisions in the code to apply to the common council for an advisory opinion. Sutherland said he requested the opinion based on that guidance.

“I want to make one thing clear here,” Sutherland said. “I am not bringing this up to drag anyone’s name down. I was advised to go on the council agenda because of the ordinance … I’m abiding by our own ordinance.”

Paine said he hoped to end the debate before it began by asking councilors to allow Prell to finish work on the opinion. Prell doesn't need the council's permission to confer with the WEC on it.

“It isn’t in anybody’s interest to stop him from working on that opinion, so this should be dispensed with fairly easily,” Paine said. “Does anyone object to the attorney continuing his work on the opinion related to Councilor Sutherland’s letter?”

Councilor Brent Fennessey objected. He accused the mayor of leading the discussion astray, because Sutherland’s request was for an opinion from the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, not the city attorney.

After a motion was made by Councilor Jack Sweeney and seconded by Fennessey to approve the request to the WEC, Paine relinquished his role as meeting chair and asked council president Ruth Ludwig to step in so he could participate in the debate.

Typically, if a councilor believes they might have a conflict of interest, they would privately seek advice on the matter, Paine said. Van Sickle agreed.

“I have to say that I am so touched by Councilor Sutherland’s repeated concern on my behalf,” Van Sickle said. “But to insinuate that I do not have the authority or integrity to request my own opinion of the ethics and talk about me like I’m a second-class elected representative is offensive.”

Councilor Esther Dalbec asked why Paine was fighting the council on the measure. “If we want to have an opinion one way or the other, get it out in the open — whether they say it’s right or it’s wrong — let us get that opinion. Why are you fighting us on this?" she asked.

“Councilor Dalbec, I don’t have to fight you,” Paine said. “I recommended the council approve this unanimously at the beginning.”

Prell and Paine both said they were skeptical the commission would issue a new opinion because the matter has been addressed before.

Van Sickle provided the council with WEC opinions issued in 1997 and 2005. In both instances, the commission determined public board members could not act during discussion, negotiations or votes to set salaries or benefits, but could act on broader policy issues and vote on budgets when a board member’s family member is an employee of the entity they serve.

The mayor’s salary is set by an ordinance that hasn’t changed since 2006. Prell doesn't have experience working with the WEC, but he said he was certain the process would require him to do the legal research and analysis if the commission rendered an opinion.

“I’ve written a lot so far, and I’ve got to be honest with you,” Prell said. “It’s not a lightning rod. It’s not all that interesting. It’s grounded primarily in common sense with a smattering of ethics code, Robert’s Rules and case law.” Still, councilors wanted the matter resolved. They voted unanimously to approve the request, first by voice vote, then by roll call.

COMMENTS

806. Can you believe this? We have passed the Theater of the Absurd into another galaxy but fear not, we have another article March 17,2021. Now 20 months and counting:

Ethics Commission: Mayor Paine’s Marriage to Councilor Could Cause Conflicts

March 17, 2021

SUPERIOR, Wis.– The Wisconsin Ethics Commission has completed its opinion about conflict of interest concerns involving the marriage between Superior Mayor Jim Paine and City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle.

The commission believes there are conflicts of interest that could pop up particularly when Councilor Van Sickle might act on matters of substantial value or financial gain for Mayor Paine, including his salary or benefits like health insurance.

The request for the ethics commission’s review was launched by Councilor Craig Sutherland, who wrote a letter to the city attorney’s office , raising transparency concerns about the relationship.

It was followed up by a unanimous vote by councilors on a resolution seeking an opinion from the Wisconsin Ethics Commission.

“We have a nice template or road map to understand what we have to be on the lookout for. And I expect Councilor Van Sickle and the mayor and everyone involved to engage and anticipate these issues,” said Superior City Attorney Frog Prell.

The commission believes councilor Van Sickle should avoid participating in decision making when conflicts arise, like a salary increase for the mayor.

Mayor Paine and Councilor Van Sickle have said this topic is a non-issue and that they hold high ethical standards on themselves when it comes to city business and voting.

COMMENTS

807. Listening to those two, the nauseating Paines is truly sickening. Running around talking about high ethical standards and the like is a form of torture that should be a crime. Could you imagine hanging out with these two at dinner, a club or a concert? You would be asking yourself what you did wrong in a previous life to deserve that. Seriously. Have you mt two more unlikable people in your life? God Almighty. They are unbearable aren’t they?

CONCLUSIONS AND CONFUSION

808. There is a reason the words Paine and Migraine rhyme. I’ll start with conclusions. I believe that Jenny Van Sickle is a selfish and narcissistic opportunist who only cares about her political ambitions. But I’m confused. Something here just doesn’t make sense to me.

First off, how come the city doesn’t have a nice simple rule that states that spouses cannot serve together as Mayor and/or City Councilors? Does that sound complicated? Why would we need the state involved in something so simple and straightforward? Instead we went on a two year roller coaster ride with the sickening political bloodthirsty Paines.

But something is really bugging me. I’ll explain. A city councilor makes $7,500.00 a year. A nice little chunk of change but not life changing. It’s about the same amount that a Las Vegas crossing guard working two hours a day during the school year or a kid makes during the summer with a lemonade stand.

809. Mayor Paine who is a politician of financial necessity. My point is I don’t think the city Councilors are, or at least I hope not. How much do you think Jim Paine would make in the real world? 30G’S, 40G’s, maybe 50 on a really good day? And while he keeps running businesses out of the city and screwing you on your taxes, no worries, he’s making around $100,000.00 and you’re paying it. Sorry. But back to Jenny.

Apparently the deal to enable dear Jennifer to stay on council was they had to live in different homes or apartments. What? Who thought this up? Politicians, that’s who. And who be stupid enough to go along with it? The Paines of course. You really have to be at the top of the “Political Animal” list to accept a deal like this. I wonder what would happen if Jimmy was the manager of a Super One making good bucks and Jenny worked there part time making $7,500.00 a year and they fell in love and got married and Super One gave them the same ultimatum, if within a couple of days Jenny would be working at Walmart.

This is crazy. I have known thousands of people over my lifetime and I have never met any that live in separate homes in the same city. Have you? This is just to weird. Let’s put politics aside for a minute.

810. The cost to run a second home, mortgage/rent, utilities, property taxes, cable etc. would likely exceed $7,500.00 a year. That means that her keeping this council job is actually costing the Paines money. So she’s actually paying money to keep that job. Who does that and why? And most importantly it’s a marriage. Don’t you want to spend your time with your spouse? Isn’t that why you got married in the first place? And how do you explain this to your family and friends? I can’t figure this out. What am I missing? Again, It’s just too weird.

BACK TO POLITICS

JENNY FROM WHAT BLOCK?

810. Part of being a good politician is being able to “read the room”. She is not a good politician nor can she “read the room”. It’s been a few years and people on social media still post stuff like “people in her district haven’t seen her in months” or “she doesn’t even live there”. My questions are:

Does this rule still exist?
If so how is it monitored?
Who thought this a good idea in the first place?
Is she Jenny from the District 2 block or Jenny from the District 7 block?

811. The biggest loser in all of this though is Jim Paine with the residents of Superior placing a close second. Paine has been criticized, mocked, ridiculed and has many residents angry and shamed with this whole situation and how he handled it. Do you think that any CEO from any large company looking to build something in Superior during the time all this stuff was going on would want to sit down with this Mayor?

812. The minute you, Jenny, decided to get married you should have done the noble thing, the right thing and resigned. Optics mean everything and the optics of this whole thing sucks. It sucked then and it sucks now. After all your husband is the Mayor. Why drag him and yourself through all the bad publicity, ridicule and shame? Was it all worth it? What did you get out of it? You could have quit your council job and got on with your life in a much more peaceful way. And for what, $7,500.00 a year?

Paine didn’t need your vote. He still has 7 reasonably safe votes and chances are the person who would have replaced you at the time would have been another solid vote. And that’s why I call you selfish. You brought a lot of hurt to a lot of people for your own selfish reasons and left a big stain on the reputation of the city. I still don’t understand. What am I missing?

Here is post from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook March 14th:

Craig Sutherland

March 14

You have to watch this news clip regarding the race for the 2nd District. My favorite part is they highlight Jenny Van Sickle’s signature project, “the installation of water safety signs at Loons Foot.” After eight years in office, putting up a sign is her most significant achievement?

My second favorite part is “she is currently working on a proposal to turn the old Lake Superior Elementary in the Itasca neighborhood, into housing.” P&R Properties acquired the building in October 2024, and the council finalized everything two months ago! So if she is re-elected, she plans to advance a proposal for a project that is already a done deal?

This is laughable and gross at the same time

Vote Sarah Anderson, it’s clear that she is capable of achieving more than just getting a water safety sign installed over an eight-year span.

COMMENTS

812. Here are a few readers comments from his post.

And, she doesn’t like accountability when it comes to expenses, especially for Superior Days. Talked about me when I questioned her on a $15 dollar coffee item! Hate to see what goes on at City Hall now!
Even if Sarah Anderson For 2nd District isn't constructive on the board, at least she won't hinder Superior's progress with a sledgehammer of baseless "no" votes. I say we give her a shot. It's time to fire Weed Van Sickle Kiks.ádi Paine
She's a piece of work for sure. Time for her and her old man to say bye-bye.

AND HERE IS MY FAVORITE

4. Some things I've witnessed she's accomplished so far:

City Employee mental health and moral at an all time low (at least for the ones I know).
Has extended approving MUCH needed projects or purchases at the committee level for months, if moving it forward even at all.
Has promoted AND pushed cutting employee positions that have come up to rehire, without actually publicly voting on it. (Tabeling indefinitely and removing from budget).
Has *with her husbands help, forced at least 5 department heads into early retirement or resignation.
Created huge divides in City/resident communications and collaborations

UPDATE FROM THE BLOG

I guess you can make that 6 department heads because Paine fired Terry Johnson, the assessor since that was posted.

Here is a link to the story Craig is talking about:

https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2025/03/12/incumbent-councilor-jenny-van-sickle-sarah-anderson-run-superiors-second-district-seat/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJQC5hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUDFjqnoD_NvCcJkVjF6-lU0ZET-4HVTaJMZA_jJRL0LcN2iZu8721Bgtg_aem_jAZd1uUcMNDdcmrqV7Kf-g

TOOL TIME WITH TOOLER ELMO

813. On Blog 88 I wrote a long story on Tylor “Tech Tool’’ Elm you might want to revisit and today we will add some updates. Again I’d like to show you another great article from our friends at Soupnutz.net. Here it is:

March 18,2025

District 6 Showdown : Tylor Elm Faces First Real Election.

Will Superior’s Biggest Bobblehead Finally Get Shaken?

For years, Tylor Elm has coasted through city politics like a wind-up toy in Mayor Jim Paine’s office—nodding on command, rubber-stamping every pet project, and earning the prestigious title of “Work Wife of the Year.” But now, in a shocking twist, the 6th District finally has a challenger.

Enter: Randal Wuorinen, The Guy Who’s Not Afraid to Think for Himself

Randal Wuorinen isn’t part of Jim’s entourage , doesn’t exist to prop up bad ideas, and—get this—actually has a plan for fiscal responsibility, mental health support, and city accountability . In other words, he’s everything Elm isn’t .

NOT A WORK WIFE

Wuorinen is a longtime Superior resident, a father, a coach, and someone who actually cares about what the city is doing with your money. His platform focuses on real issues like:

Mental health and addiction resources (something the city loves to talk about but never actually funds properly).
Transparency in the budget (because throwing money at “projects” with no oversight isn’t leadership).
Holding City Hall accountable (meaning Paine & Elm would actually have to answer for their spending habits).

Elm’s Track Record: A Yes-Man for Jim Paine’s Spending Spree

Let’s take a look at what Elm has actually done on the council:

Helped Jim Paine spend millions on a city-run broadband scheme that wasn’t even properly voted on.
Let city streets crumble while bragging about bike trails and walking paths that got a fresh coat of paint.
Waited for tax hikes after being given a 2019 report warning the city needed to adjust it’s assesments before it happened.

Elm isn’t a leader— he’s an enabler . If Jim Paine wants something done, Tylor is there to make it happen, no questions asked. When the mayor wanted to hide the real cost of the broadband project? Elm was right there , backing him up. When taxes mysteriously increased despite “no planned hikes”? Elm had no real answers —just the usual excuses.

For Once, Elm Has to Work for Your Vote

The real difference in this election? Voters in District 6 finally have an actual choice .

For years , Elm has never had to defend his record —because he’s never had an opponent . Now, for the first time, he’s running against someone who won’t just play along with Jim Paine’s reckless spending.

Wuorinen brings fresh ideas, a clear vision, and a refusal to be anyone’s political sidekick . Elm, on the other hand, has a long history of saying “Yes, Mayor” and helping Paine push through whatever plan he comes up with next —regardless of the cost.

So, District 6 , the choice is yours:

A candidate who will work for you—or one whose just Mayor Jim’s work wife.

COMMENTS

TOOLER ELMO

813. If I served on council and the Mayor wanted to shut down one of my constituents businesses the first thing I would do is thoroughly investigate the story and then I would set up a meeting with him to get his side of it. Tooler did not do any of this. Instead he was aligned with the Mayor, and the backstabbing, totally unhinged baker Melissa Hyatt on those infamous texts. And I never knew about any of this until I started the Blog in 2023. Tooler Elmo should have no place on city council. Like the show says, “Sorry Tylor ,You’re just a tool.”

THE WRAP

814. I want to wrap up today’s Blog with two more topical and excellent articles from Soupnutz.net. At this rate we are going to have to change the name of the Blog. Here is article # 1:

Elm and Van Sickle Helped Blow $43 Million—Fiscal Responsibility or Just Thelma & Louise with a City Budget?

March 24,2025

Hey Superior! Tired of budget bologna and council drama thicker than clam chowder? Then belly up to Soupnutz — where our bowls are full, but our budgets are balanced.

While Van Sickle and Elm are out here starring in their own Errol Morris documentary in the Telegram, softly whispering sweet nonsense about “financial stability” while lighting $43 million in ARPA and Enbridge Oil Money on fire like it’s a candlelit dinner for bureaucrats…

We at Soupnutz believe in keeping it simple, steamy, and hot ! — just like a good cup of tomato bisque.

If these two get reelected this April, they’ll have outlasted George Washington’s presidency —without planting a single cherry tree or cutting taxes. But hey, at least George didn’t leave us with a $2 million deficit after blowing through $43 Million in bonus cash.

Act I: A Tale of Two Politicians Who Should’ve Known Better

Van Sickle strutted onto the scene in 2017, Elm joined shortly after, and together they’ve been on a seven-year spending spree that would make a Kardashian blush. They’ve been holding office since Obama left the White House , and instead of change we can believe in, we got budget holes and survey monkey democracy.

They talk about “progress,” but let’s talk about the receipts.

Act II: The $43 Million Magic Trick (aka Financial Arson in Plain Sight)

Let’s break down their greatest hits:

$18 million in ARPA funds : Meant to help recover from the pandemic. Used for ribbon-cutting ceremonies and projects that look good in election mailers.
$25 million in Enbridge oil money : A fossil fuel cash so massive it could’ve paved the streets in gold. Instead, it was burned through like kindling.

Total: $43 million.

Gone. Vaporized. The fiscal equivalent of disappearing a pizza in a college dorm room.

And what do residents get?

No lead pipe replacement.
Tax Hikes.
But hey, we got a trail,dock, and some life jackets. Yay nature.

Act III: Budgeting with Kool-Aid and Clickbait

Now, with another $50 million on the table, you’d think the people would get a vote , right? A good old-fashioned referendum ?

Nope.

Van Sickle and Elm want to run your city by online poll . That’s right. The future of Superior’s infrastructure could be decided with the same level of legitimacy as “Which Saved by the Bell character are you?”

Because apparently, democracy is too much trouble—especially when it might get in the way of rubber-stamping the mayor’s next pet project.

Act IV: Meet the Opposition—People Who Actually Ask Questions

In District 2, Sarah Anderson dares to ask, “What if we fixed the damn pipes before funding more fantasy fiber?”

And in District 6, Randal Wuorinen wants to know where the money went before handing out another blank check. Radical stuff, we know.

They’re not tied, or married to the mayor. 

They’re not playing patty-cake with budgets. 

They just think maybe, just maybe , people should know how their money’s being spent.

The Legacy of Van Sickle & Elm: Long Tenure, Short Results

If reelected, these two will have outlasted George Washington himself . But instead of building a republic, they’ve helped drain the treasury and paved the way for budget deficits.

They call it “responsible governance.“  We call it municipal malpractice.

The Final Scene: Your Move, Superior

This isn’t just about potholes and fiber optics.

It’s about accountability. It’s about leadership. It’s about whether you’re willing to be gaslit with your own tax dollars.

So, on April 1st— don’t be the fool.

Don’t reward fiscal fantasy and click-poll governance. Vote for people who believe in budgets, ballots, and basic honesty.

Because Superior can’t afford another season of The Van Sickle & Elm Show.

Not unless you like sequels that end in higher taxes and lower expectations.

ARTICLE #2

Superior WI Tax Revaluation: Years of Neglect — Now Elm and Van Sickle Want Your Vote

March 25, 2025

Years of Neglect — Now They Want Your Vote

Superior residents saw property tax hikes up to 90% in 2024. Why?

Because city leaders delayed revaluations for over two decades — and by the time they acted, the damage was done.

Now, two of those same officials — Jenny Van Sickle and Tylor Elm — are running for reelection on April 1st , campaigning on… fiscal responsibility.

You can’t make this up.

The Timeline They Don’t Talk About

2000s–2010s : No property revaluation — assessments grow wildly outdated
2017 : Jenny Van Sickle joins the City Council
2018 : Tylor Elm joins the City Council
RW Management warns the city a revaluation is urgently needed
2024 : Revaluation finally completed after two decades
Result : Tax increases of 30% to 90%+ for many residents

Residents Suffered. Officials Delayed.

Let’s be clear:

No one is accusing these officials of personally benefiting from the revaluation.

But they did nothing for years. They were warned . They were in power . They had time to act — and they didn’t.

And when the bill finally came due, you paid the price.

And Now They Want Your Vote on “Fiscal Responsibility”?

Van Sickle and Elm are asking for two more years, presenting themselves as fiscally responsible leaders.

But where was that responsibility when:

The city ignored expert warnings?
The revaluation was delayed for 20 years?
Residents were blindsided by massive tax bills in 2024?

Leadership means making hard decisions before a crisis — not after it explode s.

What You Can Do

Share this post
Talk to your neighbors
Vote on April 1st with full awareness of this record

This isn’t about party lines. It’s about accountability.

If you’re going to run on “fiscal responsibility,” you should be ready to own your record.

COMMENTS

815. Thanks to Soupnutz.net for these two articles. I will do an election Blog part 2 on Monday, the day before the election. Thanks again for reading.

Brian

blog 89

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 20:22:47 GMT

IT'S NEVER MY FAULT!!!

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER,--JIM PAINE—2017-2025

782. Welcome to today’s Blog. And it’s a busy one. Corrupt politicians, the fake news just got faker, marriage questions and a whole lot more. In other words, the usual. I want to start with an article from the Superior Telegram from March 4, 2025 and I want to make comments on it as we go along instead of my usual format. So here it is:

City of Superior finds new assessments taxing

The tax-exempt city had to pay taxes following new assessments, law change

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — Residents weren’t alone in their surprise over higher property tax bills for 2024. The city of Superior, which is exempt from most property taxes, received several property tax bills of its own.

New assessments and changes in property tax law resulted in the city paying more than $47,000 in property taxes for buildings it doesn’t even own; the city only owns the tax-exempt land beneath them. The city also paid more than $24,000 in taxes for facilities it owns on Barker’s Island but leases to Sailboats Inc. to operate the marina. At least some of the dollars have already been or may later be recouped. Some taxes paid by the city were legitimate because the city purchased taxable property after the Jan. 1, 2024, assessment date, said Finance Director Nick Rhinehart. He said under the new law, the city cannot exempt those properties until the taxes are paid. Those parcels will be exempt in 2025, he said.

Taxed without ownership

New state law eliminated personal property taxes — the mechanism by which the city collected taxes from individuals and businesses with hangars at the Bong Memorial Airport, as well as two businesses in North End and one small business on Barker’s Island that lease land from the city.

Collectively, they paid more than $70,000 in personal property taxes in 2023 based on a cumulative $3.9 million assessed value for buildings, equipment and furnishings, according to city records.

However, eliminating the personal property tax didn’t apply to real property — buildings, improvements and fixtures — on leased land, said Jennifer Bacon, communications director with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. As the only listed owner, the city ended up paying taxes on $3.2 million in value for buildings it doesn’t own.

State law provides two processes to list and value buildings, improvements and fixtures on exempt land, Bacon said. They include updating the existing parcel’s listing and value to include all buildings, improvements and fixtures, or creating a separate parcel specifically for the buildings and other infrastructure.

During the revaluation process, the real property values were added to the city-owned parcels, according to assessment records. Documents needed to create separate parcels for real property were not filed with the Douglas County Register of Deeds, said Darcie Burbul, register of deeds.

At the airport, the city would have to have certified survey maps to create separate parcel numbers because multiple buildings are located on a single parcel, Rhinehart said. He said he anticipates the city having the same issue next year.

Rhinehart said in cases where the city paid the taxes upfront for buildings it doesn’t own, the city has supplied invoices to the building owners based on the building’s value to collect the taxes owed. In most cases, the city has already been reimbursed for its costs, the finance director said.

Taxed despite exemption

Barker’s Island Marina has left city officials perplexed, however built by the city in the late-1970s, the land, buildings, marina slips and charter dock are all owned by the city. It’s operated through a lease with Sailboats Inc.

While Sailboats Inc. has paid personal property taxes at the marina, Rhinehart said that was for things like equipment and furnishings because the buildings are owned by the city. The city was assessed for more than $1.6 million for the improvements it owns at the marina.

Superior Mayor Jim Paine said the marina should never have been assessed. “The city received the notice, and it caused a great deal of confusion because that is clearly an exempt property by the law,” Paine said. “That led to us, this year, we issued a rescission because it was mistakenly assessed. We have an internal power if it was clearly a mistake — not a difference of opinion in valuation — but a mistaken evaluation. We can correct the mistake.”

By law, if the municipality owns and is the beneficial user of the property, it is exempt from taxation. Despite the rescission, Rhinehart said the city had to pay the taxes to get the property off the tax rolls again; he anticipates the city getting the erroneous taxes paid back next year.

While Sailboats Inc. also benefits from the use of the marina, Paine said the city benefits even more. Under the terms of the city’s lease with Sailboats Inc., the company pays more than half of the gross revenues generated by the marina operation to the city.

“By any standard, that is a city-run property,” Paine said. “Sailboats Inc., I will always support them making money on it. That is the point. That’s what they get out of this, but they are very much doing a service for the people of Superior.”

COMMENTS

783. Excuse me? Do you understand all of this? I kind of do but guess what? It’s not our job to have to. Do you know who’s job it is to know? That’s right. Jim Paine. And guess who appears not to know? Jim Paine. This is also a reason why we hate government. They make all of these confusing laws that even a “Genius” like Jim Paine can’t fully understand.

THE STORY CONTINUES...

Were assessments fair?

Paine said people should check their assessments and ask themselves if it is fair, because there will be new assessments in 2025. The Board of Review meets to evaluate the fairness of updates of assessment rolls each spring.

In general, Paine said if someone could sell their property for its assessed value, it’s a fair assessment. If they couldn’t, he said the city wants to hear from them to get the mistake corrected.

Residential assessments have been certified by the Department of Revenue at 94% of fair market value, according to Paine. But the mayor said commercial assessments — the class of property for which the city paid property taxes this year — appear to have been under-assessed.

“We were not as accurate on the commercial side … we’re going to have to reassess the whole commercial side, which typically means reassessing the whole city,” Paine said.

COMMENTS

784. Hold on here. How would “Business Unfriendly” Mayor Jim Paine know that commercial assessments were not accurate? The fact is the “I know everything” Mayor doesn’t know. I haven’t heard of any commercial property owners screaming that they aren’t being taxed enough. So brace yourselves for substantially higher taxes later this year courtesy of the “Business Killer” Jim Paine. But what’s really weird here is that he is inferring that the residential taxes are accurate. And we know that’s not true. Remember the story I ran about my friend who bought a place for 90K and had an assessment for 100k and got a tax bill in December with an assessment 214k? He could not sell his property for its assessed value, not even close.

BACK TO THE STORY...

The assessor responsible for last year’s assessments no longer works for the city. An open records request by the Telegram related to the assessor’s departure is pending.

COMMENTS

785. I was going to spend some time on this breaking news but there is an update on this story in the next article so I will cover it there.

THE STORY CONTINUES...

The city is currently working to determine how to reassess commercial properties, Paine said. During the reassessment in 2024, all properties increased in value by an average of 60%; residential properties alone increased 70% in value on average.

“The hope is that it offsets the residential” to reassess commercial properties, Paine said.

FINAL COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

786. I don’t want any more of Jim Paine’s “Hopes”. This is what happens when you have unqualified Mayor like Jim Paine. Instead of trying to fix this tax problem he is doubling down on stupid. I predict that under his terrible leadership the likely outcome for this year’s taxes will be a small decrease in residential taxes and a huge increase in commercial taxes and somehow he expects you to feel good about that. He continues to blame everybody but himself for this mess when really, he is the one who is to blame. The buck stops with him. Here, in my opinion is what he should have done.

When the city saw the assessments back in August or before it should have been obvious to them within about 5 minutes that there was a major problem. They then should have alerted the Mayor. In business it’s called damage control. In my opinion the easiest fix would have been to scrap the assessments and raise the mill rate to reflect a 3% tax increase across the board to residential and commercial property based on the previous year’s taxes. Then the Mayor could have come out with a press release that he was scrapping these assessments, citing many examples of these crazy numbers and will work on a new plan for the following year. But he didn’t, he told you not to worry and said it shouldn’t really affect your taxes. How did he know that? Well, he didn’t did he?

So why didn’t he scrap those assessments, increase the mill rate and move along and work on a new plan for 2025? If he had explained those numbers he might have looked like a bit of a savior. But Jim Paine doesn’t look at things that way. Jim Paine thinks that it would have shown that he had made a mistake, which he did, hiring that outside company to do the assessments. And Jim Paine does not make mistakes. Jim Paine is always right. It’s always every one else that’s wrong. Jim Paine is never, ever, ever wrong. Jim Paine is a lousy leader. And now you are all paying for it.

OUR NEXT ARTICLE IS FROM THE SUPERIOR TELEGRAM

Assessor resigns, city rescinds termination

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

March 14, 2025

SUPERIOR — Former City Assessor Terry Johnson resigned his post, effectively ending city officials’ plans to terminate the embattled city assessor’s employment.

TERRY JOHNSON

Johnson came under fire after the city, typically tax exempt, received several property tax bills following a citywide revaluation of property values in 2024.

COMMENTS

787. In the previous article in this issue of the blog, the city’s tax exempt issues is difficult to understand. There seems to be rules by different departments. New rules were supposedly introduced in 2024 and on and on it goes. It also states that the city can recoup some or all of those taxes. It’s not something that the average taxpayer like you and me would likely know anything about. But the Mayor should have known these rules and when he got these assessments like the rest of us in August 2024, why didn’t he have a meeting with Terry Johnson, the appraiser and work it out. The other thing is this article and the previous one are hard to understand and in my opinion, not well written or reader friendly. They were both done by none other than Shelley Nelson. I have stated before that when I read most of her articles I usually have more questions than answers. And I find these two articles among the worst. Either that or I am having a complete brain blackout.

BACK TO THE STORY...

It’s unclear when Johnson received the termination letter. He resigned in an email sent to the mayor and human resources staff on Feb. 24, with an effective date retroactive to Feb. 4 — the last day he was at his office.

Johnson said he had a meeting with city officials Feb. 4 and Human Resources Director Cammi Janigo then escorted him to his office. “I grabbed a few pictures and stuff I had at my office and out the door I went,” he told the Telegram.

Paine accepted the resignation Feb. 25.

“The city will consider the termination letter addressed to you and dated February 18, 2025, to be rescinded,” Paine wrote in a Feb. 25 letter. “The termination letter is still considered public record and will be released as requested along with this memo to document the city’s reversal of the termination, unless you succeed in blocking the release.”

Johnson did not seek a court order to block the release.

Johnson said he was still seeking counsel and he didn’t sign the separation agreement because it contained language he didn’t agree with, and he felt the city was trying to put a gag order on him so he couldn’t speak the truth.

COMMENTS

788. Doesn’t this remind you of the “resignation” of City Clerk Camila Ramos back in March, 2023. I will be running a Blog on this in the future.

BACK TO THE STORY…

The details of the proposed separation agreement are not public record because it was never executed, Janigo said.

The termination letter was dated one day after the Telegram requested public records pertaining to leased city-owned land and Barker’s Island Marina for which the city paid property taxes this year. Among the records sought Feb. 17 by the Telegram was “any separation agreement or termination letter” that would explain why Johnson no longer worked for the city as of Feb. 5.

COMMENTS

789. Since Johnson hasn’t worked for the city since Feb. 5th, 2025. how come we did not know about it until now, March 14, 2025? And according to this article Paine and Johnson had a meeting on Jan 31. Shelley Nelson and Mayor Paine are joined at the hip. She knows what he’s having for lunch before he does. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had keys for each others homes. And back in Dec. 2022, when Paine put out that retarded last minute letter to councilors only a couple of hours before the council’s meeting to vote on Jordan Wheat’s application for a license for the Palace, guess who was also sent that letter. Yep, Shelley Nelson. So if she expects me to believe that she didn’t know about any of this until now, well, I don’t believe it. Do you? And where is the “The Cult of Jim Paine” AKA City Council on this? Lots of questions here but not many answers.

BACK TO THE STORY...

“That was just the timeline,” Paine said of the timing of the letter. He said the city had no intention of writing a termination letter, but negotiations for a separation agreement had broken down.

“The termination letter is a pretty necessary part of the process if we get there because employees have right to appeal the termination to the Civil Service Commission,” Paine said. “So we do have to notify a person in writing that they’ve been terminated.”

COMMENTS

790. Paine calls it a “letter”, I call it a “Gag Order” or possibly a cover-up. A "gag order" is a legal order, typically issued by a court or government, that restricts individuals from publicly commenting on or disclosing specific information related to a case or matter.

BACK TO THE STORY...

The Feb. 18 letter included instructions on how Johnson could have initiated an appeal before the Civil Service Commission within seven days of receiving the letter.

According to the Feb. 18 letter, the city had attempted to make contact with Johnson by phone, email, text and home delivery, but had received no response.

“Reasons for your termination were communicated with you at our meeting on January 31, 2025,” Paine wrote in the termination letter. “They include your failed commercial revaluation which is almost certain to trigger the need to begin that process again anew, your unwillingness to reverse an illegal taxation of city-owned property at the Barker’s Island Marina, and your stated unwillingness to continue assisting taxpayers with their questions and concerns following the latest tax assessment cycle.”

COMMENTS

791-Wait a second here. This makes no sense. How does Paine know that the “commercial revaluation” was failed? He is the only one that is pushing this theory. I have not seen any facts to support Paine’s statements. What I have seen is hundreds of people complaining about the “residential revaluations”. And there are plenty of facts to support that. They’re right there in the numbers. Look at your tax bills. The assessor only dealt with commercial property. Associated Appraisal Consultants who the Mayor hired at a cost of $355,000.00 of your tax dollars did the residential appraisals. I don’t see or understand why Mr. Johnson’s commercial appraisals would trigger anything. If anything those appraisals seem more accurate than the residential ones.

So what exactly is the Mayor saying. Is he accusing Terry Johnson of not assessing the commercial real estate at the ridiculous numbers like 50-90% increases that Associated Appraisal Consultants assessed the residential real estate?

As far as as that discombobulated city owned/not owned property tax issue which most of us, including the Mayor as far as I’m concerned, don’t understand and has not been properly explained in this article, comes to $47,000.00. Not much considering the city’s budget is in the millions of dollars and the city said a portion or all of it could be recovered. And you want to fire Terry Johnson for that? You, Jim Paine should fire yourself for not only hiring Associated Appraisal Consultants, but for the way you have handled and conducted yourself from start to finish on this issue.

And by the way the “Jim Paine Mafia” AKA City Council did the following on April 19, 2023:

“The council approved waiving bid requirements and a contract with Associated Appraisal Consultants Inc., for $355,000 for revaluation assessment services”.

Nice job, morons.

BACK TO THE STORY...

Johnson disagreed with that assessment.

“The revalue obviously was a big thing with every property being reviewed,” Johnson said. During that revaluation, he said some previously exempt properties became taxable and some taxable properties became exempt — a determination that is made by the assessor.

“They had the proper notification back in August,” Johnson said, adding that the city didn’t participate in either the open book process or Board of Review, both of which provide taxpayers the opportunity to question or challenge their assessment.

COMMENTS

792. Question for “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson. Why didn’t he city participate in either the open book process or Board of Review, Shelley? Shelley? SSSSHHHEEEELLLLLEEEEEYYYYYY!!!!

BACK TO THE STORY

“I attempted to explain to them, they are the taxpayer,” Johnson said of city officials. “They can’t really tell the assessor what to do.”

FINAL COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE

793. In the first article today, on March 4, Shelley Nelson said:

“The assessor responsible for last year’s assessments no longer works for the city. An open records request by the Telegram related to the assessor’s departure is pending. “

FYI Shelley, he has a name, it’s Terry Johnson.

And kudos to him for not signing what sounded like an NDA, or Non-Disclosure Agreement, which is a legally binding contract that protects confidential information by obligating parties to keep certain information secret, often used in business to safeguard trade secrets or sensitive data.

Even though there is a lack of certain information in these two articles, something here doesn’t smell right to me. Kinda of like the bathroom for the cast at that horrible show “The View.”

And Mr. Johnson, if you read this and you would like to get your unedited story out, reach out to me on the Blog and I would be happy to help you. I know what it’s like to be railroaded by Jim Paine and it’s not good.

THE END OF THE WORLD IS UPON US!!!

Telegram named Wisconsin Weekly Newspaper of the Year

SHELLEY NELSON AND MARIA LOCKWOOD

Staff reports

March 14, 2025

MADISON

The Superior Telegram was recognized by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association as the 2024 Wisconsin Weekly Newspaper of the Year.

The Telegram was honored at the WNA convention Friday, March 7, in Madison.

The Newspaper of the Year recognition is based on awards received in the WNA Foundation’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest. Points are determined by the number of awards received and the places earned. One weekly paper and one daily paper are honored annually.

The Telegram won 29 awards, including 13 first-place awards, earning the most points out of 105 participating newspapers.

For the third consecutive year, the Telegram also won Best in Division for earning the most award points in its circulation category.

COMMENTS

794. What do you want me to say? It’s hard to talk when you are puking. It reminds me when Barack Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for well, doing nothing. What alternate universe do all these people live in? And if you really want to waste your time you can click the link below to see all the 4,976 awards they won.

https://epaper.superiortelegram.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=2a504ced-70dc-4e71-816a-880c759e961d&share=true

795. Well that’s it for today. Thanks for reading. See you on the next one.

Thanks

Brian

blog 88

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 19:37:51 GMT

ARE YOU READY?

GOOD, LET’S GO!!

773. Welcome to today’s Blog. Today I want to do a recap of the property tax fiasco and where it stands today and what we can do going forward. So here is a recap.

TIMELINE

In August 2024 residents received their new tax assessments.

August 19, 2024

Jim Paine posted this on his Facebook page:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

“Over the last few days, property owners began receiving assessment revaluation letters. I’ll explain how this works in the comments and answer what questions I can but here’s the short version: Your new assessment will have little to no impact on your property tax bill. You can challenge the new assessment, however, if you believe it doesn’t fairly represent the market value of your property.”

DECEMBER 2024

The City of Superior experienced a significant increase in property valuations, with all properties increasing by an average of 60%, and residential properties alone by 70%, leading to higher property tax bills for residents.

DECEMBER 19, 2024

The Mayor, Punxsutawney Paine finally came out of hiding and posted an attempt to explain what had happened. He had 579 comments from readers, the most of 2024. He promised he was going to look into various things to try and soften the blow to taxpayers. In the end nothing happened.

DECEMBER 27, 2024

The Superior Telegram finally runs their one and only story on the tax scandal which was the most commented story on social media in 2024. That was 13 days since the story broke. And it was nothing short of a puff piece with no new information. And the Duluth Tribune didn’t even run the story. Are you shaking your head yet? I am and Mr. Neck is too.

JANUARY 24, 2025

I announced on Blog 82 that the tax bills will stand and no help is on the way from the city. And by the way, to this day I think I am the only one who made that declaration. You would think at the very least the Mayor or the two local rags would have. But I can’t find anything. In fact the only coverage I can find on the tax scandal from them was 1 post from Paine on Dec 19 and 1 article from the Telegram on Dec 27. Can you spell Cover-Up?

WHAT CAN WE DO?

JENNY VAN POPSICLE

TOOLER ELMO

START WITH VOTING THEM OUT!!

COMMENTS

774. The City of Superior elections are right around the corner. Appropriately, they are on Tuesday April 1, 2025. You know what else is going on April 1st? The price of Mega Millions lotto tickets are going up from 2 bucks to 5 bucks a ticket.

775. Anyway, back to politics. The final day for filing to run was January 7, 2025. That was only a couple of weeks after we got the property tax bills. You have to wonder if we got the bills in August or September if all 5 of the seats would have been contested. With the amount of anger surrounding these taxes, I think we would have 5 races instead of 2. But that’s life and we need to move forward and concentrate on the 2 races before us. Below are the seats up for election:

776. The 2 seats that have an opponent are District 2, Jenny Van Popsicle and District 6, Tooler Elmo.

Let’s start with District 2, Jenny from the block. What can I say about her? Just Google her name and just like her husband Mayor Paine, she always seems to be involved with something sketchy, nefarious or questionable and she should not have ever been allowed to be an Alderperson in the first place because the Mayor is her husband. And I’m not picking on her, that should be in rules of the City of Superior. No family member of the Mayor of the city should be able to run for council. Period, end of story. Check out this story from July 4, 2019:

Superior council overrides mayor's veto, censures alderwoman

Published: Jul. 4, 2019

The Superior City Council has decided to censure one of their own despite the mayor's objections.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the council decided to censure Jenny Van Sickle for criticizing the city attorney on social media. Mayor Jim Paine, who is in a relationship with Van Sickle, vetoed the censure.

The council overrode the veto 8-2 Tuesday amid questions about whether the mayor has a conflict of interest since he's seeing Van Sickle.

Paine says people will make up their own minds about their relationship. Council President Brent Fennessey says he's worried the relationship gives Van Sickle too much power.

Van Sickle tweeted in June that the city attorney, Frog Prell, has a reputation for "repugnant incompetence." Prell filed a claim June 24 alleging she defamed him.

COMMENT

777. Remember that mess? Our friends at Soupnutz.net just ran a story on the Popsicle. Wait, you don’t like my nickname for her? I guess I could have called her Jenny Van Hammer And Sickle. It would have been fitting as well. Anyway here is the article:

City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle Hopes You’re Too Stupid to Realize She’s Hitched to Mayor Jim Paine?

March 3, 2025

“I have not acted immorally or illegally, but I very clearly am aware of the hurt that I’ve caused. I have said before and to Mr. Prell directly, I’m not particularly proud of that,” Van Sickle said.

Jenny Van Sickle "Paine" the Mayors Wife

Ah, marriage! That sacred bond where two people pledge their lives to each other, share a home, and—if you’re Jenny Van Sickle and Mayor Jim Paine —pretend the other doesn’t exist on public records.

Yep, these two are legally married since 2020 , yet they’ve managed to pull off the  most spectacular political disappearing act since Watergate.

No shared address. No spouse listed on official profiles. And definitely no accountability when it comes to ethically murky decisions —like, say, attempting a 2,400-acre land swap that reeked of a backroom deal.

Jenny Van Sickle: The Only Superior City Council Member With a Supreme Court Ruling

Now, if you thought this was just a small-town political soap opera, think again. Jenny Van Sickle isn’t just any council member—she’s the only one with her name etched in Alaska state supreme court history. That’s right, the Alaska Supreme Court had to rule on her attempt to move her child out of state, overriding a custody agreement she already had with her ex in Alaska.

Once upon a time, Jenny Van Sickle was Jenny Weed, and she shared joint custody of her child in Alaska with her ex, Joshua McGraw.

But in 2002 , she moved to Michigan , got married, and became Jenny Van Sickle . Rather than follow the already agreed-upon custody arrangement , she tried to sidestep Alaska’s legal ruling by filing in Michigan to gain sole custody .

The Michigan courts laughed her out of the room , ruling they had no jurisdiction . Meanwhile, McGraw—who clearly saw what was happening—filed a countercase in Alaska , arguing she was manipulating the system.

The Alaska Supreme Court agreed , ruling that:

Van Sickle tried to override their custody agreement by filing in another state.
She showed hostility toward her ex, making false accusations against him when mad.
The child had strong family ties in Alaska , and McGraw was more willing to co-parent.

Translation? The court saw through her tactics and ruled in favor of the father.

So while Jenny Van Sickle now sits on the Superior City Council preaching about ethics , she holds the unique distinction of being the only council member with a supreme court-certified history of trying to bend legal agreements for personal gain.

Political Power Couple or Corruption-In-Progress?

POWER COUPLE

NOT A POWER COUPLE 

So why the separate lives and selective amnesia? A few theories:

1. The “We’re Just Keeping It Professional” Act

Maybe they think by not listing each other, they can dodge those pesky conflict-of-interest accusations.

Because nothing says “good governance” like a married couple pretending they’re not married while voting on policies that benefit each other.

2. The Political Witness Protection Program

Mayor Paine is dodging accountability , while Jenny tries to distance herself from the whole “husband rewrote land conservation laws for personal gain” situation.

When the heat’s on, a little strategic ghosting goes a long way .

3. The Most Expensive Form of Social Distancing

Forget COVID—this is Corruption-24.

If they don’t share an address , then when someone asks,  “Hey, isn’t it weird that you two worked on a major land deal that would have directly benefited your family?”  they can just shrug and say: “We don’t even live together!”

Classic political move: No shared house, no shared blame.

Reality Check: This Isn’t Normal

Most married couples file taxes together, acknowledge each other on legal documents , and—crazy thought— actually live together.

But Jim and Jenny?  They’ve taken “playing house” to a whole new level— where the rules change whenever it suits them.

So the next time Mayor Jim Paine and Jenny Van Sickle “Paine” try to pull another shady land deal , someone should ask them:

“Are you governing the city? Or are you just covering for each other?”

And while you’re at it, maybe ask Jenny what it’s like to be the only city council member immortalized in an actual State Supreme Court ruling.

Because that’s a distinction you won’t see on her campaign signs.

“Perhaps you wouldn’t have so many questions about your own news stories if you weren’t inventing them as you went along?

Jenny Van Sickle "Paine"

Complaining About Fox 21 Asking Questions

COMMENT

Thanks to Soupnutz.net for another great article and you can go to their site for many more.

Next is an article from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/craig.sutherland.771

Craig Sutherland

Dec 20, 2024

PLEASE SHARE!!!?!

Hey East End, Allouez and Itasca…

Sarah Anderson For 2nd District

Friday 12/20/24 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sarah Anderson Announces Candidacy for City Council in Superior’s 2nd District

Superior, WI – Sarah Anderson, a Licensed Mental Health Professional with St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services and long-time resident of Superior, WI, has officially announced her candidacy for the City Council in the 2nd District. A passionate advocate for transparency, honesty, and community-focused leadership, Anderson is committed to being a strong and independent voice for the residents of Superior.

“I am running for City Council because I believe it’s time for a new, fresh perspective in our leadership,” said Anderson. “Our city needs leadership that listens to and represents the needs of its people. I want to bring transparency to our local government, challenge the status quo, and help build a brighter future for our youth, our businesses, and our entire community.”

Anderson, who has lived and raised her family in the East End/Allouez neighborhood since 2007, has a deep connection to the community. In her role as a Licensed Mental Health Professional, Anderson has developed a strong ability to listen, understand, and work collaboratively with individuals from all walks of life. In addition, she has a role as the spouse of a small business owner here in Superior. Her experiences and perspectives give her depth and understanding of the needs of the community.

Anderson is active in the running community within the twin ports, she spends lots of her time watching Superior Spartan HS sports where her kids participate, and her husband has been a long time coach. As Sarah’s kids have gotten older, she spends her free time volunteering at various events around the area.

As a candidate, Anderson is committed to focusing on the following key issues:

Transparency and Accountability: Bringing honesty, openness, and integrity to the decision-making process within the city government. Ensuring residents have a clear understanding of how and why decisions are being made.
Community Engagement and Listening to Constituents: Creating a city government that listens to the concerns and needs of residents, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued in the decision-making process.
Economic Development and Support for Local Businesses: Working with local businesses and labor leaders to foster ethical, sustainable economic development that supports job growth, strengthens our economy, and ensures the well-being of all residents.
Investing in Our Youth and Future: Championing programs and policies that provide opportunities for youth to thrive and succeed in Superior, helping to build a foundation for a strong future for the city.

“I’m passionate about this community and want to be a voice that truly represents the needs of the people,” Anderson continued. “I want to ensure that we have a city council that is committed to the success of all residents, one that listens, collaborates, and works toward a shared vision for a better, more prosperous future.”

Anderson’s candidacy brings a unique perspective and a strong commitment to the values of transparency, ethical governance, and community-centered leadership. As a distance runner, Anderson understands the importance of endurance, dedication, and persistence—qualities that will guide her work on behalf of the people of Superior.

"I’ve lived here, raised my family here, and built a life here. Now I want to give back and ensure that Superior continues to be a place we can all be proud to call home," said Anderson.

Sarah Anderson is ready to challenge the status quo and fight for the issues that matter most to the residents of the 2nd District.

TECH TOOL

778. Now let’s focus on District 6 held by Tooler Elmo AKA Tylor Elm. Let’s deal with his nickname. Tooler has been nothing more than a butt-licking, ass-kissing and goose stepping puppet of Jim “Hanson” Paine, voting along with him almost all the time. Elmo is a puppet from Sesame Street. Tooler is a play on his name and my all-time favorite reality show “Tool Academy”. And that’s saying a lot because I have always been a reality show junkie my whole life. My daughters and I watched it religiously and still call each other “tools” to this day.

And they all had nicknames like Tiny Tool, Naked Tool, Loud Mouth Tool, Slacker Tool, Dancing Tool, Power Tool, Playa Pimpin’ Tool, Party Tool and more. And each week they would eliminate a Tool. And the catch phrase was “You’re just a Tool”.

The sad part is it only lasted 3 seasons. Hopefully this is Tooler “Tech Tool” Elmo’s final season.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tool Academy is a competitive reality television show featuring "unsuspecting bad boys" (and women) who have been sent to "relationship boot camp". The contestants, all of whom have been nominated by their respective partners, initially think they are taking part in a competition for a title. However, shortly after arriving they find out the truth: they are actually being entered into a "charm school" which focuses on teaching them how to behave as partners. Each week, one contestant is eliminated and his/her partner must choose whether or not to stay with him/her. The last contestant remaining wins a $100,000 prize. The show was hosted by reality television show host Jordan Murphy alongside relationship counselor Trina Dolenz, who helped the contestants with their relationship problems and decided who was expelled.

Next up is from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook Jan 1, 2025

Craig Sutherland

Jan 1, 2025

A solid candidate to run for the 6th district! Good luck Randal Wuorinen you will do good for Superior.

Randal Wuorinen for the 6th District

Jan 1, 2025

Announcement: Randal Wuorinen for City Council – District 6, Superior, WI

Good afternoon and Happy New Year!

My name is Randal Wuorinen, and I am excited to announce my candidacy for City Council in Superior, WI, representing District 6

As a lifelong resident of Superior since the age of 7, I hold a deep appreciation and love for our community. I am a proud father of two amazing young men, and I’ve been dedicated to supporting their growth and activities, including over three years of coaching for one of my sons, with plans to do the same for my other son in the coming years.

I have decided to run in this upcoming election because I believe our city needs fresh ideas and new perspectives on the City Council. I am committed to being part of the change that will move Superior forward.

One of my primary goals is to address the pressing need for improved resources for mental health and addiction in our community. These issues affect so many families, and I am determined to advocate for better access and support in these critical areas.

Additionally, I aim to bring more accountability and transparency to the City Council,

particularly in matters related to the city budget and spending. Implementing a stronger system of checks and balances is essential to ensure our community’s resources are used responsibly and effectively.

Above all, I am dedicated to serving the residents of District 6 by listening to your concerns, answering your questions, and working diligently to find solutions. My priority is to ensure that your voices are heard and represented in City Council decisions.

Thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can create a brighter future for Superior!

Sincerely,

Randal Wuorinen

COMMENTS

779. Tooler Elmo has been a major disappointment to me personally. I have always advocated for more business people in elected positions and less academia people like teachers, community organizers, non-profit workers, career politicians etc. Tooler is from the world of business but as a city councilman he has acted more like he came from the world of academia so I guess there is always exceptions to the rule.

He owns a computer business in town and my wife and I had been customers there for years. The staff was always knowledgeable. The products always good as well as all the repairs. My impression is that it is a very well run business.

But as councilman he is quite the opposite. His district is home to the Palace as well as Melissa Hyatt’s doughnut shop. Remember those texts between Mayor Paine and her in many of the Blogs? Well Tooler was also on the Melissa texts as well. When she came a knockin’, he came a rockin’. But one thing Tooler never did was contact us to ask any questions or concerns. Keeping in mind we were shut down in 2022, I didn’t know that Tooler was involved in any conversations with Paine and Hyatt until 2023.

My wife as well as Jordan Wheat (the potential buyer of the Palace at the time) did have some exchanges with him and here they are:

Tylor Elm - Mr No Help at All

780. To the best of my recollection, two stories of Tylor Elm come to mind.

The first one was as owner of Shorty's Pizza & Smoked Meat. The annual 4th of July festivities were being planned and a lady entered the restaurant asking for donations towards the Dennis Van Alstine Memorial Car Show.

At that time, the car show was held along Tower Avenue. She had explained that she had taken over the reins of the annual event. It seemed like she didn't have much info from past car shows and was looking for help. I told her she should reach out to the BID and Tylor Elm, Councilor for the 6th District, Downtown. She came back to me and revealed that because his business, discoverpc.net-Computer Solutions Center was not going to be open on Independence Day, that he either was not interested in helping her or couldn't. You sir, are still the Councilor for that district. Thanks for nothing! And keep in mind that July 4th is one the biggest days for many businesses on Tower ave.

Secondly, Jordan Wheat, potential buyer of Palace Bar, was asked by Mayor Paine to reach out to the different Councilors about the purchase of the Palace back in 2022.

Jordan did what she was asked to do and sent professional, respectful emails to all Councilors in regards to the Palace. She wanted to personally review her resume, business plan and have an exchange of ideas with the Councilors to better paint a picture of her concept for JJ's Bar going forward. A few Councilors were more than happy to meet with her, a few spoke with her over the phone shortly before the Superior City council meeting on December 6, 2022. And then there was Councilor Tylor Elm, 6th District, Downtown that replied with following an email:

"Jordan, Thank you for writing.

I would suggest attending the city council meeting and let the entire council know what you'd like to communicate. This would allow you to make comments with all the councilors at once during the public meeting. I believe you can also have other members of the public speak as well if you'd like to get their point of view or to speak their comments.

You can contact the city clerk about that process, their phone number is (715) 395-7200. Be sure to be aware of any time limits.

Additionally, you are also welcome to email all the city councilors at citycouncil@ci.superior.wi.us

Thank you, Tylor Elm"

Email date Wed, 30 Nov 2022

Jordan did respond to Elm's email stating she wanted a sit down with him. She received no reply.

781. Now how's that for a Councilor!! Nothing says responsive government and commitment to community like a form letter from the Downtown Councilor! And that of course is after requesting a phone call from the Mayor & Chief of Police. Wonder if he can walk and chew gum at the same time?

COMMENTS

So just like the show says “You’re Just a Tool”

WHY IS THIS ELECTION IMPORTANT?

It’s important because it sets the tone going forward. Jim Paine and the Superior City Council have and are leading us down a clear path of destruction. Out of control taxes, discouraging businesses, shady deals, no legal protection for citizens, only for them, lack of quality people and much more. Getting rid of Tylor Elm and Jenny Van Sickle would send a clear message to Mayor Paine and City Council that we are fed up with this type of leadership. Voting them back in would result in more of the same. These two candidates have caused way more bad than good and have not earned and don’t deserve another term. It’s time for a change and this would be a good start. You have the power to make it happen.

FINAL THOUGHTS

That’s it for today’s Blog. Thanks for reading and we will see you all next time.

blog 87

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 20:42:35 GMT

PACK YOUR BAGS!

WE’RE GOING ON TOUR!!!

Welcome to today’s Blog. Buckle up your seat belts because we are going on a vacation, uh, I mean a working trip with Jim Paine & Company. But there are some states we will not go to. I’ll explain all this and more. Let’s start off with another great article from our friends at Soupnutz.net.

SILVER ALERT!

MAYOR JIM PAINE VANISHES!

Feb 10, 2025

Where in the World is Mayor Jim Paine?

He’s flying first-class, while your roads collapse, 

Burning through tax dollars like they’re endless cash, 

Where in the world is… Mayor Jim Paine?

Catch Him If You Can

Ever wonder where your some of your hard-earned tax dollars go? Turns out, they have frequent flyer miles. Mayor Jim Paine has turned “official travel” into a full-time hobby, bouncing from conferences in D.C. to networking events in fancy hotels—all on the taxpayer’s dime . Because, obviously, you can’t manage a city from City Hall. Nope! You have to do it from a conference room 1,000 miles away , preferably with a catered buffet.

No Oversight? No Problem!

And here’s the best part— Jim is the only one signing off on his own receipts . That’s right. No finance committee, no independent review—just Jim, a pen, and a calculator he probably uses like a paperweight.

And speaking of math, let’s talk about those insane “taxes and service charges” he’s been racking up— up to 52% on some poolside hotel rooms . Fifty-two percent! Now, if Jim were actually good at numbers, maybe he’d realize that’s odd, and he probably didn’t need poolside, but hey it’s your money. But this is the same guy who thought that lowering the mill rate by 25% while appraisals skyrocketed by 70% would somehow save taxpayers money. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Because when your property value jumps and the rate drop doesn’t cover the difference, you end up paying more. Basic math… unless you’re Jim.

But don’t worry, there’s oversight . Because it looks like the only person reviewing Jim’s expenses… is Jim . That’s letting the same guy who didn’t pay his city utilities on time while mayor have his own oversight.

Luxury Travel, Local Struggles

While Superior residents juggle sky-high property taxes and mysterious budget shortfalls, Mayor Paine is out somewhere, bravely representing the city at what we can only assume is an essential cocktail hour. Meanwhile, y our potholes could swallow a sedan and your tax bill keeps climbing—but hey, at least Jim got to shake hands with some bureaucrats in another time zone.

Taxpayer-Funded World Tour

Forget “Where’s Waldo?”—just follow the money. No oversight?, no accountability?, just a bottomless expense account with Jim’s signature on it . Want to find him? Check the most expensive steakhouse near a government event. Want your city actually managed? Good luck.

Well, he’s sipping champagne while your bills go high, 

And his only oversight is his own damn guy, 

Where in the world is… Mayor Jim Paine?

Click on the links below:

Jim Travel Receipts

https://soupnutz.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Jims-Travel-Expenses-23-24.pdf

1 Credit Card Receipt

https://soupnutz.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CC-Receipt.pdf

COMMENTS

THE FLYING NUN

THE FLYING MAYOR

What can I say? Why is he always involved with something questionable? And I’m being generous here because I don’t know much about his travels. I will say this though. So many politicians get caught in these travel messes that I think Paine should have his travel expenses scrutinized for his own good. If he has no oversight the voters become suspicious, as they should be. I did try to find out a little bit about them. Here are two emails I sent to the city last year:

From: brian noel

To: Rebecca Scherf <scherfr@ci.superior.wi.us>

Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 09:19:10 AM PST

Subject: Mayor request

Hi Rebecca,

I was just reading online that in the last couple of weeks that the Mayor has traveled to Washington, DC and to Madison to discuss the NTEC project. I was wondering if that is true.

Thanks,

Brian

From:brian noel

To:Rebecca Scherf

Fri, Jul 5, 2024 at 9:53 AM

I am just following up on my request from Feb 20,2024. I have not received an answer.

Brian

REBECCA SCHERF

Well guess what? Crickets. No Melissa Hyatt service for me. No way Jose. Silence is golden. Still waiting but not holding my garlic bread breath. As I always remind my wife, “that was a yes or no answer”. Not complicated. Our next stop is at the Thirsty Pagan. See Below:

Gov. Evers’ hears community concerns during Superior roundtable

Feb. 24, 2025 at 3:42 PM PST

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Northern News Now) - Wisconsin’s governor visited Superior to listen to how increasing costs across the board have impacted the Twin Ports.

Gov. Tony Evers held a roundtable discussion at Thirsty Pagan Brewing Monday afternoon.

Mayor Jim Paine, business owners and other community members were there.

Evers' budget proposal includes about $2 billion in tax relief for Wisconsin residents.

He hopes to lower property taxes, eliminate sales taxes on some everyday household items and cut income taxes for middle class Wisconsinites.

Evers said he learned a lot about the costs impacting Superior residents during Monday’s gathering.

“This group especially talked about all sorts of things that we need to be helpful about, but they also understood the issue about food security is really important,” Gov. Evers said.

Republicans have said Evers' budget will be dead on arrival adding they plan to write their own budget.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said it sounds like Democrats want to raise taxes on some and lower taxes for others while Republicans want to lower taxes for everybody.

COMMENTS

OMG. There actually is enough money in China to make me go to that but I would want a lot of it. I can’t think of a bigger waste of my time than to go to an Evers/Paine roundtable, square table, octagon table, picnic table, folding table or any other table. I hope they had suicide prevention posters in the bar. I would rather watch a 24 hour loop of Joy Reid reruns on my TV. Could you imagine being stuck in a meeting with these two dopes? I would rather confess to a murder I didn’t commit just to get out of it. But I would have liked to be a fly on the wall when Evers said “He hopes to lower property taxes”. What an idiot. Does Evers not read the news? Oh ya, there wasn’t much reporting on the tax scandal in the fake newspapers he reads. I wonder if the people there gave Paine the stink eye after Evers said that. Awkward!

Well that was a lousy tour stop. Next we will talk about two states we won’t be stopping at.

THE TALE OF THREE TOURISM TERRORISTS

TONY EVERS

“Son of Inseminated Person”

IIHLAN “America Last” OMAR

“Somebody did something”-- 9-11 reference

“TINA “DICKLET SMITH”

“Called Elon Musk a Dick”

On the last Blog I talked about a report that 40% of Americans plan their purchases and travel based partly on their political views. I believe this to be true. I do. I could give you a long list of states and cities that I will not spend one cent of my hard earned money in. So leaders of cities and states should be aware of that. But the three idiots above apparently didn’t get that memo. Let’s break it down.

TONY EVERS

The half dead crypt-keeper Governor of Wisconsin had this to say recently:

Reporter

Politics

WI governor wants to remove gendered words ‘mother’ or ‘father’ from law

Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers introduced a proposal to change gender-specific terms, like “mother,” in Wisconsin law. He included the recommendation in his budget for 2025-2027.

The Republican Governors Association criticized the proposal, calling it a left-wing agenda, and emphasizing the importance of preserving the term “mother” as a unique and honored identity.
Similar legislation has been passed in Massachusetts, with a law protecting LGBTQ+ families and promoting gender-neutral language in legal contexts

Full Story

As Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers , D, finalizes the state budget for the next two years, he’s introducing a proposal that doesn’t deal with finances. Instead, it focuses on changing everyday language by eliminating gender-specific terms for men and women

Proposal targets language in state law

On Friday, Feb. 21, Evers recommended a change to Wisconsin law that would redefine common terms. Under his proposal, “mother” would be replaced with “inseminated person” in certain cases. Similarly, “wife” or “husband” would become “spouse,” and “father” would be changed to “parent.

Republican pushback

The Republican Governors Association labeled the proposal as a left-wing agenda. Executive Director Sara Craig argues that being a mother is one of the greatest privileges and reducing motherhood to an inclusive term is offensive.

Senate Bill 45

Known as Senate Bill 45 , the proposed legislation primarily deals with state finances and appropriations for 2025 through 2027.

However, in Section 3106, it also includes language changes. On page 1,764, the bill removes terms like “husband,” “wife,” “maternal” and “paternal.” It also continues on several other pages to propose replacing “paternity” with “parentage,” traditionally a term used to describe a father’s role.

The debate over gendered language has already gained traction across the country. Some advocates want to replace “breastfeeding” with “chestfeeding,” while opponents argue for maintaining the traditional terms.

CHEST FEEDER

Similar legislation in other states

On Jan. 1, a Massachusetts law went into effect that protects LGBTQ+ families and those formed through reproductive assistance. This law guarantees legal equality for all families, regardless of marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation. It also mandates the exclusion of “mother” and “father” from certain legal contexts.

Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont have similar laws in place.

COMMENTS

If I hadn’t already heard this story and you told me, I would have said your full of it. But it’s true. This story broke last Friday. The internet and all conservative TV and radio have been having a field day and it’s still going strong five days later. Evers is getting “Tampon Tim” type of coverage. So thanks for that Tony. You have thoroughly embarrassed the state of Wisconsin and that should have great impact on tourism and people and businesses that are considering moving here. The only problem is the impact will be negative. Oh, and guess who didn’t cover this story which like I said has gone viral almost everywhere and today is Wednesday:

I was thinking that if your mother was spending her final days at an old age home and you were visiting her for the last or one of the last times how would that go in Tony Evers world? Maybe like this:

“Hi inseminated person, it’s me Tony. How are you feeling today? You look good inseminated person. Hey inseminated person would you like some water, maybe a coffee? Are they getting you all you need here inseminated person? If there’s anything you need let me know. I just want you to know that you are the best inseminated person a son could ask for. Love you inseminated person. Bye.

Thanks, 74 year old Tony Evers for embarrassing Wisconsin and making residents look like fools for voting for a weirdo like you. But our tour will not be stopping in your state this year. I don’t know if you are loosing your faculties or your were breast fed from a falsie but clearly it’s time for you to go. Weirdo.

IILAN OMAR

She has been terrorizing the country and saying all kinds of crazy stuff since 2019. I could probably do about 10 or more Blogs about her. Defund the police, a strong supporter of BLM are only a couple of the destructive and “America Last” things she’s involved with. And a member of the so-called “Squad”. Anyway, I want to run two articles about her. One older and one newer. Here is the older one from 2019:

Muslim Congresswoman's District Reported to Be 'Terrorist Recruitment Capital' of US

Emily Jones

02-18-19

FBI statistics reveal that Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), is the terrorism recruitment capital of the United States.

According to the FBI, more Somali American men and boys from this district have joined, or have attempted to join, a foreign terror organization in the last 12 years than any other community in the US.

"Forty-five Somalis left to join the ranks of either the Somalia-based Islamic insurgency al-Shabab, or the Iraq- and Syria-based ISIS combined," Fox News reports.

In 2018, a dozen more Somalis were arrested, accused of planning to leave the US to join ISIS.

Ilhan's district is a very insular ethnic and religious community that has not fully assimilated into American society.

"For over a decade, Islamist terror groups have been able to recruit from Minnesota. This is, in part, because Minnesota has a large Muslim population compared to other parts of the US," Robin Simcox, a terrorism and national security expert at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News.

Federal authorities say they are "highly concerned" about this district's ties to international terrorism. "We are very conscious that there may still be fertile ground for that, and that is could re-start at any time," one official told Fox.

Recruitment for terrorism usually takes place online where jihadists criticize US counterterrorism policies, like targeted assassinations and drone strikes that sometimes kill innocent civilians. A number of these Somali terrorists have become suicide bombers while others are believed to have died on the battlefield.

Congresswoman Omar has a history of being sympathetic to Somalis terrorists.

She defended six Somalis arrested in 2015 for trying to cross into Mexico in an attempt to join ISIS in Syria. As the case moved forward in 2016, the then-state representative wrote a letter to the trial judge requesting "compassion" and a lighter sentence.

"Such punitive measures not only lack efficacy, they inevitably create an environment in which extremism can flourish, aligning with the presupposition of terrorist recruitment," Omar wrote. "The best deterrent to fanaticism is a system of compassion."

In 2013, Omar said al-Shabab's terror attack on a Kenyan shopping mall that killed nearly 70 people and wounded 200 others, was a reaction to US "involvement in other people's affairs."

Now here is the latest article about her Feb 24, 2025:

Nasty Ilhan Omar Smears Americans With Enraging Insult

Published February 24, 2025

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar continues to prove she is not afraid to say very stupid things.

The liberal Democrat from Minnesota (originally from Somalia) has a long history of smearing people she doesn't agree with and even attacking American heroes who fought to save her people from a genocide.

Her last few weeks have certainly been something to behold. She attacked the American military, arguing it doesn't keep us safe, and that comment looks smart and rational when compared to her latest rant.

Ilhan Omar attacks Americans as idiots. What's something a politician should never do if they want to remain in power? Probably attack voters as morons and idiots, but that's exactly what she did during a recent interview.

"I'm at the point where it has become really hard to have an intellectual debate with any of these people because the level of stupidity that they are displaying every single day is, frankly, embarrassing. Not just in Congress, but as Americans. And the fact that these people are allowed to say just the most ridiculous things tells you that the dumbing of the United States has arrived because how else do we get a Trump presidency again," Omar said during an interview with Medhi Hasan.

That's right, folks. Ilhan Omar thinks the fact Donald Trump is President again is a sign that Americans are idiots.

COMMENTS

When politicians talk crap about 50% of the country and I happen to be part of that 50%, I’m inclined to take my Dineros and spend them in a state that don’t vote for idiots liker her. Comprende? Sorry Minnesota, no tour for you this year.

As far as the so-called “Squad”, the only squad I identify with is the Mod Squad. Remember that show that ran from 1968-1973? I was 12 years old when it started.

TINA SMITH

The always nauseating,”half asleep” looking and lo-energy poor excuse of a Senator from Minnesota who voted 98.5% of the time with Joe Biden picked a fight with Elon Musk this week. Yes you read that right. One of the most useless and insignificant US senators is picking a fight with the worlds richest man and some would say one of the smartest men in the world. And she called him a “Dick”. Here is the story.

Sen. Tina Smith calls Elon Musk a 'd***' over his latest federal worker firing threat

Musk warned federal workers to document their weekly accomplishments or resign.

Feb 23, 2025

Having recently announced that her current term in Congress will be her last, Sen. Tina Smith (DFL) is pulling no punches when it comes to Elon Musk's controversial actions in the Trump Administration.

On Friday, Musk tweeted that all federal employees must respond to an email requesting they document their accomplishments for the past week, with failure to respond "taken as a resignation":

It's the latest move in Musk's controversial crackdown on the size of the federal workforce, which is being carried out through his newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, aka DOGE.

In response to the Friday announcement, Sen. Smith referred to Musk's actions as "the ultimate dick boss move," before adding: "Except he isn't even the boss, he's just a dick."

"I bet a lot of people have had an experience like this with a bad boss – there’s an email in your inbox on Saturday night saying, 'Prove to me your worthiness by Monday or else,'" Smith continued in a followup tweet. "I'm on the side of the workers, not the billionaire asshole bosses"

COMMENTS

I find it rich for somebody like Tina “Dicklet” Smith to be so upset with anybody trying to clean up the government especially after her party has been guilty for a large part of it. They have held the power for 12 of the past 16 years. On the other hand she has worked for three of the biggest “Dicks” in the past several years. In other words she knows a lot about “Dicks”. Here they are:

Tina “Dicklet” Smith, the always ineffective and boring Senator will not be running in the next election. I guess she needs to catch up with her sleep and that’s good news. So that ends our tour with Jim Paine and company, and a lousy one at that. Well, there’s always next year.

WHAT’S WITH THE NICKNAMES?

This is a true story about my fascination, some might think obsession with nicknames. It started in Ottawa just after the summer of 1969, 56 years ago. I was 13 years old and I started grade 9 at Canterbury School. I met a new friend who also enjoyed nicknames and we were off to the races.

We had a classmate who fancied himself as a lady’s man. He wore nice clothes and his hair was always perfect and he was a nice guy. In other words, the complete opposite of me and my friend. One day we gave him a nickname and he didn’t like it. We were thrilled and laughed our heads off.

We decided to double down on stupid and planned to go on a mission to give him 100 nicknames. It took us a few weeks and a ton of laughs but we wrote them down on a list and were very proud of that and dubbed him “The Man of a Hundred Names”.

Then shortly after that, he was having a birthday party at his parents house. So we thought, “Wow that’s great, let’s go and give him the list for his birthday”. And that’s just what we did. It didn’t go well. He did not like it and proceeded to rip up the list. We were a bit shocked but after a few seconds we broke out into laughter. Mission accomplished.

Now the down side to this type of behavior was that it wasn’t well received by the girls in our class. In fact, I think it’s safe to say they thought we were a couple of immature, infantile children. But we didn’t care. Nicknames were more important than a bunch of snooty girls. Going on a date was not in our immediate future.

And all of this lead to now over 50 years of nicknames. Thousands of them. I’ve met tons of people over my life and nicknames have come in handy. Just the other day my wife asked me if I remembered this guy and she gave me his name and I said no. Then she gave me his nickname and I knew exactly who he was. Happens all the time. And now you know how it all started.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Well that’s it for this Blog. Since I cover politicians, I’m starting to feel like one. “Promises made, promises not kept”. I know I promised to touch on a few subjects the last few Blogs but I will cover them next time. I promise. I think. Maybe.

Thanks again for reading, Brian

blog 86

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:24:02 GMT

THE BLATNIK BRIDGE, NTEC, MINI GOLF AND MORE

AND I’M NOT PUTTING AROUND!!!

761. Hello everyone and welcome to today’s Blog. Lots to cover so let’s get started. And unfortunately, there is no shortage of nonsense. I want to start with a story about the population outlook for Wisconsin including Superior, with comments from the #1 Know-It-All, Mayor Jim Paine.

Wisconsin’s population projected to decline

By Evan Casey, Wisconsin Public Radio and Shelley Nelson, Superior Telegram

January 09, 2025 at 7:37 AM

SUPERIOR — A new projection from the state found Wisconsin’s population is expected to decline by nearly 200,000 residents by 2050.That’s largely due to declining birth rates and the aging of baby boomers, according to a Wisconsin Department of Administration report that uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2020 the state’s population was 5.98 million. By 2050 that number is expected to decrease to 5.71 million — a decline of nearly 184,000 residents. The projection expects the state’s population to remain stable from 2020 to 2030. It’s then expected to decrease around 1% from 2030 to 2040, and just over 2% from 2040 to 2050.

Douglas County is projected to lose almost 9,665 people by 2050, according to the report. The county’s only city, Superior, is projected to lose 6,141 people, a reduction of 23% of the current city population of 26,751.

The report found the statewide decline is largely due to the “changing age distribution.”“In coming decades, Wisconsin’s largest generation, the baby boomers, will enter higher-mortality age groups,” the report said.

If the state were to maintain its population, it would “require a large unforeseen shift,” according to the report. That could be a “large decrease in mortality; a large increase in fertility,” or an increase in new migration to the state. John Johnson, a researcher at Marquette University Law School, called the projection “sobering.”

“Anyone who’s looked at birth statistics knows that people in Wisconsin are having fewer and fewer babies, and we’re not a hot spot for migration,” Johnson said.

Wisconsin’s population growth has stalled in recent years. A 2021 report from Forward Analytics found that from 2010 to 2020, Wisconsin’s population increased by 3.6% — the smallest increase in any 10-year period in the state’s history.

Dale Knapp, the director of Forward Analytics, said the state projections aren’t necessarily surprising to him.

“The only way that we’re going to see some of these numbers turn around is people moving here, people coming to Wisconsin from other states or other countries,” Knapp said.

Knapp said population decline will add to the state’s workforce shortage. That could be worse in the northern part of the state, Knapp said, where the projection found 16 counties across the state are expected to see a 15% or more population decline by 2050.

“Many of them are tourist counties,” Knapp said. “The workforce challenge is going to be enormous.” Johnson also said there will be a higher demand for services for older people in the coming years as more baby boomers retire. “Those services will be harder to provide, because there will be fewer working age people to provide for them,” he said.

The projected population decline will be more pronounced in some counties because they have different age distributions, according to the report. The report found “stable population” generally occurs when total fertility rates are around the 2.04-to-2.09 range. But Wisconsin’s total fertility rates have been around the 1.6-to-1.9 range from 1975 to 2020.

The median age of Superior residents is 38, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, and 17.5% of the city’s population is 65 or older. Countywide, 19.9% of the population is 65 or older, and the median age is 42.1 years, the 2020 census showed.

Superior has been focused on policy — from building housing to meet the needs of smaller families, rewriting its zoning code for housing and other amenities that make the community livable, and is now turning its attention to downtown spaces to make them livable as well, said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

“We are building rapidly through multiple policies,” Paine said. He said the Vacant to Value programs developed have also created new opportunities for new and renovated housing in the city. Those programs offer people the opportunity to purchase city-owned land or houses for $1 under an agreement to build new or renovate homes for owner-occupied housing.

“The answer to increase your population is just to supply housing, but also to supply it in a way that benefits changing demographics, which is smaller families and a younger population that generally requires smaller spaces with more community amenities — parks, access to businesses and shops, access to work, safe neighborhoods,” Paine said. “So that’s what we’re doing.”

Paine said while the methodology of the report is solid, he is still skeptical that the next census will reflect Superior losing population. After all, hundreds of housing units have been added since the 2020 census and housing prices have soared since 2020. It’s something that wouldn’t happen if people didn’t want to live in Superior, the mayor said.

“I’ve been reading demographic projections for years now in government and they’ve been wrong every time,” Paine said. He said they tend to show trends but he believes the city’s population will grow by the 2030 census. Paine said the report doesn’t take into account what is happening in the economy and climate change, which affects some areas harder than Superior.

“COVID was a major disruptor with many more people being able to work remotely, and 100% remote positions can live anywhere,” Paine said. “Somebody could be working in Los Angeles or New York and living in Superior, Wisconsin. We’re already seeing some of that with folks migrating from the Twin Cities.” Meanwhile, Dane County is among the minority of counties with anticipated population growth — from 561,504 residents in 2020, to 779,265 in 2050 — a 38% increase.

Nationally, the Congressional Budget Office is projecting the population will increase from 342 million people in 2024 to 383 million people in 2054.

762.

COMMENTS

As I have been saying on many of my Blogs, the population of Superior has been declining for many years including those since possibly the Worst Mayor of Superior ever, Jim Paine took office. So let’s analyze the brilliant, almost genius like comments that “Jimmy Neutron” contributed to what seems to be a very well researched article.

#1 Paine said:

I SAY:

What a pile of crap. As usual, no facts or figures to support his statement. And every time this city rewrites a code it’s just to make our lives more miserable. I don’t see or want the city to build anything. Leave that up to investors and developers. If there is a need or demand they will fulfill it. That’s how it works. But if they feel that a city is indifferent or not business friendly, they will go elsewhere to invest and build.

# 2 Paine said:

I SAY:

Yup, more crap. What exactly are you doing? Where did you cut and paste that statement from? Again no facts to support what you just said. Maybe you took that from one of your textbooks from the great schooling you had.

# 3 Paine said:

I SAY:

You guessed it, more crap. Look at the chart. What would lead you to believe that after years and years of population decline that the numbers and pattern will change. Keep in mind this article was written Jan 9, 2025. That’s only a few weeks after you got those infamous tax bills. Do you think that maybe people who might have been thinking of moving here were discouraged by that whole mess? You said the following: “hundreds of housing units have been added since the 2020 census”. Facts and figures please?

# 4 Paine said:

I SAY:

Yep, that’s a Megacrap for sure. Paine said: “I’ve been reading demographic projections for years now in government and they’ve been wrong every time,” Well if anybody would know about government being wrong every time, Jim Paine would be an expert on that. He then said: “It doesn’t take into account what is happening in the economy and climate change”. Note to Paine. On November 5, 2024 “Climate Change” was declared a HOAX. Having said that, people do move because of weather and it’s usually northerners moving south for warmer surroundings. I don’t know about you, our readers, but I have never met anybody who has moved anywhere because of climate change. And by the way do you think he has “Been reading demographic projections for years now”? I don’t. I think there is a better chance that he’s been reading more comic books than “reports”.

FINAL COMMENTS

764. The one thing the article doesn’t touch on is the politics of Wisconsin. This state is plagued with terrible Mayors and equally bad City Councils. Superior, Madison. Milwaukee, Sheboygan and the list goes on and on. High taxes, lousy weather and awful local politicians. Think about it. Anyway we all just read Paine’s responses and I feel like I just fell into a pool of hippo shit. Nauseating, devoid of facts or as I would call it, the usual from our always uninformed Mayor. I know the picture above is sickening, but I’d rather look at that than listen to another Mayor Paine childish rant. And that leads us to our next story which just broke on Thursday Feb 20th.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE

TRUMP VS PAINE

LAST ELECTION RESULTS

77,284,118 Votes

4,432 Votes

Trump administration seeks to fast-track Nemadji Energy Center

The proposed power plant in Superior is among projects deemed eligible for expedited review.  By Danielle Kaeding / Wisconsin Public Radio February 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM

Permits for hundreds of energy projects may be fast-tracked by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Trump administration, including plans for a pipeline project in the Great Lakes and a fossil fuel plant in Superior.

The Army Corps designated the projects as eligible to receive an emergency permit following President Donald Trump’s executive order that declared a national energy emergency. They include a roughly $1 billion gas-fired power plant in Superior proposed by several utilities. Enbridge’s proposal to build a $750 million tunnel to house Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lakes Michigan and Huron, is also on the list.

The agency has previously fast-tracked permits in emergencies, such as natural disasters. Federal regulations say the Army Corps can expedite permits if it would create “an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property, or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship” to follow the agency’s standard process.

Beth Wallace with the National Wildlife Federation said in a virtual briefing Wednesday the fast-track plan is part of an effort to circumvent the permitting process. “We are urging members of Congress to not allow permit rubber-stamping or sidestepping to expedite the interests of Enbridge in this case and to, first and foremost, protect the interests of people and wildlife in the Great Lakes,” said Wallace, the group’s Great Lakes climate and energy director.

La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative, Minnesota Power in Duluth and Basin Electric Power Cooperative in North Dakota want to build the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, or NTEC, as they shift away from coal and invest in renewable energy.

“It really is not much of a surprise, but that doesn’t mean that this is anywhere near an approved project,” Superior Mayor Jim Paine said. “This project still has insurmountable hurdles.”

The Superior City Council has denied local approvals for the project, and utilities still need to reapply for a state air permit. Environmental groups Clean Wisconsin and the Sierra Club have also asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear their case challenging utility regulators’ decision to approve the plant’s construction.

Clean Wisconsin spokesperson Amy Barrilleaux disputed Trump’s claims the plan would unleash American energy. “What we’re really going to be doing is unleashing the worst impacts of climate change and air pollution in communities all across this country,” Barrilleaux said.

Environmental groups point out the plant would impact around 55 acres of wetlands and produce nearly 3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The federal Rural Utilities Service has said the plant would also reduce emissions in the region by about 800,000 tons each year by displacing coal plants. Lake Superior tribes have also raised concerns about the project’s effects on treaty rights and the remains of tribal ancestors near the site.

In a statement, Dairyland Power spokesperson Katie Thomson said the plant is an example of critical infrastructure projects that have faced permitting delays nationwide. “The facility was originally scheduled to be in service this year,” Thomson said. “If that timeline had been met, the Superior region would be within months of having a state-of-the-art facility supporting greatly increased renewable energy generation while yielding family-supporting jobs and $1 million/year in new tax revenue to the city and county.”

Thomson said the power cooperative is reviewing whether the emergency permit designation may affect plans to build the project.

Other eligible projects

Enbridge’s Line 5 runs 645 miles and carries up to 23 million gallons of oil per day from Superior to Sarnia, Ontario. In a statement, Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner noted the company first applied for a permit with the Army Corps in 2020 for the proposed tunnel, calling it critical energy infrastructure. The project aims to reduce the risk of spills in a 4-mile span of the 72 year-old Line 5, which has been damaged by anchor strikes in recent years.

“However, after nearly five years, the project still awaits action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on an environmental impact statement and a permitting decision,” Kellner said. Michigan officials have granted approvals for the project.

Environmental groups and tribes are challenging approval of the tunnel project. The company is also locked in legal battles with the state of Michigan and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa over shutting down and removing Line 5 from the bottom of the Great Lakes and the tribe’s lands in northern Wisconsin.

The Army Corps also identified six additional eligible projects in Wisconsin, including a We Energies project to remove wires and poles over the Fox River. The utility’s spokesperson Brendan Conway said no wetland or waterway impacts are expected to occur.

COMMENTS

765. So “Pee-Wee” Paine wants to take on Donald Trump. Geez, I wonder who’s gonna win that fight? The man of “Not” his word is now in a tough spot that he created when he changed his vote on NTEC. I don’t see how this ends well for him and those other dumb-ass Mayor bootlickers AKA City Councilors that joined him by also changing their minds which include Jenny Van Sickle, the Mayors wife and Ruth Ludwig who both changed their vote. So we went from 2019 when City Council voted unanimously to approve the project to where we are today. If nothing else, this should be interesting to follow these two titans (well at least one of them is) of politics fight this out. In one corner President Donald Trump and in the other corner, Mayor Pee-Wee Paine. Any one want to place a bet on who will win? Now on to our next story.

This is from our friends at Soupnutz.net.

FEBRUARY 4TH CITY CLOWNCIL MEETING – NEW STUDY: LEAD POISONING IMPAIRS DECISION-MAKING

—JUST LOOK AT SUPERIOR CITY CLOWNCIL!

February 18, 2025

“Welcome to Superior, Wisconsin, the town where Mayor Jim Paine prioritizes bus-driving contests over clean drinking water, and the city council moves faster on mini-golf leases than public health crises.

Yes, you read that right —Mayor Jim Paine won a plastic traffic cone in a bus-driving contest , while residents are still drinking lead-contaminated water .

Mayor Jim Paine: Award-Winning Bus Driver, Budget-Burning Politician

Before tackling the trivial issue of toxic water, Mayor Jim Paine proudly announced:

“I won a bus-driving contest in Duluth! The Golden Cone now belongs to Superior!”

A cone . A literal plastic cone. Meanwhile, Superior’s water system still belongs in a Superfund site.

What did the city council do? They clapped.

Deep Thoughts from the Clowncil

Councilor Van Sickle, who never questioned Mayor Jim Paine’s reckless spending of ARPA funds , suddenly became a financial watchdog: 

“We don’t have enough information yet. What if Superior Water, Light & Power mismanages the funds?”

Oh, NOW we care about spending?

Where was this concern when Mayor Jim Paine burned through ARPA money like a kid with birthday cash?

Meanwhile, Councilor Sweeney added his usual insight: 

“I have 27 questions, but I won’t ask them all right now.”

Narrator : He absolutely did.

And then, a rare moment of clarity from Councilor Elm: 

“Wait… why isn’t Superior Water, Light & Power here?”

Oh, you expected them to show up? No, no. Even they know the City Clowncil is a waste of time.

Meanwhile, in More Important News: Mini-Golf!

While the lead poisoning crisis sparked endless debate , the council approved Captain J’s Mini-Golf lease in record time:

$500 rent increase
Approved in 30 seconds
No discussion, no hesitation, no questions

“Oh yeah, sounds good.” – Councilor Graskey, an intellectual

So, to recap:

Lead pipes? Let’s argue for two hours.
Mini-golf? Approved instantly.

Clearly, this town has its priorities straight.

Final Verdict: Another Meeting, Another Waste of Oxygen

After two hours of government theater, here’s what actually happened:

Mayor Jim Paine is now the Michael Jordan of Bus-Driving.
Mini-golf is secured for future generations.

Lead pipes? Still full of lead.

And let’s not forget: 

 The same city officials who let Mayor Jim Paine burn through ARPA funds without a second thought are suddenly experts on responsible spending.

Superior, WI: Where Winning a Traffic Cone is More Important Than Clean Drinking Water.

766. I hate mini golf. Why? When we lived in Florida there is Mini-Golf places all over and my wife and kids used to go to them frequently and they all really enjoyed going but not me. Why? Because my wife would beat me almost all the time and her and the kids seemed to get great joy in that. And the worst part of it they made sure I didn’t forget even to this day.

Anyway, I looked up the Council meeting for Feb 4, 2025 and I found this letter on the city’s website that Mayor Paine signed on November 13, 2024. Here it is:

MEMORANDUM

DATE: November 13, 2024

To: Mayor Jim Paine and the Common Council

From: Jason Serck, Planning Director

RE: Lease Agreement- Captain J's Miniature Golf November 19, 2024

It is requested that the Common Council approve Lease Agreement Amendment III for Captain J's Miniature Golf on Barker's Island.

Introduction

1. Captain J's Miniature Golf has been operating on Barker's Island since 1982. The current agreement will be extended and rent payments have been renegotiated.

Background

2. Captain J's Miniature Golf has been a fixture at Barker's Island but has suffered a downturn in business due to the economy and the discontinuation of harbor tours originating from Barker's Island. Nonetheless, the mini golf operation is niche that is not offered elsewhere in Superior, and it offers an economical recreation option for both residents and visitors.

Captain J's has recently invested capital to improve and upgrade their operations, while still keeping their prices affordable for families.

The rent has been renegotiated to three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), annually, from the previous two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). The term will be extended through December 31, 2028.

Conclusion

3. It is the Planning Department's recommendation to approve Amendment III for Captain J's for the revised rent and extension of the Lease Agreement. Captain J's Lease Agreement Amendment Ill 1.

This was recommended and signed by Mayor Jim Paine.

MORE COMMENTS

767. This story caught my eye because it says a lot about our Mayor. Let me explain.

He signed this letter only a few weeks before the city sent out the property tax bills and ruined Christmas for many residents. It is my belief that he knew how bad the increases were before he signed this letter. And if that’s not bad enough they voted for it on Feb 4, 2025. That’s only 4 days after your first property tax bill was due and many of you are struggling with your January credit card bills. And by the way you might want to cut back on, or completely eliminate this year’s summer holiday. The second half of your tax bill is due July 31.

He goes on to say that Captain J's has been a fixture here and has suffered a downturn in business due to certain factors. He acknowledges that they are niche that is not offered elsewhere in Superior, and it offers an economical recreation option for both residents and visitors. Captain J's has recently invested capital to improve and upgrade their operations, while still keeping their prices affordable for families.

The rent has been renegotiated to three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), annually, from the previous two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). The term will be extended through December 31, 2028.

It is the Planning Department's recommendation to approve Amendment III for Captain J's for the revised rent and extension of the Lease Agreement. Captain J's Lease Agreement Amendment Ill 1.

This was recommended and signed by Mayor Jim Paine.

You can see the actual here:

https://www.superiorwi.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02042025-1019

COMMENTS

768. I thought about how to break this down and I think the best way was to take their letter and just tweak it a bit. Here it is:

DATE: November 13, 2024

To: Mayor Jim Paine and the Uncommon Council

From: Jason Serck “Du Soleil”, Planning Director

RE: Hostage Agreement- Captain J's Miniature Golf November 19, 2024

It is requested that the Uncommon Council approve Ransom Agreement Amendment III for Captain J's Miniature Golf on Barker's Island.

Introduction

1. Captain J's Miniature Golf has been operating on Barker's Island since 1982. The current agreement will be extended and rent payments have been renegotiated. Did they really have a choice? LOL-Jason

Background

2. Captain J's Miniature Golf has been a fixture at Barker's Island but has suffered a downturn in business due to the economy and the discontinuation of harbor tours originating from Barker's Island. That sucks eh? Too bad, so sad. We still want that extra 500 bucks. Nonetheless, the mini golf operation is niche that is not offered elsewhere in Superior, and it offers an economical recreation option for both residents and visitors. Captain J's has recently invested capital to improve and upgrade their operations, while still keeping their prices affordable for families.

So we just thought that we would raise the rent and Captain J's can just pass this cost to their customers and make it less affordable for them because that’s how we roll baby! Why? Because we can.

The ransom has been renegotiated to three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), annually, from the previous two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). The term will be extended through December 31, 2028.

Over the course of the lease that works to about 45 cents a day. Even though we have a multi million dollar budget and we did absolutely nothing to deserve a raise in rent like the fact the population is dropping every year because we are doing a shitty job attracting new residents. And we have been busy chasing businesses out of the city as well. We also have been busy raising taxes so people will have less disposable income and that also should hurt your business. So good luck on that.

Most of us, including me and City Council have never signed the front of of a check or created a job. But don’t worry about that, we know what we are doing. The Mayor said so. Remember his comments about SWLP? We also believe that all people who own a business are millionaires. You are a millionaire aren’t you?

I know you could spend that money more wisely than we will but I really don’t care and if you want to bitch about it, I will make your life a living hell.

Conclusion

3. It is the Planning Department's recommendation to approve Amendment III for Captain J's for the revised ransom and extension of the Hostage Agreement. Captain J's Lease Agreement Amendment Ill 1.

This was recommended and signed by Mayor Jim Paine.

Love and kisses- LOL-Jim

770.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When I first read this letter, which was written by the city, it reminded me of living in Canada in the 90’s when the country was going through a very serious recession. Thousands of businesses were writing their landlords, me included, looking for rent relief. But as I said, this letter came from the city and they are pointing out the problems that Captain J's was having. So what’s the solution? Raise the rent of course. Only a socialist/communist thinks like that. And then the 10 City Councilors just go ahead and agree like the goofballs they are. And for what? A lousy 500 bucks, or 45 cents a day. And two other things they don’t mention is there have been several articles stating that the Twin Ports and Twin Cities are expecting a softer tourist season this year. Could we call that the Tampon Tim effect?

Who knows, but a new report has just come out stating that around 40% of people regardless of party spend their money in stores, on products and on leisure and travel based on their politics which by the way is something I take into consideration myself.

Wouldn’t have been nice if the city would just left the rent the same or even reduced it by 500.00 (45 cents a day)? Politics are also about optics and the optics here are awful. They just pulled a number out of their ass and that number was 500 bucks. In case you were wondering that’s a 20% increase.

771. I don’t know about you but I find it quite disgusting how these politicians are so addicted to your money. This story was never about 500 bucks, it was about the mindset of Mayor Paine and this City council. Their lack of curiosity, common sense and thought process is quite frankly, scary.

But I believe the most important thing for not just for Captain J's, but for the entire city is the effect of the Blatnik bridge construction. Over the years many of my businesses have been subject to construction projects. Some small, some medium and some catastrophic. The one thing they all had in common is they were all business killers. I think the Blatnik bridge one might be mega catastrophic. It is supposed last four years.

If the city doesn’t get it right from the onset it could be disastrous for the city. It really comes down to the flow in and out of both cities. The time it takes from point A to point B. Superior can’t afford to lose a large segment of Duluth’s business for that long. Our leaders need to get it right from day 1.

And if I’m only half right about the effect of the Blatnik bridge on local businesses, I don’t feel the current Mayor and City Council and administration are equipped to guide this city through what could be the biggest business and job killer that has hit this city ever. I’ll talk more on this on the next Blog.

FINAL WORDS

772. That’s it for today’s Blog. On the last Blog and the one before that, I said:

“On the next I will be talking taxes, fake news and local politics featuring “Tooler Elmo” AKA Tylor Elm and “Jenny Van Popsicle” AKA Jenny Van Sickle and a lot more. I promise all that and my fascination with nicknames too”.

But this time I really mean it. And unlike Mayor Paine, I take full responsibility and I’m not blaming anybody but myself. I would like to blame someone else but I can’t think of one.

Thanks, Brian

blog 85

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:44:22 GMT

THE PALACE BAR

SOLD!!!!!

755. Welcome everyone to Blog 85. As most of you know The Palace Bar reopened on Thursday Feb. 6. It had been closed since June 30 2022. It has been operating longer that I’ve been alive and I’ll be 70 this year. We wish the new owner all the success while continuing the tradition of the Palace.

As part of the transition we have handed over the Palace Bar Facebook page to the new owner. The new Facebook page is Palace bar truth. If you subscribe to the Blog, which of course is always free, nothing changes. You will continue to get an email with a link to the newest Blog. For those of you who don’t subscribe, just go to our new Facebook page for updates. Our actual website remains the same, Palacebartruth.com.

The big story on social media lately has been the lead water debate. Here is the latest article in Tuesday's Telegram.

Council delays vote on bill allowing SWL&P access to lead pipe funds

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — When city councilors meet again Feb. 19, they’ll consider a resolution involving federal lead pipe replacement funding.

The resolution was proposed by councilors Brent Fennessey and Mark Johnson on Wednesday, Feb. 5, but a vote was postponed.

It would support a proposed bill to amend state law to allow a private company to use federal capitalization grant funds for lead line replacements.

State Sen. Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, and Rep. Chanz Green, R-Grand View, have announced they are introducing the bill.

If adopted by the Wisconsin Legislature and passed into law, the bill would allow Superior Water, Light and Power, its customers or potentially both access to the safe drinking water loan program administered by the state’s administration and natural resources departments.

Under current law, SWL&P, a private company, is the only owner of a community water system that cannot access the program that

provides partially forgivable loans for modifications to public water systems. Quinn proposes to change that specifically to allow federal capitalization grants to be used for replacing lead service lines by a private owner of a community water system.

“This bill addresses the critical funding gap that disproportionately affects Superior residents,” Johnson said. Residents could save 50% or more of the cost when they are required to replace their lead service lines, he said. Johnson said the Superior Days delegation asked for the legislation last year.

However, funding for lead pipe replacements, required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s lead and copper rule, was dropped from the agenda for this year’s lobbying effort after delegates couldn’t reach a consensus about whether a private company should be able to access public funds.

“First of all, it’s a waste of our political capital,” Councilor Garner Moffat said Wednesday, Feb. 5. “Even if the council unanimously supported it, no one else in the state Legislature would want to support it because it puts their small public utilities in direct competition” for funding.

Moffat said it doesn’t make sense to use public funding to drive up the cost of SWL&P assets if the city reclaims the water utility. He said the city should have the information it needs to decide whether to seek to take over the city’s water system from SWL&P in about a year.

Johnson said he’s not opposed to the city taking over the private water utility, but the city doesn’t have a year to wait to change the law.

A survey of the materials used in the water system found 36% of the utility-owned side of the system and 7% of the company’s 10,000 customers will have to replace lead service lines.

Another 8% of the system is unknown. SWL&P has until 2027 to investigate the materials used in the water system, Joscy Skandel, SWL&P manager of regulatory compliance, policy and rates, told the Telegram.

COMMENTS

756-I have to say that I have not followed this lead water story super close. I’ve read the articles in the papers and everything on social media but one thing I have learned by following City Hall is that when they delay a vote at a City Council meeting it usually triggers the “Kiss of Death”. So I guess we will see how it plays out.

But I did find one little tidbit on Mayor Paine’s Facebook page. He posted this on Sept 6, 2024:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

September 6, 2024·

SWL&P asked the Public Service Commission for a double digit rate increase. The City of Superior formally intervened and we’ve been fighting it for months now, especially the water increase. Superior has the only private water utility in the state and the highest rates because each increase includes an extra 10% for their shareholders. We asked the PSC to hold a public hearing in Superior rather than Madison so they can hear how this rate hike will impact our community.

Join me on Monday, Sept. 9th, to let them know. You have three opportunities to speak, 2 pm and 6 pm in the Government Center, room 270, or you can submit a written statement. I’ll post the link in the comments. I can’t promise we’ll win this fight but I think it’s about time they started hearing from us.

MORE COMMENTS

756-Keep in mind he posted this before the tax bills came out in December but after the assessments were sent out in August. Let’s look at some of the people’s comments to his post:

1- Ppl in Las Vegas pay less than we do! They live in a desert, we live feet from the largest fresh water puddle on the planet!!

2- The smoke and mirrors was the property tax assessments. My city tax increased 16.3% the school tax increased by 39.8% and Douglas County increased by 11.4%. This increase is far worse than the small increase superior water light and power got. You mr mayor are a liar and a crook!

3- Why are you only fighting the water increases? Increases for Natural gas and electricity needs to be fought too! People cannot afford to live with everything going up and companies continuing to make such insane profits on NEEDS. Heat and water are not wants! People can’t choose not to heat their homes.

4- LITERALLY. I live in a TINY 2 bedroom apartment and my utilities in winter are 400+. Yes I’ve called to see why because it doesn’t seem right and SWLP says sorry not sorry basically. I can’t imagine what they’ll be in 2025 with these increases. My utilities shouldn’t be over half of what my rent is!

5- me too. These utilities are insane! Between my utilities and property taxes, there’s no way I could afford to live in my house when I’m elderly on a limited income!

6- but 125% and more is ok for assessments on our property? And the open book is a waste of time the whole system is rigged.

7- Speaking of the public's interest, please speak to your conflict of interest regarding the Municipal Forest and your uncle's easement.

8- This is getting ridiculous, going to have to move out of Superior soon. They said they would lower the rates after the refinery was back up and they have only raised the prices. Currently budgeting $300 a month for just SWLP and we have a small house.

9- Let’s admit it, it’s to pay for the “green energy upgrades” ..the scam you push

10- This was just a publicity stunt ro draw attention away from the HUGE cost coming to taxpayers for the massive property tax reassessment.

11-And then there was this comment from DeeDee “Flamingo Feathers” Fetters, #2 Jim Paine Fan Girl. #1 Fan Girl belongs to Shelly Nelson, but after this comment, DeeDee is threatening Shelley for that spot. Unfortunately it caused me to projectile vomit after eating my lunch which consisted of mostly of heavily processed food.

DeeDee Fetters

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior You shouldn't have to reiterate that Jim. Anyone who knows you knows that you are above reproach and you do not, and have never, stooped to selecting which post to keep or get rid of to prove a point. You have always been the best thing that has happened to the Mayor's office ever and for anyone ever to infer anything different needs to try to do better!

THEN THE POST OF ALL POSTS

12-This one comes from the Mayor himself, the worst thing that has happened to the Mayor's office ever:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior,

“We are considering just taking on the water utility ourselves. We know we can run it more efficiently”

Then a reader replied with the following:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior How can you make such a claim? What facts do you have to back up your claim of being more efficient?

COMMENTS

757- think it’s fair to say that we could add delusional to the Mayors resume. I really can’t believe he said that and not long after he did, the whole tax scandal blew up.

The Mayor claims he has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Superior; Master’s degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Based on his record as Mayor I would say those degrees aren’t worth the paper they were written on and I wouldn’t send my kids to those schools.

AND NOW A MOMENT OF CLARITY FROM SOUPNUTZ.NET

758- JANUARY 7TH CITY CLOWNCIL MEETING : CITY COUNCIL SPENDS $2,000 TO FIND ARTISTS FOR GRANTS, BUT LEAD IN THE WATER? Council Says, ‘Let’s Circle Back..MAYBE.

February 4, 2025

Ah, the Superior City Council—where the motto might as well be “Spending your money so you don’t have to worry about it… or understand where it went.” The January 7th, 2025 meeting was another masterpiece of misplaced priorities, tone-deaf decisions, and the occasional bureaucratic shrug. Here’s the recap you didn’t know you needed.

Mayor Jim’s “Travel is Governance” Sermon

Mayor Jim Paine opened with an Oscar-worthy monologue about the transformative power of… travel. Because, obviously, the best way to govern Superior is to not be in Superior. In the last two years alone, Jim’s racked up thousands in travel expenses—because nothing screams fiscal responsibility like treating the city’s budget like an unlimited frequent flyer account.

He encouraged council members to attend professional conferences—even if they have nothing to do with their actual jobs. Want to learn about firefighting without being a firefighter? No problem. Considering a seminar on “Advanced Underwater Basket Weaving for Municipal Leaders”? Go for it! After all, it’s only taxpayer money.

The 3% Wage Increase—Approved Faster Than You Can Say “Recession”

Blink and you missed it. The council approved a 3% raise with the speed and enthusiasm of someone fast-forwarding through commercials. No debate, no questions, no “Hey, should we maybe discuss the fact that people are struggling to pay their bills right now?” It was like watching someone swipe right on every Tinder profile—zero discernment, maximum speed.

Lead in the Water? Just Add Bureaucracy!

A concerned resident brought up the small issue of—oh, I don’t know—LEAD IN THE DRINKING WATER. You’d think this would trigger alarms, a sense of urgency, maybe even a plan. Nope. The council nodded thoughtfully, promised to maybe, possibly, consider thinking about it later, then pivoted to the next agenda item as if lead poisoning was just an inconvenient typo on a memo.

Because nothing says “we care” like treating public health hazards with the same enthusiasm reserved for reading warranty terms.

The Stop Sign Debate: Solving Problems, One Intersection at a Time

After six whole accidents at an intersection in just one year, the council heroically decided to install a four-way stop. Groundbreaking. Apparently, they needed statistical evidence that gravity works before acting.

Their logic? “Even a stop sign that lasts for a couple of years need only last for a couple of years. You can always take it out later.”

Wow. Truly revolutionary thinking. I eagerly await their next revelation: “Umbrellas are only useful when it rains.”

Public Art Grants: A Program So Popular, No One Applied

While residents are busy navigating skyrocketing taxes, crumbling infrastructure, and lead-tainted water, the council dedicated a solid chunk of time to—wait for it—public art grants. The best part?

Not a single person applied.

That’s right. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

So, what’s their solution? Spend $2,000 in taxpayer funds to advertise the free grants. Because when artists are struggling to pay rent, nothing screams “inspiration” like a bureaucratic flyer saying, “Hey, did you forget to apply for free money?”

Electric Car Charging Stations: The Suggestion That Was Met with Blinks

A resident suggested adding EV charging stations, and the council responded with the enthusiasm of someone being asked to explain quantum physics after two glasses of boxed wine. Blank stares, polite nods, and the silent internal scream of “What’s an EV again?”

Because if there’s one thing Superior excels at, it’s making progress feel like an awkward family dinner—everyone’s there, but no one knows what to say.

Final Thoughts:

The meeting wrapped up with all the urgency of a sloth on a lazy Sunday. No real solutions, just a buffet of bureaucratic filler and misplaced priorities. At this point, Superior’s new slogan should be:

“Where Leadership Takes Frequent Flyer Miles, and Common Sense Takes a Hike.”

COMMENTS

759-Another excellent article by Soupnutz, but the Mayor and City Council could cut back from two meetings a months to one. It’s just too much and it would give them more time to travel.

SOMETIME IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END

REASON # 1

Fridley basketball player attacked with pipe during game in New Hope, five arrested

JANUARY 29, 2025 AT 7:43AM

A Fridley High School basketball player is recovering from his injuries after he was attacked by five assailants during a game Tuesday night.

New Hope police arrested three adults and two juveniles in connection with the incident, which unfolded at Cooper High School shortly after the varsity boys basketball game between the Fridley Tigers and host Hawks began.

Three adults, a 19-year-old from Circle Pines and two 18-year-olds from Brooklyn Park, were booked into the Hennepin County jail on probable cause of riot. They remained in custody Wednesday morning.

Two juveniles were released to their parents or guardians, said New Hope Police Chief Tim Hoyt.

The five entered the gym and struck the player who was sitting on Fridley bench “with an object” believed to have been a pipe, Hoyt said.

“This was not random,” Hoyt said. “We know why it happened,” the chief added but said he could not say more about the attack.

Paramedics arrived to render aid to the student at the scene before taking him to a medical facility, Hoyt said. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

None of the parties involved were Cooper High students or enrollees in the Robbinsdale Area Schools, according to a letter sent to Cooper families by the district. The letter initially said six people were taken into custody.

School resource officers on site took immediate action, and coaches moved student athletes to safety, the letter said. The gym was placed on lockdown, and spectators remained inside until it was lifted, the letter said.

The attackers left the school and were arrested by New Hope police a short time later, the letter said.

“We are grateful for the swift actions of our SROs, coaches, athletic director and support staff who did an outstanding job keeping everyone calm during the situation,” the letter said.

“We remain committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for our school community.”

The game was postponed.

COMMENTS

I went to a basketball game and it turned into a hockey game.

REASON # 2

THIS FROM DEAR ABBY

Alcoholic wants to be in the room for grandchild’s birth

Dear Abby >> I am an adult child of an alcoholic. My mother is a mean drunk. While growing up, I had to act as her therapist and deal with her co-dependency. I have been lucky to have processed a lot of the trauma in therapy and to have a loving and healthy family of my own now. We actively avoid Mom after 3 p.m. because I don’t want my kids subjected to her cruelty. I do not think it is healthy for them to be around abusive, inebriated people.

I am pregnant. My mom has always wanted to be in the delivery room for a birth. However, I would rather she not be in the delivery room with us. I don’t want to be around her when she’s drunk because of her tendency to make everything about herself, cause drama and upset me. I’d rather not have to deal with her narcissism while giving birth.

We had our first child during the COVID pandemic, so we had an excuse to not have her there. The birth was extremely traumatic, and we are lucky that our child made it. My godmother wants to be in the delivery room, since she could never have her own kids. I’d love for her to be there. We are very close and get along great. How do I broach the issue of wanting my godmother there but not my alcoholic mother?

— Delivering the News

Dear Delivering >> Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother. This birth experience is for YOU, not for her. The patient needs to be calm and relaxed and not be exposed to any toxic energy BECAUSE AN INCREASE IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE OF THE MOTHER CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE BABY. If your godmother provides the emotional support you need, you should have her with you, and make no apologies for it.

COMMENT

Dear Abby, could you please bring me and my kid a drink.

REASON # 3

I still can’t get over how Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith went to the Grammys dressed up as a castle.

NOT A CASTLE

ACTUAL CASTLE

COMMENTS

760-He paid $4,600.00 for that hat. I think Chris Rock should slap all three of them and I’m thinking that Reason # 3 should have been Reason #1.

FINAL THOUGHTS

That’s it for today’s Blog. On the last Blog I said: On the next I will be talking taxes, fake news and local politics featuring “Tooler Elmo” AKA Tylor Elm and “Jenny Van Popsicle” AKA Jenny Van Sickle and a lot more. I promise all that and my fascination with nicknames too. See you soon.

Thanks, Brian

blog 84

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:51:01 GMT

I’M PUMPED UP

RIC

ARNOLD

JIMMY P.

AND IT’S MAKING MY OVERGROWN BACK HAIR STAND UP AND I LOOK LIKE A PORCUPINE!

PORCUPINE

743. Welcome to today’s Blog. In the past week I’ve seen, heard and read so many things I’d like to talk about that I had to defragment my brain about three times. I’m definitely experiencing information overload for sure. So let’s just get to it.

744.

Punxsutawney Phil

Six more weeks: A team of top-hatted associates on Sunday said Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of wintry weather. The prognosticating woodchuck made his forecast as the sun rose in western Pennsylvania. The annual ritual goes back more than a century and has far older roots in European agricultural life.

Punxsutawney Paine

Six more months: A team of very hated associates on Sunday said Punxsutawney Paine saw his butthole and predicted six more months of apathy, bad decisions, higher taxes and corruption. The prognosticating buttchuck made his forecast as the sun rose in western Wisconsin. The annual ritual goes back to 2017 when the citizens of Superior made the tragic mistake of voting him Mayor.

AND NOW A POEM FROM OUT FRIENDS AT SOUPNUTZ.NET

SoupNutz Episode 14 – BREAKING NEWS!: Superior Mayor Found Burying Numbers in Deep, Dark Hole!

January 31, 2025

In a town called Superior, not far away,
Lived Mayor Jim with numbers to play.
He found a well, deep and wide,
Where truth would sink and numbers would hide.

“Throw in a mill rate,” Jim said with cheer,
“And watch it shrink—it’ll disappear!”
But taxes rose, and spending too,
While Jim spun tales that just weren’t true.

He tossed in dollars, he tossed in dimes,
Out came a budget that climbed and climbed.
“Our streets need fixing!” the townsfolk cried,
But Jim just shrugged, “The well will provide!”

Sidewalks cracked, potholes grew,

Yet Jim had better things to do.
Tax breaks for friends, handouts galore,
But the alleys? Pay for those yourself—Mayor’s orders!

With wallets drained and patience thin,
The town saw where their cash had been.
Blacktop by the people, while Jim played king,
Handing out taxpayer money it didn’t cost him a thing .

The well would bubble, the well would churn,
Yet no real answers they’d ever discern.
For while Jim believed in his magical knack,
The town saw promises that didn’t add back.

So, children, beware this tale of woe:
A mayor whose budget grows while your streets erode.
For when truth goes missing and trust runs thin,
You might just end up with a Mayor Jim!

COMMENTS

745. I was thinking in my warped mind what would a Shelley Nelson poem to the Mayor look like. So here it is:

Oh Jimmy! Oh Jimmy! where have you been

Since the tax scandal you’ve hardly been seen

But don’t worry Jim, I’ll cover it up

It’s the least I can do, my sweet buttercup.

I think I’ll leave the poetry stuff to Souptnutz!

Then I read this in the Superior Telegram

746. This article appeared in the Telegram on Jan 31. It’s an article about various how various businesses will be affected by the new bridge. I found the article interesting but one business stood out, Great Lakes Electrical Equipment . So I will report on that one. You can read the whole article on line at the Telegram’s website.

Blatnik Bridge replacement will displace several businesses

The impacted businesses are Superior Lidgerwood Mundy, Halvor Logistics, Allstate Peterbilt Group, Twin Port Testing, Great Lakes Electrical Equipment and Halvor Lines/Halvor Logistics.

By Shelley Nelson

January 31, 2025 at 6:00 AM

SUPERIOR — The city’s northernmost waterfront is going to look different when construction gets underway to replace the Blatnik Bridge.

Great Lakes Electrical Equipment

Mahan said he would prefer to keep his electrical supply company at 320 Baxter Ave., which offers outdoor storage and about 20,000 square feet of indoor storage. “I have been told by the state that I have to be out by Jan. 1, 2026,” Mahan said.

Mahan said he has been looking at other buildings but hasn’t purchased one yet. He said he’s still negotiating with the state on the purchase price for his existing business, and he won’t know how much money he has to work with until those negotiations conclude.

“I would just as soon stay in Superior,” Mahan said. He said his preference is to relocate somewhere north of 28th Street and east of Tower Avenue or in North End.

Mahan said he thought the city and Development Association would be more helpful in the process.

“I believe the mayor made a statement at one time that he was going to make sure that they retained all the businesses, or they wanted to maintain all the businesses that were displaced by the bridge,” Mahan said. “Well, he sure hasn’t made an effort.”

Mahan said the city did offer some land available near Lakehead Constructors, 3801 Winter St., but it’s not where he wants to go

“It would destroy my business,” he said of the location on the west side of the Winter Street Industrial Park. “Would you put a restaurant down there? Would you put a gas station down there? … We’re a service business so people would have to find us.”

In addition to selling electrical supplies, Mahan said he runs his real estate business out of the Baxter Avenue location. His holdings include three downtown buildings in Superior, a venue in Duluth, a couple of warehouses and 92 apartments. He said those buildings would not suit the needs of his electrical business.

COMMENTS

747. What stood in this article was the following:

“Mahan said he thought the city and Development Association would be more helpful in the process.”

Once again another dissatisfied constituent. Can Jim Paine be the most business unfriendly Mayor that Superior has ever had? Yes it appears that way. Can the city continue to prosper and attract new business with a Mayor like him? The answer is no. Why is it that every time I turn around he has his dirty, filthy, grimy, greasy and corrupt hands on yet another confrontation with a local business? What is his problem?

The good news is that for the first that I can remember, crack reporter and the “Scribe of Superior” Shelley Nelson actually included this in her article. I can’t remember her ever putting a negative note about Paine in one of her articles before. It felt like watching your baby take it’s first steps.

The bad news is she didn’t explain in detail why Mr. Mahan was not happy with the Development Association and Mayor Paine and once again leaving us with more questions than answers.

As for Mr. Mahan. I would would like him to remember and take solace in those precious and caring words our beloved Mayor once said:

As Mayor Paine said,”Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

On the other hand Mr. Mahan:

HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR INSURANCE RATES LATELY?

I HAVE AND THEY ARE OUT OF CONTROL

748. Home and auto insurance rates have skyrocketed in last few years all over America. If you Google it, there are hundreds of articles. I chose this one which was in Minnesota Star Tribune on Jan 30th.

“IT’S A DISASTER, QUITE FRANKLY”

Minnesota’s property insurance rates are

climbing fast, with no end in sight.

Like many of her clients, insurance agent LuAnn Paulet has wished for a bad hailstorm.

Property owners have “forever” viewed their policies as maintenance contracts, she said, keeping fingers crossed for just enough damage to win cheap repairs on aging homes.

But rates are rising so quickly as coverage diminishes, “it’s a disaster, quite frankly,” she said.

“Roofs are through-the-roof expensive,” said Paulet, owner of Rosemount’s Insurance by Design, an independent agency, pointing to price tags climbing between $20,000 and $40,000.

“But that never, ever was the intention of homeowner insurance.”

Following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, poised to become the country’s most expensive natural disaster on record, with costs estimated in the tens of billions for insured losses alone, insurance experts are worried about the toll of a changing climate on an unstable industry built on pricing risk — and the potential consumer fallout.

Heavily driving increased costs for Minnesotans are severe wind and hailstorms. In 2023, a single storm swept the Twin Cities and central Minnesota, leaving behind roughly $1 billion in claimed losses. That came one year after the costliest season in state history in 2022, which tallied $6.3 billion in storm damage.

Events of such magnitude are striking the country with far greater regularity, according to data maintained by the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Risk is the chief factor that governs home insurance bills, and states regulate the industry to ensure fairness in pricing and coverage. But some researchers point to a growing gap between risk and insurance rates, as leaders in high-risk regions face intense political pressure to keep rates low at all costs.

Daniel Schwarcz, a professor at the University of Minnesota with expertise in insurance law, said there are different ways to answer how highdollar climate catastrophes can influence the home insurance market across state borders.

Regulatory pressures in some states create distortions such as artificially low rates in California and Florida that may encourage insurers to seek compensation in states more forgiving of increases. Recent evidence has supported that position, he said.

Another factor is that an unprecedented event — like the California wildfires — broadly changes risk calculation for that eventuality, causing prices to rise more broadly.

As the market continues to grow more “dysfunctional,” Schwarcz thinks the federal government should take a more active role in regulating property insurance.

‘A real challenge’

Even absent a coastline with storm threats or a year-round climate that carries the possibility of a wildfire, homeowner premium costs are rising faster in Minnesota than most other states, data collected over the past few years consistently show. An S&P Global analysis of 2017 through 2023 data found the state ranked 12th for the rate of home insurance premium increases.

The Minneapolis Fed over the summer put out a report examining the rise of home insurance costs across the northern region as providers notch greater losses. It pointed to a 39% increase over a seven year period in Minnesota, well above the pace of inflation, with premiums shooting up 15% on average just in 2023.

While premiums jump and coverages scale back, Minnesota’s private home insurance providers have struggled to turn a profit in recent years. Aaron Cocking, president and chief executive of the Insurance Federation of Minnesota, said 2024 marked the first time in the past six years when carriers actually made money in the state. Losses reached a high mark in 2022, when carriers paid about $1.92 in claims for every $1 collected in premiums, Cocking said, with weather disasters a key driver.

To stay in business, insurers need to make enough money to cover the risk of an area. Over past years, Cocking said, some insurers set premium increases just below the legal threshold to avoid triggering rate hearings. California has witnessed a mass exodus of insurance companies. Cocking said that happened because the companies were unable to get the rate they needed — a problem Minnesota has also seen to some extent.

“I think California felt, as they were doing that, that they were protecting consumers,” Cocking said. “Do you think that those consumers now feel protected from what happened? Or would they have rather paid a little more in premium and still have their insurance now?”

Although Minnesotans enjoy a relatively competitive market, Cocking said that could change. “It’s a real challenge for insurers to get the rate that they need,” he said. “The only thing worse than unaffordable insurance is unavailable insurance.”

Regulators’ role

Many Minnesota policyholders are growing increasingly frustrated. Property insurance-related complaints to the Department of Commerce, which regulates insurers doing business in the state, doubled between 2020 and 2023. Common grievances were high costs after wind and hail damage, as insurers narrowed coverage and increased deductibles.

The role of the department is balancing the interests of consumers and insurance providers, Commissioner Grace Arnold said. She stressed that the rates Minnesotans pay are based “on the conditions we’re experiencing here in Minnesota,” saying disasters in California are unfortunate but that regulation is left to individual states.

Still, one way the financial toll of California’s multibilliondollar disaster may ripple out is through more expensive reinsurance — the insurance that insurance companies buy to contain their own exposure — which weighs risk and sets cost on a global scale. Insurers say rebuilding costs are rising, driven by factors like limited labor and expensive materials and technology.

Arnold said Minnesotans are not encountering “deserts of insurance.” Cases of insurers unwilling to write coverage are rare compared with other states with greater risk levels. There is a backstop for residents unable to secure private insurance. But few use the Minnesota FAIR Plan, the insurer of last resort established by the state, said Gary Rupp, its executive director.

At its height, Rupp said, the plan carried about 12,000 policies. Today it has 3,338. But applications have increased: In 2024, the number rose by nearly 50%, Rupp said, but the overall number of new policies issued went up only 6%.

Paulet, the independent agency owner, recalled Wisconsin-based Secura’s exit from doing business in Minnesota in 2023. The company quit writing home and auto insurance policies in Minnesota, along with other states in its coverage area, on the heels of heavy weather-related losses. She views that as another sign of hard times while the industry undergoes a “fundamental shift.” Premiums are shooting up so quickly, Paulet said, that she sees a 30% increase to renew as a relatively attractive option. “It’s bad. It’s gonna be bad,” Paulet said, adding that she had been advising clients to look forward to 2026.

Destruction in Blaine

At least one Minnesotan is happy with her home insurance provider — even though her bill is getting more costly. Rena Hammes, a Blaine retiree, has kept American Family Insurance for about 40 years. Her latest premium increase is about 20%, she said, which she learned in a recent letter.

She and her husband live in a community with well-kept yards. In June 2017, a destructive storm turned her neighborhood upside down. Hail pummeled one side of her house. One of the first things she did was take photos. Then she called her insurer.

The damages amounted to about $98,000, Hammes said. “The damage was so extensive. It was crazy,” she said. She counted herself lucky to get her home fixed quickly. Some neighbors waited about two years, she said. So, when her latest increase came in the mail, Hammes understood. “It’s not like they’re doing it just to my household,” she said. “Everybody is in the same boat with this. It’s all the same everywhere.”

COMMENTS

749. This problem is country wide but has especially affected residents in Superior. The timing is bad. On the Blog I’ve spoken about my friend who bought a home for $90,000.00 a couple of years ago and the city appraised at $214,000.00 which resulted in a tax increase of over $700.00. Well now he just got his insurance bill and it’s up $300.00. And he is on a fixed disability income.

Our two vehicles have been with Progressive Insurance for many years. We put about about 3,000 miles a year on each of them. I moved to Las Vegas in October 2022. I want to show my rates. These rates are all for 6 months. No tickets, no accidents and no claims in probably 15 plus years.

02/13/2021 $442.00 WI
08/13/2021 $547.00 WI
02/13/2022 $629.00 WI
08/13/2022 $738.00 WI
01/20/2023 $1,348.00 NV
07/20/2023 $1,400.00 NV
07/20/2024 $1,647.00 NV
01/20/2025 $1,953.00 NV

There you go. It went from 442.00 on 2021 to 1953.00 in 2025. I called them and after talking for about 30 minutes they gave me $100.00 off. I then spoke to a friend that’s in the insurance business and he said All of our companies suck right now. “They overcharge and they are extremely picky on everything they write. They then inspect things and look for ways to charge more after they already wrote the policy.”

So the bottom line is “ Everything is too damn high”.

FAKE NEWS REPORT

When is a Nazi salute not a Nazi salute?

(Hint: Never)

JENNIFER BROOKS

JENNIFER BROOKS Columnist

JANUARY 30, 2025 Minnesota Star Tribune

Here’s the thing about Nazi salutes.

If you didn’t mean to make one, you would apologize if someone thought you did. Say you’re at a right-wing rally and find yourself in the middle of “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm” — clapping your hand over your heart and then thrusting it stiffarmed over the crowd. Twice.

ELON MUSK NAZI SALUTE?

When people point out that that was exactly how the Nazis saluted, do you recoil in horror? Do you denounce the hate groups who are cheering your little “my heart goes out to you” gesture? Or do you wink and nudge and enjoy the distress and confusion you created?

BARRY AND HILLARY NAZI SALUTE?

“The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” said Elon Musk, professional rich guy, amateur government bureaucrat and man of a thousand awkward gestures.

Every day since the inauguration feels like stepping out your door to find a troll in a red hat, flipping you the bird.

GRETCHEN WHITMER NAZI SALUTE?

“Did you just flip me off?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“No, you did the thing where you turn a little invisible crank as your middle finger slowly extends upward.”

“Accusing people of making rude gestures is such a cheap attack.”

“You just flipped me off again!”

TAMPON TIM NAZI SALUTE?

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for one, is tired of America poring over Musk’s straight-arm salute, frame-by-frame like the Zapruder film.

“We spent three days debating, having them trying to debate that President Musk gave a Nazi salute,” Walz said on MSNBC Tuesday. “Of course he did.”

Musk responded like every troll should — by sliding into someone else’s mentions and stealing their idea.

“I hope Elon sues [Walz] for all he’s worth,” someone on X posted about Minnesota’s famously not-rich governor.

CREEPY CLOWN NAZI SALUTE?

“I think I will,” Musk replied. “Tim Walz is a creepy [clown emoticon]”

It’s Musk vs. Walz vs. the thing we all saw.

And let the record show, throwing ironic Nazi salutes for giggles doesn’t work out so well when you’re not a billionaire.

On Tuesday, the conservative Anglican Catholic Church defrocked a priest who threw a Musk-style straight-armed salute at the conclusion of his remarks at the National Pro-Life Summit in Washington, D.C.

KATHY HOCHUL NAZI SALUTE?

Calvin Robinson had been warned against trolling behavior. When his superiors saw that gesture, they didn’t bother to debate the line between pretending to throw a Nazi salute and actually throwing a Nazi salute.

NANCY PELOSI NAZI SALUTE?

“The Holocaust was an episode of unspeakable horror, enacted by a regime of evil men,” the College of Bishops of the Anglican Catholic Church said in a statement. “We condemn Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms. And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialize the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.”

JIM PAINE NAZI SALUTE?

COMMENTS

NOOOOO,NO,NO,NO,NO.NO

750. The words above were muttered by America’s most popular communist Bernie Sanders last week at a RFK nomination hearing. And he’s right. None of the above people in this article were making a “Nazi Salute”. But according to the nauseating scribe Jennifer Brooks and Tampon Tim Walz and many other far left lunatics, that’s exactly what Elon Musk did. I just can’t take this kind of article seriously so I won’t. At first I thought it was satire but it wasn’t. The good news is that Jennifer Brooks has made a living spewing this garbage since 1992. Why is that good news? Because here in America we have “Free Speech” and it allows people like her to say what she wants and if some news organizations want to pay her they also have that right. According to her bio she has worked for nine different ones, her longest tenure being at her current job at the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2018.

The bad news! According to the miserable Ms. Brooks, all of us are guilty of doing the “Nazi Salute”. How’s that? Because if you have at least one functioning arm you have made that “Salute” hundreds of times. And if you are a hockey parent you can double or triple that number. And by the way, is there anyone more annoying than a hockey parent? Yes there is. Jennifer Brooks. Maybe Jenny should read my next article.

ATTENTION: FAKE NEWS ALERT!!!

CNN and MSNBC report worst ratings month EVER in key demographic - while Fox News enjoys its best

Published: 12:27 EST, 31 January 2025

Amid a looming landscape of languishing cable and legacy news stations, CNN and MSNBC were met with their lowest-rated Januarys in history in the highly sought 25-54 demographic.

The statistic holds importance to advertisers due to the group's spending power, and the fact that it pertains to both daytime and primetime.

Fox News, meanwhile, enjoyed its best January ever - continuing a 23-year stretch as cable news's top dog.

Seemingly unaffected by trends affecting its contemporaries, the network is gaining ground as the most-watched overall.

The distinction was once held by CNN, which recently had layoffs to raise its bottom line. The station also aired plans to shift toward a more digital-based model.

At the same time, chief executive Mark Thompson - brought in to address the situation as he has done at both The New York Times and BBC - is reportedly demanding a tone-down in reporting surrounding President Donald Trump.

SpinCo CEO Mark Lazarus, the new boss of the media conglomerate that oversees MSNBC, also expressed such a desire amid their own post-election slump, newsletters Status and The Ankler both reported.

Fox News, however, has continued to fly high - capturing more than 70 percent of cable news' audiences during primetime since, as well as nearly 50 percent overall.

The channel averaged 1.9 million total day viewers this month alone - nearly double that of MSNBC and CNN put together.

The left-leaning networks, by contrast, collected 506,000 total day viewers and 421,000, respectively - with the difference in primetime even more drastic.

During the hours of 8-11 pm ET, MSNBC barely managed an audience of 734,000, with CNN securing just 522,000.

This all occurred during a hectic news cycle that featured coverage of Justin Trudeau's resignation, Trump's inauguration and the controversy surrounding the president's parade of appointments and pardons.

Talking heads ranging from Jake Tapper to Joy Reid failed to stop the bleeding - as did a move from MSNBC that brought back Rachel Maddow to TV sets five times a week, at least for the first 100 days of the new administration.

Fox News, during primetime, raked in an average of 2.8 million viewers - a 40 percent spike when compared to last year, while both MSNBC and CNN experienced double-digit declines.

But the real damage was done in the 25-54 demographic.

In primetime, Fox managed to grow its audience by an astounding 61 percent in the demo - as CNN and MSNBC both saw double-digit drops that brought them to their knees, while widening the gap between them and their Rupert Murdoch-owned rival.

MORE

It’s a long article and you can read it in full here:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/media/article-14339563/cnn-msnbc-ratings-janurary-worst-fox-news.html?ito=email_share_article-top

COMMENTS

751. On Nov 5th we elected a new president and the media landscape changed almost overnight. Liberal news shows ratings on NBC, ABC and CBS dropped and cable news channels like CNN and MSLSD have plummeted. Resignations, firings and layoffs have dominated their news cycles. Some are doubling down on stupid, others are trying to find a path forward to stay relevant. And the print media which is primarily liberal driven has been slow to adjust. Social media like Facebook, Google and others have actually been the leaders in trying to reform their past pro-liberal policies. We will see how it all works out.

752. What I like about all this is that you, the people, especially liberals are waking up to all the nonsense that the left wing media has been feeding you for years. I call it the “Political Ozempic Diet”. You’re brain is sick and tired being fed all this garbage and you’ve decided to go on a media diet. I guarantee you will be smarter, that brain fog will lift and most importantly life for you will be better once that toxicity is removed from your head. Your IQ will go up and your social life will improve.

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE

753. Sadly it was here on the last Blog that we were the first to announce that there was no property tax relief on the way. The first payment date was last Friday and it came and went with no fanfare. Nothing from the Mayor, City Council or Fake News.

Pretty disgusting don’t you think? I had this thought. It’s not a big deal but at least it’s something. If you pay your property tax bill by credit card there is a charge of about 35.00 per $1,000.00. How about the city absorbing the fee and that would also buy you some extra time to pay. Again, not a big deal but at least it would have shown you that your elected officials were thinking about you. And never forget the words of the anointed one, Jim Paine:

As Mayor Paine said,”Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

FINAL THOUGHTS

754. Well that’s it for today’s Blog. On the next one I will be talking taxes, fake news and local politics featuring “Tooler Elmo” AKA Tylor Elm and “Jenny Van Popsicle” AKA Jenny Van Sickle and a lot more. I’ll see you then.

Brian

blog 83

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:59:49 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE

THE WRAP-UP--PART 2

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

726-THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE is Superior’s biggest story of 2024 in my opinion. I tried to find every article I could and create a timeline to try and figure it all out. This is the 6th installment of this series. We will continue to analyze all the different angles of this debacle and figure out where we go from here.

Welcome everybody to Blog 83. I’ve got a lot of things to go over today and quite frankly my brain is exploding. I’ve got a carton of Winston Gold cigarettes and a bunch of bottle water so let’s go.

I want to start off today with another great article from our friends at Soupnutz.net which was posted Jan. 27th.

Mayor Jim Confuses Mill Rates with Milkshakes!

Residents Left Counting Pennies!

The Mill Rate Sleight of Hand That Costs You Monthly

Welcome to Superior, where City Hall brags about “lowering” the mill rate while residents are hit with higher tax bills thanks to skyrocketing reassessments. Let’s break it down in real numbers, showing what it actually costs in taxes monthly just to live in your home.

Real-Life Tax Bills: Monthly Breakdown

Here’s how much homeowners are shelling out per month for property taxes after reassessments. Spoiler: it’s more than you think.

The $100,000 House

Old Valuation: $100,000
Old Mill Rate: $22 per $1,000
Old Annual Tax Bill: $2,200
Old Monthly Cost: $183.33 per month
New Valuation: $160,000 (60% increase)
New Mill Rate: $16.28 per $1,000
New Annual Tax Bill: $2,604
New Monthly Cost: $217.00 per month

The $200,000 House

Old Valuation: $200,000
Old Mill Rate: $22 per $1,000
Old Annual Tax Bill: $4,400
Old Monthly Cost: $366.67 per month
New Valuation: $320,000 (60% increase)
New Mill Rate: $16.28 per $1,000
New Annual Tax Bill: $5,209
New Monthly Cost: $434.08 per month

The $65,000 House

Old Valuation: $65,000
Old Mill Rate: $22 per $1,000
Old Annual Tax Bill: $1,430
Old Monthly Cost: $119.17 per month
New Valuation: $104,000 (60% increase)
New Mill Rate: $16.28 per $1,000
New Annual Tax Bill: $1,693
New Monthly Cost: $141.08 per month

The $300,000 House

Old Valuation: $300,000
Old Mill Rate: $22 per $1,000
Old Annual Tax Bill: $6,600
Old Monthly Cost: $550.00 per month
New Valuation: $480,000 (60% increase)
New Mill Rate: $16.28 per $1,000
New Annual Tax Bill: $7,814
New Monthly Cost: $651.17 per month

The High Cost of Living in Superior

The monthly costs show the true price of the city’s “lower mill rate” PR campaign. While the mill rate technically dropped, reassessments boosted home values, leaving residents to shoulder higher monthly bills.

A Filling Dump, and No Plan

Ah, Superior, the city where your property taxes climb faster than a squirrel on an adrenaline rush, and yet the real mess—the landfill—is being ignored like that pile of dirty dishes in your sink. While City Hall is busy patting itself on the back for lowering the mill rate (but hiking your taxes anyway), let’s talk about the ticking time bomb they’re not mentioning: where all your garbage is going to go when the dump fills up. Spoiler: It could cost you even more.

“There are many people that have just received a bill that was much, much larger than what they’ve received in the past because their value increased, relative to many others,”—Jim Paine.

COMMENTS

As I said before, this is what happens when you have a bunch of lightweights running a city. It starts with Mayor Paine and filters down to City Council. They are directly responsible for this mess and should have known better. And my position is all of them should be removed or voted out of office. I’m not sure there is a functioning brain on this City Council. And at this point having Jim Paine as mayor makes about as much sense as buying a headless condom. More on that later.

And never forget Mayor Paine’s famous statement:

“Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

727

PUNXSUTAWNEY PAINE IS BACK

So Mayor Paine is back on Facebook. Punxsutawney Paine finally came out his hole, which is about a mile from hell, after about a month (Dec 19th) since his last transmission to you, his humble servants. And it’s like nothing ever happened. No talk of taxes. The local fake news took care of that. Nope nothing to see here. Just a little puff piece about an ice festival. Oh and by the way, no Happy New Year or MLK day wishes. That’s five major holidays starting with Columbus Day without hearing from our “Dear Leader”.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

Anyway, here is his newest Post:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

January 25 at 5:31 AM

“The weather is perfect today. Join us at the Lake Superior Ice Festival, our annual argument that Winter is our best season. Kids love this event but I promise the whole thing is all ages In fact I dare you to race your kid down the snow slide. The event runs until the fireworks launch at 6:30. See you down there. “

COMMENTS

728-That’s it? What happened to the tax scandal. He made all these statements about what he was going to do to help ease the burden. At the very least he could have put up a truthful post and admit that there was nothing he could do. But that’s not how he rolls. He never admits he was wrong. The local Fake News pretty much buried the story and life goes on.

But this time it’s not working. Something happened. And that something is call Nov 5th. People aren’t buying into this crap anymore. Word salads went out of style when Kakala McNeepads AKA Kamala Harris and Tampon Tim lost the election. People want to hear the truth and they want accountability. Paine, politicians and journalists of his ilk better wake up because if they don’t they may end up on the TV program “Antique Roadshow”. I believe the days of sweeping things under the rug are coming to an end. Taxpayers are infuriated and they should be.

The Facebook post was a bust. It only got 5 comments. Here they are:

1- Add an ice fishing contest next year!

2- Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior any update on the reassessment of commercial properties? You stated the assessor didn’t perform their duties, so does this mean they will work for free?

3- No we will pay them ten times the average for screwing all the city residents.

4- Do superior a favor and cut a hole in the ice and jump in.

5- Watch the coronation!

COMMENTS

729-This is an unmitigated disaster. His tax Post on Dec 19th had 577 comments. This one has 5 comments and 3 of them are negative. That would be the second worst response to all of his posts in 2024. And the worst one he had in 2024 was zero. See Blog 80 for all the 2024 responses results. My take is after the tax scandal people have just checked out on this guy. They aren’t having it. And when they saw this post they just shook their head and said WTF? That’s what I did.

AN UPDATE ON PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL

PETA Suggests Replacing Punxsutawney Phil on

 Groundhog Day with a 'Weather Reveal' Cake

Published on January 26

PETA is calling for a change to Groundhog Day .

The organization — which stands for "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" shared a news release on Jan. 21, in which they suggested that Punxsutawney Phil , the groundhog who predicts whether winter will go on for six more weeks or spring will arrive early, should be replaced with a "weather reveal" cake.

The vegan treat, PETA said, would mimic that of a sex reveal for a baby . Once cut, the cake would show one of two colors: blue, meaning six more weeks of winter, or pink, indicating an early spring.

The animal rights advocates added that Punxsutawney Phil and his family should "retire to a reputable sanctuary" instead of taking part in the annual tradition, which takes place on Feb. 2.

COMMENTS

I wonder if PETA would consider chiming in on replacing PUNXSUTAWNEY PAINE.

TALK ABOUT TIMING

730-Superior considers higher fee to remove healthy city trees

The convenience fee could double to cover the costs of removal and replacement.

By Shelley Nelson

January 20, 2025 at 10:21 AM

SUPERIOR — Removing a healthy city tree will cost more under a proposal recommended Thursday, Jan. 16, by the Urban Forest Tree Board.

The tree removal convenience fee would double from $50 to $100 per diameter inch.

The fee allows businesses and homeowners to remove trees from city property that are in the way for purposes like construction. One example of when the fee is applied is when a homeowner wants the city to remove a tree that’s in the way of building a garage and driveway, said Councilor Ruth Ludwig, chairperson of the board.

Ryan Wintlend, the city’s parks, recreation and forestry superintendent, said it would improve efficiency if the city increased the per-diameter-inch fee to cover the cost of removing the tree and purchasing and planting a new tree at another location.

“I don’t think the city’s going to lose money or make money based on that number,” Wintlend said. “We need more than $50, that’s for sure,” Ludwig said."I think it's a good idea," said board member Richard Kaufman.

Wintlend said the cost — $3,000 to remove a 30-inch diameter tree, for example — could encourage some to redesign a construction site to avoid the expense, which would save the tree. Under the city ordinance, no person is allowed to plant, remove or perform major alterations on a tree in a public area or a city right of way without obtaining a written permit from the city forester or an authorized representative of the city forester. The City Council will consider the fee change when it meets Feb. 4.

COMMENTS

731-On Friday part one of your property taxes are due. Your utilities rates go up this month. Home and auto insurance rates are going through the roof. Many of you have credit card bills this month from your Christmas purchases. So what does the city do? Raise the fees on chopping down a tree. Now folks, I am no tree expert but I’ll go out on a limb(get it?) and guess this may not affect most of you. Personally, I have never called any city I lived in to come chop down a tree. I just set them on fire and called the fire department and they came down and removed them. No charge. OK, that part is not true. The first thoughts that came to my mind were how many people call every year and how many trees does the city remove and how much money would that generate for the city? But of course, crack reporter Shelly Nelson who always leaves me with more questions than answers did not address any of these concerns. But my best guess is it can’t be that much considering the city has a multi million dollar budget. My beef is why now? The optics and timing of this could not be worse.

I find it quite disgusting how these politicians are so addicted to your money. These people don’t have a clue. How can you be so stupid? They are completely out of touch with their constituents. This so bad I can’t take it seriously.

AND AS ALWAYS DON’T FORGET THE WISE WORDS OF OUR MAYOR:

“As Mayor Paine said, Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

I’M BRANCHING OUT—I HAVE SOME GOOD “TREE” NEWS

This is from the Las Vegas Review Journal

Jan 22,2025

NLV plans to give away trees Saturday

City set to give away 100 desert-adapted saplings

In an effort to help keep the valley cool, the city of North Las Vegas plans to give away 100 trees to its residents on Saturday in an event it expects to wrap up in less than 30 minutes.

The city, in conjunction with nonprofit Nevada Plants, will set up shop at Valley View Park at 2000 Bennett St. at 11 a.m. to distribute 15-gallon desert-adapted trees that bear fruit and provide shade.

North Las Vegas’ Tree Canopy Coverage initiative is part of a valley-wide effort to address food insecurity and urban heat island effect, where a lack of green spaces and tree cover unequally raises temperatures in neighborhoods that are often low-income and neglected.

Southern Nevada’s summer in 2024 was the hottest and deadliest on record, with nearly 500 deaths that can at least be partially attributed to the desert heat. Local leaders are planning for hotter summers in the future, with initiatives such as North Las Vegas’ tree canopy program and expanded cooling centers where residents can escape the heat.

Trees will be distributed to residents until supplies run out, according to a news release from the city.

The city recommends getting to the park early because of high demand. Clark County’s similar program ran out of 4,500 trees in less than 72 hours last September.

COMMENTS

732-So after you get the city to chop down your tree head down to Vegas and we will give one free. Problem solved. You’re welcome.

BREAKING NEWS

THIS REALLY IS THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY

THIS ARTICLE WAS IN THE SUPERIOR TELEGRAM TUESDAY JAN 28th.

Douglas County residents get first look at flood maps

Property owners have time to appeal before the maps become final

Staff reports

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Property owners had a chance to preview newly drawn maps that highlight where the risk of flooding is most likely to occur in Douglas County.

The maps take into account changes in soil erosion, land use and natural forces since the maps were last recreated in 2012. With more advanced technology available, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is able to more accurately assess a community’s risk of flooding.

Preliminary maps presented Thursday, Jan. 23 are an early look at the updated flood maps that will affect floodplain development requirements and flood insurance rates in communities once they go into effect.

However, the maps available at hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload are not final.

The public has a 90-day window to appeal or comment on the new maps before they become final. Proposed changes to the maps must include data that shows the map is scientifically or technically incorrect. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will review comments and appeals to determine if changes are warranted.

Residents are eligible to file an appeal for a map amendment if the lowest adjacent grade — the lowest point where the building touches the ground — is above the base flood elevation. To find out if your property is in a floodplain, visit msc.fema.gov/portal to search by address.

To appeal, people will need a copy of the plat map showing their property, a copy of their property deed, a parcel or tax map that identifies their property, elevation information and a community acknowledgment form signed by a local official. There is no cost to submit an appeal, which can be filed online at hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/onlinelomc.

COMMENTS

733-Don’t panic, at least not yet. After everything this city, county and school district has done to you, now this. I don’t know anything about trees but I lived in Florida for 15 years before I moved to Superior and I do know about flood maps and flood insurance. So let me guide you through this.

1-If you are currently on the flood map and have flood insurance then nothing should really change for you unless the current yearly rate goes up.

2-If you are not currently on the flood map and have flood insurance then nothing should really change for you unless the current yearly rate goes up.

3-If you are not currently on the flood map and don’t have flood insurance then nothing changes for you.

4-If you are not currently on the flood map but they have expanded the area and now you are, you have a couple of options. If you don’t have a mortgage, you don’t have to buy flood insurance. If you do your financial institution will likely make you buy it. You can also file an appeal.

So what is the coverage and how does it work? Here are the rates and coverage for Wisconsin for 2024.

The average annual cost of flood insurance in Wisconsin is around $804, according to SmartFinancial and Kin Insurance . However, the cost can vary depending on several factors.

What is the maximum coverage for flood insurance?

For residential properties, you can secure coverage up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for the building contents.

What exactly does flood insurance cover?

Generally, physical damage to your building or personal property “directly” caused by a flood is covered by your flood insurance policy. For example, damages caused by a sewer backup are covered if the backup is a direct result of flooding.

734-That’s the way it worked in Florida and I assume it’s the same here. I hope this helps and like I said about the trees, the timing of all of this is borderline criminal. It feels like every time I read the paper there is article about raising fees, raising taxes, giving various city employees raises or making new rules or laws to make our lives miserable. In a city with stagnant revenues and growth I would like to have leaders who are invested in ways to cut and control costs but with his current administration that’s not going to happen.

R.I.P.

THE FAKE NEWS IS DEAD

735- By every metric the property tax story was the biggest story in 2024 in Superior. On Jim Paine’s Facebook post the tax story had the most comments of the year by a country mile. Social media blew up and here at the Blog our views have gone up about 50% since I started covering this story in December. Today is our 6th consecutive Blog on this subject.

But apparently two sources didn’t feel it was much of a story. The Superior Telegram and the Duluth News Tribune. For those of you who are news addicts like myself maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised. These two papers have been operating like an activist arm for the Democrat party for as long as I lived in Superior. But I have to say that even I was surprised at their lack of coverage to this story. It’s almost demonic. The Tribune didn’t cover it at all and the Telegram ran one puff piece about two weeks after the story broke. That story can be seen on Blog 81. If it was any puffier it would be floating somewhere in the atmosphere like a Chinese Spy Balloon. It’s nothing short of journalism malpractice.

CHINESE SPY BALLOON

SHELLEY NELSON”

NOT A CHINESE SPY BALLOON

736-They are trying to mute your voices and bury this story to protect this Mayor and their own ideology. It’s absolutely sickening. I don’t think they have shown their bias this bad in quite a while.

You have no voice. Both these newspapers have let you down. But times have changed, and unfortunately they haven’t. Now you do have other sources that you didn’t have before. Like our blog, The Duluth Monitor, Souptnutz, Facebook pages by Craig Sutherland, Angie Sapik, Dan Hanger and hopefully more to come.

TOP 2024 STORIES—SUPERIOR TELEGRAM?

737-Can you believe that the property tax story did not make the Superior Telegram’s top 2024 list at all? The list was published Dec 30th. Here are some of the stories that did make the list.

Infrastructure—Blatnik Bridge

Preservation of the 1904-era Davidson windmill along Highway 13

Lake Superior Elementary School closed for good June 5

Door Dash driver being shocked with a Taser on Feb. 28

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office launched a new position, jail re-entry specialist

The University of Wisconsin-Superior unveiled its new esports room March 28

COMMENTS

738-There are many more stories on the list but nothing about property taxes. How can you take them seriously? This just proves that burying this story was a calculated move by the higher ups at the Telegram and the Tribune because if it wasn’t they would be the worst run newspapers in America. And they belong on the 2024 list of MOST FAKE NEWSPAPERS in the country. So congrats for that. I’m sure your buddies at the DNC will reward you handsomely for that. Disgusting isn’t it?

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE

739-The loss of newspapers has left many communities without a reliable source of local information. In 2023, 204 counties in the United States had no local newspaper, and over half of all counties had only one newspaper.

Since 2000, the United States has lost thousands of newspapers, and the rate of closures has increased in recent years:

2004–2024: 3,200 weekly newspapers closed or merged with other papers.
2005–2021: About 2,200 local print newspapers closed.
2023: The average number of newspapers closing per week increased to 2.5, up from 2 in 2022.
The number of newspapers in the United States has declined due to a number of factors, including:
Economic stressors: The pandemic caused economic stressors that contributed to the decline.
Declining revenue: Newspapers have been struggling with declining revenue.
Large debt burdens: Newspapers have been burdened with large debts.
Changes in technology: Changes in technology have contributed to the crisis in journalism.

MY TAKE

740-While I agree with all of this, they left out one thing. When you don’t report the news accurately or in some cases like this tax story, you don’t report at all or you are two weeks late reporting it people tune out. People aren’t as stupid as they think you are. Actually they are the stupid ones.

AND THEN THERE IS THIS STORY

CNN And MSNBC Ratings Plunge By Half, Reaching 30-Year Lows – And Billionaires Are Paying Attention

December 15, 2024

CNN And MSNBC Ratings Slashed In Half, Collapse To Their Lowest Levels In Nearly 30 Years With Billionaires Circling

The political media landscape is undergoing a dramatic shake-up. CNN and MSNBC, two of the biggest cable news networks, are facing historic ratings declines, with their viewership slashed nearly in half since the recent presidential election. Both networks struggle to retain their audiences, collapsing to levels not seen in nearly 30 years. Meanwhile, Fox News has held steady, dominating the cable news space.

Viewership in Freefall

MSNBC’s prime-time audience has taken a staggering 53% hit, dropping from 1.34 million viewers before the election to just 632,000. CNN hasn't fared much better, losing 47% of its prime-time viewers, down to 398,000. On some nights, these networks aren't just losing to Fox News – they're losing to lifestyle channels like the Food Network, where more viewers are tuning into shows like Chopped than CNN's Anderson Cooper or MSNBC's Jen Psaki.

While it's normal for political news viewership to dip after a major event like an election, Forbes reports that this drop is unusually severe. Fox News, by contrast, has barely felt the effects, with only a minor decline in its prime-time audience, holding strong at around 2.63 million viewers.

What Went Wrong?

The collapse of CNN and MSNBC isn't just about a postelection lull. Analysts and critics say it's about trust – or a lack of it. Many viewers feel these networks failed to prepare them for what was coming and didn't offer a compelling vision for the future. MSNBC spent months criticizing Trump but lacked urgency in its coverage of the election's aftermath. And the network faced backlash when Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, despite years of calling him a “fascist.”

CNN, on the other hand, has struggled with its identity. It attempts to appear neutral while airing segments that many find inconsistent or disingenuous, like undecided voter panels that later turn out to feature obvious Trump supporters. The result? A growing number of viewers no longer trust the network.

MY COMMENTS

741-The mainstream liberal media is falling apart at the seams and with good reason. So my message to the Telegram and Tribune is keep doing what your doing and join the failure parade because that’s where your heading although I would argue you’re actually already there. And like Mayor Paine who always blames everybody but himself, you can blame the internet etc. on declining readership but you have made a great contribution by your sub par reporting and lack of reporting. So take a bow on you’re way out. You earned it.

SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

742-Well folks, it’s not all gloom and doom. Sometimes it just feels that way. But there is an election coming up soon and maybe that’s the start of changes and good things to come. So we will dive into that on the next Blog. I’ll see you all soon.

Brian

blog 82

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 21:00:53 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE

THE WRAP-UP--PART 1

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

717-THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE is Superior’s biggest story of 2024 in my opinion. I tried to find every article I could and create a timeline to try and figure it all out. This is the 5th installment of this series. Today we will analyze all the different angles of this debacle and figure out where we go from here.

Let’s start with the Mayor and get his take on this. In other words, who’s at fault here because Lord knows, it’s not him. It’s never him is it? So based on his own words, here is the

list in no particular order.

1-The State

2-Your home’s value hasn’t kept pace with the market

3-Tax levies imposed by the City

4-Tax levies imposed by the County

5-Tax levies imposed by the School District

6-Tax levies imposed by the Technical College

7-New properties being added to the tax rolls

8-The Law

9-Residential property gained a huge amount of value very quickly

10-We may have undervalued the commercial property this year

11-Your school tax also went up much more than we expected

12-The city did not raise taxes, in fact, we lowered them

13-Douglas County imposed a small increase

14-The School District bill grew considerably

15-A very broken state funding system

16-Most of this information wasn’t even available until the bills went out.

17-We have a legal and moral obligation to assess everyone fairly based on their true value.

18-Manufacturing is typically the lowest tax yield

19- The rising cost of housing in Superior led to the citywide revaluation.

718

COMMENTS

MISSING FROM THE LIST

1-MAYOR JIM PAINE

2-CITY COUNCIL

3-CITY ASSESSOR TERRY JOHNSON*

* Because of the lack of reporting by the Fake News I am not sure what role the City Assessor played in this mess but one would have to surmise that there is some, perhaps significant involvement and the Mayor should provide the taxpayers with a full explanation.

719

COMMENTS

This what politicians like Jim Paine do. When something they implemented goes wrong, that they are responsible for they immediately switch to “Auto-Lie” and blame everything and everybody else for it. And then they go into these long “migraine inducing” explanations and hope that you, the taxpayers are stupid enough to believe them. And sadly, some do. The latest example of this would be the L.A. fires and the conduct of the Mayor Karen “Dum” Bass AKA “The Ghana Mama” and the Governor, Gavin “Failed Ken Doll” Newsom. Does anybody believe the sh*t these two have been spewing the last few weeks? Do any of you believe the sh*t that Mayor Paine has been spewing the last few weeks?

THE GHANA MAMA

KEN

720

WHAT’S NEXT?

Well, according to Angie Sapik’s Facebook post on Dec 19th, which is on our last Blog, not much. On that post she highlighted some questions and solutions only to be shot down by the prevailing bureaucracies. The Mayor said back in December that he was going to do this, that and the other and in typical Mayor Paine style, he has been MIA on this subject for the last month or so. The Mainstream media has been pretty much silent as well. So I’m sorry to say that as of today, it does not appear that there is any “help along the way” coming anytime soon. I think the tax bills will stand “As Is”. If I hear of any updates, I will let you know.

721

A POLITICIAN OF FINANCIAL NECESSITY

I coined this phrase quite some time ago. I made it for politicians and people at any level, city, state or federal and for any party. It’s aimed at people who have, for the most part, never worked in the real world. It included teachers, government workers, community organizers, non-profit workers, politicians and any other jobs that are directly or indirectly linked and/or financed by any level of government.

I have a list in my head and maybe I’ll print it some day and put it on a Blog. And that list has my own rules for voting for politicians. On that list I have two standards. The first part of the list is what I call “Automatic Disqualification”. If any one of those rules are broken, I would not vote for them. The second part of the list are things I would like to see from an elected official, but would not stop me from voting for them.

So on the previous paragraph where I mention teachers etc., those are all “Automatic Disqualifications” for me. I am not knocking those professions at all. But in my years of following politics, I feel they make for lousy politicians. So please keep your jobs and don’t run for politics. Jim Payne fits in this rule.

SUPERIOR TELEGRAM FEB 6, 2015

February 06, 2015 at 7:06 AM

JIM PAINE

Age: 33 Address: 1008 N. 17th St. Family: Wife Katie Education: Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Superior; Master’s degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Government and/or civic experience: Douglas County Board, vice chairman of the Administration Committee, Health and Human Services Board, Metropolitan Interstate Council, Veterans Commission, Superior Days for most of the last 10 years; lobby leader for Superior Days, student government and County Board youth representative while in college. Why did you decide to run for mayor? Paine said he wants to lead the city to a progressive future. "It’s time for my generation to lead." The 21st century is going to look very different from the last, and he said he has the experience to lead the city into that future.

722

COMMENTS

In other words no real life work experience. He then went on and became Mayor in 2017.I made my point. We need to elect people who have built things. People who have started businesses that were successful among other things. A Mayor that will understand that running a city should not be run through the lenses of Republican or Democrat. I don’t want a Mayor who wants to change the name of national holidays or endorse other political fringe movements. We get enough of that stuff at the state and national levels. Pot holes, snow removal and public safety are not political. And if I have learned anything living in Superior, that’s what the residents want and are concerned about. And a Mayor who will attract other good people to run for council or other top administration positions. And those people will attract good people to work for them. That’s how things work. Jim Paine is not that man.

Superior, Wis., draws sizable crowd to protests over

George Floyd's death

A peaceful day of support for social justice attracted more than 200 people.

By Brooks Johnson

June 5, 2020 at 9:54PM

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Two of Kim Young's grandchildren sat at her feet as she made an impassioned plea for justice from the middle of a sunlit crowd.

"I refuse to fail them," said the community activist. "I refuse to let them grow up and become objects of scorn and fear."

In a now-familiar scene playing out around the country for more than a week in the wake of George Floyd's death, some 200 peaceful protesters gathered at the Douglas County Courthouse in Superior on Thursday afternoon to demand police accountability and an end to racial violence.

"No more," Stephan Witherspoon, president of the Duluth chapter of the NAACP, said as the crowd repeated.

Superior, a city of 26,000 that, like Duluth, is 90% white, has a Commission on Communities of Color that is drafting the city's official response to Floyd's death on May 25 while being restrained by police in Minneapolis. That board will meet next week.

"No violence, no tearing down our community — we are going to help build them up," Young said.

Mayor Jim Paine, who led off his remarks with an unequivocal "Black lives matter," said the city's police force is "one of the most progressive in Wisconsin" and urged protesters to continue putting pressure on the government by writing to representatives, showing up at meetings and voting.

Energized by calls to challenge white supremacy activities, the crowd later spread out around the courthouse and commanded a chorus of supportive honks at the corner of Belknap and Hammond, one of the city's busiest intersections.

"We are no longer asking you to dismantle racism," she told the crowd. "You're going to do it."

723

COMMENTS

Sorry Mayor, but I have no interest in what you think about all this stuff and that includes climate change. The Mayor and City Council should have a non-political approach to running the city. Let’s leave this stuff to the state and federal politicians. We would all be better off if you did.

WHAT IS A POLITICIAN OF FINANCIAL NECESSITY?

It is my # 1 “Automatic Disqualifier” when it comes to voting. If a politician cannot make a comparable salary in the “Real World” than what their political position pays then there is no way will I vote for them. In the case of Jim Paine I believe that is the case. He makes around $100,000.00 a year as Mayor of Superior, maybe even more when you put in the benefits. When I looked at his resume, I’m not sure he has made even half that in any of his previous jobs. And according to his bio, I don’t think he has ever had a “Real World” job. Many people have taken pay cuts, in some cases huge pay cuts when they became politicians. So, my question to you, the readers is if you own and even if you don’t own a business, would you hire Jim Paine? And would you pay him $100,000.00 a year?

It got me thinking about how much Mayor’s in other cities make, and based on the population I calculated how much the cost per resident was as well. Here are the results:

724

COMMENTS

I have to tell you that even I was surprised with this. Mayor Paine should consider changing the name of Superior to Jackpot, WI. Obviously this is shocking and reflects on how poorly this city has been run. It also shows you how lousy our lamestream fake news is in this area. This should have been a story that they broke a long time ago. But where do you go for answers? Jim Paine? I don’t think so. All you’re gonna get is one of his word salads and an industrial size headache. You would assume he knows this. It took me less than 30 minutes to do this research.

But now that I did, maybe somebody like “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson from the “Tehran” Telegram AKA Superior Telegram could pick it up from here and explain how this happened. I won’t hold my garlic and onion infused breath. But then, don’t forget the Mayor always likes to say “How hard he works”. So, maybe he’s worth it. I never smelled an order of fish so strong in my life. This stinks!

725

AND FINALLY!!!

MAGA porn star is offering free services to LA

firefighters for their heroic efforts during wildfires

A patriotic porn star who went viral for her support of Donald Trump is offering to spend the night with L.A.'s first responders to thank them for handling the Los Angeles wildfires.

Richelle Ryan, who is one of the top MILF performers in the adult industry, expressed her thanks to California's brave firefighters by offering to be their 'sugar mama' in a recent interview.

'God bless our first responders, that's all I can say,' she gushed, before adding, 'I wanna be one of their sugar mamas, I wanna take them out on a date.'

COMMENTS

THAT’S ME AND MY HOSE

When I was a little boy I wanted to be a fireman. Does that count?

See you on the next Blog.

Brian

blog 81

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:18:10 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 4

JIMMY SCANDAL

SCANDAL-BAND

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

715. THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE is Superior’s biggest story of 2024 in my opinion. I tried to find every article I could and create a timeline to try and figure it all out. Let’s pick it up from the last Blog.

DECEMBER 19, 2024

716-Once again Angie Sapik puts out another Facebook Post. And it’s a good one. Here it is:

Former WI State Rep. Angie Sapik

December 19, 2024 at 2:12 PM

Representative Angie Sapik Advocates for Flexible Property Tax Payment Plan for Superior Residents

Lake Nebagamon, WI – In light of the recent property tax assessments that have impacted residents across our community, Representative Angie Sapik is calling for support to help alleviate the financial burden on Superior residents. Recognizing the challenges and concerns that have arisen, Rep. Sapik is proposing a local ordinance to create a more flexible payment plan for property taxes.

"Everyone has felt the impact of these property tax assessments,” said Rep. Sapik. "Elected officials from both sides of the aisle need to band together to find our way through this and help residents."

Rep. Sapik is proposing an ordinance that would allow Superior residents to make monthly installments on their property taxes through January 31, 2026. This flexible payment plan aims to provide much-needed relief and ensure that residents can manage their financial obligations without undue stress.

In addition to the flexible payment plan, Rep. Sapik is urging the city of Superior to consider implementing a policy of no penalties for late payments through January 31, 2026. This measure would further support residents by giving them the time and flexibility needed to meet their tax obligations without the added pressure of penalties.

"We have to prioritize the well-being of our residents and provide them with the support they need during these challenging times and come up with solutions that are helpful," added Rep. Sapik. “Having property assessments for the first time in 19 years has led to a disastrously inflated tax bill. State law mandates that properties are assessed at a minimum every five years and Superior failed to do this for almost two decades. Trying to alleviate 2025 taxes does nothing for the city of Superior right now. We need payment options to help people through this immediate issue, and I look forward to hearing from the city council on this or an amended ordinance to do just that.”

Rep. Sapik encourages everyone to reach out to their council members and urges them to write and support an ordinance that would alleviate penalties and payment due dates. Superior City Council member contact information listed below:

Nicholas Ledin, 1st District - South End ledinn@superiorwi.gov

Jenny Kiks.ádi Van Sickle, 2nd District VanSicklej@superiorwi.gov

Garner Moffat, 3rd District – Midtown moffatg@superiorwi.gov

Jack Sweeney, 4th District – East End sweeneyj@superiorwi.gov

Brent Fennessey, 5th District - Uptown fennesseyb@superiorwi.gov

Tylor Elm, 6th District – Downtown elmt@superiorwi.gov

Ruth Ludwig, 7th District – University ludwigr@superiorwi.gov

Mike Herrick, 8th District - West Superior herrickm@superiorwi.gov

Mark Johnson, 9th District - Billings Park johnsonmark@superiorwi.gov

Lindsey Graskey, 10th District - North End graskeyl@superiorwi.gov

AND AFTER THAT POST SHE GAVE AN UPDATE

UPDATE:

I've been working with a City Council member and we discovered a couple of things. First, the city can write an ordinance that decreases the penalties and can create a ten month payment plan. Unfortunately, the deadline for the creation and passing of this ordinance would have been August 15th, 2024.

I have also been talking with the county about reducing penalties for the 2024 billing cycle, or at a minimum delaying any penalty until the final due date in January 2025.

Douglas County is already charging the minimum state statue mandatory 1%. There is no ability to reassess the taxes for this cycle, as the penalties are already as low as the state allows.

Also, the 45 day appeal period for requesting a re-assessment has expired. There are brick walls everywhere we turn on this thing.

I want to remind everyone that the county is the collector, not the assessor. I know this is difficult, but I encourage everyone to still treat county workers with respect as we work through this.

I wish I had better news, everyone. I called everyone in the state that I thought could help and just keep coming up with more bad news.

COMMENTS

While I do have an issue with Angie, which I will talk about in a Blog at a later date, I do agree with most of her positions including her post. She has at least put out several ideas which is more than Jim Paine has done. She deserves credit for that. All he has been doing is running around trying to save his sad political ass. And all these things that Angie put out were thwarted by government. The same government that at one point passed these laws, deadlines etc. Well, why can’t they change them then? They could if they wanted to. And they wonder why we hate them.

HERE ARE SOME COMMENTS PEOPLE LEFT ON HER POST

1-Someone within the county hired that Assessor. So the buck still stops there! Someone should have double checked the accuracy of the assessments. Again that falls on the county. The road blocks you speak of were set there for a reason. The people working in the county offices knowingly screwed over the citizens of this county. That's a fact!

2-Wouldn't it help the residents more if the mill rate was also reduced so the taxes match what they used to pay.

This comment below is one of my favorites

3- Jerry Paine hear me out….. I give her the credit for doing SOMETHING about this. I fully understand the mayor is your family, I understand sticking up for family because that is what family does and kudos to you. The big problem is that why are you fighting all of his battles when for the last couple days he has not said ONE word. Also, in august he said taxes would not be raised that much at all, does that not contradict what happened? Also, on a previous post I asked for clarification because I did not understand and was polite about it.. and crickets. I don’t understand how you can come out with these comments is it just because they are against your brother or do you do this for everyone, to put people down and belittle them? Yes, I voted for your brother previously and thought he would do good things for the city and as time goes on it gets worse and worse….. I know you despise me and that’s ok, but I don’t know Angie at all but at least she is doing SOMETHING! She is doing more than anyone from the city council that I have seen, credit to her absolutely. If you are going to sit there and talk mad shit then please keep doing it because it is laughable honestly. Please continue drinking your kool aid and being the big defender for your brother and sister in laws actions, while you are doing that I hope you can see Tower ave from space because according to your sister in law you can. She also is quite amazing at telling cops how to do their jobs…. Recordings of meetings don’t lie… Happy holidays.

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Here is an article from our friends at soupnutz.net

SoupNutz Episode 12: Unwrapping Tax Hikes A Satirical Look at Corporate Welfare and Budget Mismanagement

Twas’ the Night Before Tax Hikes

In this episode of Soupnutz , we unwrap the gift no one asked for: skyrocketing taxes and a city budget that reads like a billionaire’s wish list. Through a snarky twist on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas , we spotlight how Superior’s mayor and his rubber-stamping councilors are shifting the tax burden from big business to hardworking residents. From Walmart’s $37,000 tax cut to the vague “potential projects” piling on millions in debt, this episode roasts the fiscal mismanagement with a sharp, satirical edge. It’s a laugh-so-you-don’t-cry take on the reality of living in a city where Santa skips the little guy and delivers straight to corporate doorsteps.

Walmart Superior 2023 Taxes and 2024 Taxes $36,987.04 or 15.12% Decrease

Menards Superior 2023 Taxes and 2024 Taxes $40,413.27 or 21.59% Decrease

STAMP OF APPROVAL

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Another post from Angie Sapik. She posted a link to a post from Senator Romaine Robert Quinn. Here it is:

Senator Romaine Robert Quinn

December 20, 2024 at 2:34 PM

The School District of Superior sent out a communication to local families claiming that their recently increased property value assessments and new tax liabilities are due to the state intentionally reducing state aid locally. This statement is inaccurate and does not include other important factors facing Superior residents.

You can read my full statement below.

Senator Quinn Calls On Superior School District To Share Full Story

Quinn Asks for Transparency on Equalization Aid and Property Taxes.

MADISON, WI -- Senator Romaine Robert Quinn responded to a letter sent out by the School District of Superior this week regarding property tax notices. Quinn’s letter provides context missing from the district’s initial communication and asks that all information be provided to the parents, taxpayers, and media outlets that were initially contacted by the district.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

December 20, 2024 School District of Superior 3025 Tower Avenue Superior, WI 54880 Re: Letter on property tax statement

Dear District Administrator Starzecki and Business Director See:

In recent days Superior residents have expressed questions regarding the increased property taxes across the city and school district. As we know, the Superior School District’s referendum to increase property taxes passed in November. I assume this is why many individuals have contacted the district with concerns. It was good of you to address the issue with a letter, though I believe there are some misleading comments included in your correspondence.

The discussion on equalization aid is a complex topic and it is not accurate to say that the state is not maintaining the amount of Equalization Aid, or that it has “been intentional in pushing this expense onto property owners.” The legislature has actually added more money into Equalization Aid, but as you know, this is a closed system and aid is distributed based on a formula to schools around the state. From the 2016-17 school year to the 2024-25 school year, the state has increased general school aids by 22%, or approximately $1 billion.

Superior School District saw a decrease in funding in this category in part because the district membership dropped by almost 6% in the 2024-25 school year and has been on a downward trend with the exception of the 2022-23 school year. In the 2023-24 school year, the district was at 79.57% state support with local property taxpayers contributing the other 20.43% when calculating the cost of education and all funds received. This ranked Superior 52nd out of the state’s 421 school districts for total state assistance, and it is a higher percentage of state aid compared to your neighboring districts of Maple, Webster, Northwoods, Solon Springs, South Shore, Drummond, and Hayward.

Property taxes are levied by municipalities, school districts, and technical colleges – all of which receive significant state aids in addition to the property tax revenues that they levy. You noted that the city reassessed the values of all homes, but it is my understanding that the city has not done a city-wide revaluation in 19 years, which may contribute to the sticker shock that residents are seeing. The last state budget reduced property taxes below what Governor Evers proposed, while also funding the largest investment in education in state history. Governor Evers’s partial veto power will enable school boards to increase property taxes every year for the next 400 years.

I believe your letter to families in the school district has misled them on some of the real reasons why property taxes have increased to this degree. If you had wanted to provide full clarity, you would have included more detail on the components that go into Equalization Aid and the impact of your decreasing membership. I would appreciate you sharing this information with the parents, taxpayers, and media outlets you communicated with in your initial letter so that they have all of the information before them.

As you plan to urge residents to advocate at the state level, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you would like to have a serious discussion on how to help our northern Wisconsin schools succeed, even in instances of declining enrollment.

Sincerely,

Romaine Robert Quinn, State Senator, Wisconsin’s 25th Senate District

COMMENTS

A lot people on social media have done a lot of finger pointing at the School District for their large tax increases. I have to say I am not well versed when it comes to the School District. It’s not something I’ve followed over the years. But I will say this, which I’ve said on a previous Blog. If you close a school and enrollment is down why are taxes up? Hopefully the Senator can get some answers for you.

DECEMBER 20, 2024

PALACEBARTRUTH.COM

PUBLISHES

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 1

DECEMBER 25, 2024

HANNAH BANANA

It’s Christmas day, my wife is in England visiting my daughter, so it’s just me and my sidekick Hannah Banana. Last night I picked up a “to go” turkey dinner order. 16.00 bucks. Turkey slices with gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes and green beans. So today I took it out of the styrofoam box, threw it on a plate and put in the microwave for 5 minutes. Perfect, Hannah and I are good to go.

MY ACTUAL TURKEY DINNER

So next on the agenda is to go on my computer, bring up the Mayor’s Facebook page and read the Sage of Superior’s heartfelt Christmas message. Even though he didn’t wish us a Happy Indigenous People Day or Thanksgiving Day this year, I suspect he was working hard, as usual, figuring out ways to bring down our property taxes. Because don’t forget what the mayor said:

”Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

Guess what? No Dec 25th post. I’m not feeling the love. But again I think he spent the day working on ways to bring our taxes down don’t you think? And I’m sure many, and I mean many Superior residents had the Mayor in their thoughts this Christmas. And if he had of posted something, it might have looked like the picture below:

DECEMBER 27, 2024

OK, I’m better now. It’s been almost 2 weeks since this story broke. You’ve read stories from many contributors. But 2 are missing. And considering this is the biggest story of the year in Superior based on social media, that’s a big miss. So who would that be? Well none other than the Superior Telegram and the Duluth News Tribune. That’s right, not one article on this story since it broke on Dec. 14th. Everyday I go on their websites and yep, nothing. And today is no exception. So today, I went on the Duluth News Tribune’s e-paper and this is what I saw:

Yep, she’s back and bigger than ever.

Front page of the Tribune Dec 27

You can imagine the shock and dismay I felt when I saw this on the front page. First off, the size of the article is like a supersized half page and her picture is about 50% larger than the same article that ran in the Superior Telegram on Dec 20th. I didn’t expect to see a giant sized picture of that snout on page 1.

As I said on Blog 78, ”I don’t care about her new venture.” I’ll put it to you this way. I would eat my shit through a dirty sock before I would eat anything from her cafe. After that, I would eat the sock for dessert.

But my shock and dismay is really not about the two articles they ran on her new venture. It’s the fact that they both have not ran any articles about the tax increases yet. And they never ran any stories about her and the Mayor colluding to shut down the Palace based on false and misleading information.

DECEMBER 27, 2024

I spoke too soon. Almost 2 weeks after the tax scandal started and 2 articles on Melissa Hyatt’s new venture, the Tehran Telegram AKA Superior Telegram ran this article:

By Maria Lockwood - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — A citywide revaluation of property in Superior, coupled with a school levy increase, left some taxpayers feeling less festive this holiday season.

On average, city property values increased 60%; residential properties increased by 70%.

Taxes on some properties increased sharply while others that had been assessed closer to their market value before the citywide revaluation decreased. The larger the percentage increase in assessed value, the more taxes increased.

“The impact to the tax bill was unique to each property,” Superior Mayor Jim Paine said.

The purpose of reassessing property values is to reflect the price a property would likely sell for in the real estate market and distribute the tax burden fairly and equitably among the taxable properties in the municipality.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, revaluations are required when assessments are no longer within 10% of the full value once every five years. Between 2005 and 2020, the average assessment ratio in Superior hovered between 90% and 100%, but dropped to 82% in 2021 and continued to fall to 63% before the revaluation this year.

Double whammy

Not only were city residents facing new assessments based on fair market value, but they also were facing a new reality when it comes to taxation.

While the city tax levy decreased by about $22,000 and Douglas County’s levy increased by only about $72,000, taxes to support the Superior School District jumped by $3.6 million.

Paine said it’s fairly normal to see property tax increases in the tens of thousands, but not in the millions.

Voters allowed the school district to increase its tax levy for operational purposes by $2.5 million. Other district taxes, which are determined by state formulas, increased as well. At the same time, the state cut about $2.7 million in equalization aid and pushed that funding burden over onto the local property taxpayers.

“Superior School District saw a decrease in funding ... because the district membership (enrollment) dropped by almost 6% in the 2024-25 school year, and has been on a downward trend with the exception of the 2022-2023 school year,” state Sen. Romaine Quinn, R-Cameron, wrote in a letter to district officials about the equalization aid. He noted that Superior receives a higher percentage of aid than school districts in Maple, Webster, Northwood, Solon Springs, South Shore, Drummond and Hayward.

Equalization aid is tied to both enrollment numbers and property values, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The effect of the operational referendum approved by voters in November can be seen on the bottom of the tax bill, above the payment stubs. That area contains information on voter-approved temporary tax increases. The one that ends in 2029 is the operational referendum that passed in November. The one that ends in 2037 is for Superior High School and Cooper Elementary building projects approved by voters in 2016.

If the operational referendum amount is higher than the $4 per $100,000 of property value the school district had advertised, David See, the district’s director of business services, said it’s because the city reassessment increased that property’s value more compared to the rest of the property in the district. Conversely, he said, there are properties that are paying significantly less than $4 per $100,000.

Timeline

The rising cost of housing in Superior led to the citywide revaluation.

“State law requires our assessments to remain close to fair market value. If they stray too far for too long, we must do a citywide revaluation,” Paine said. He said as long as there are no more massive market fluctuations, the city should be fine for some time.

“I would also point out that if housing values suddenly fell ... we would do this again but with the opposite effect,” Paine said.

The city assessor’s office and Associated Appraisal Consultants conducted the 2024 revalue assessment, which determines what portion of the city, county and school budgets people pay to the county treasurer for their collection of taxes in 2025, according to City Assessor Terry Johnson.

Assessments completed in 2024 were based on sales that occurred in 2023 and prior.

“We are required to be assessed at 90 to 110% for compliance by the Department of Revenue. As it is not an exact calculation, anything within that range is acceptable,” Johnson said.

The Douglas County treasurer takes the budgets as calculated from the city, county and school districts and divides the taxes up based on each taxpaying unit in that jurisdiction, Johnson said. The county gets divided up by all the towns and villages. Each school district is divided up between the villages, towns and cities that are within its boundaries. The technical college is handled the same way, but spread over a larger area.

Open Book notices were mailed in August for the city’s Board of Review, which was held in October. Johnson said roughly 300 — less than 3% of all taxable property owners — contacted the city assessor’s office or Associated Appraisal Consultants for a review.

“With the 2024 tax base set at the Board of Review Oct. 2 for the city, there can be no changes to anyone’s assessment this year,” Johnson said. “The public can certainly watch for the public notice next year when we have the Board of Review sometime in May or June 2025.”

The city does not mail out notices in a typical year unless additional changes have been made to a property’s assessment or classification.

“If anyone would like to discuss their value, they can call us later in April or May 2025,” Johnson said.

Property records can be reviewed online at www.superiorwi.gov/65/Assessor. Property record information is found lower on that page with the link to assessordata.org. Enter the address or parcel number to see a property record.

Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle, who represents the 2nd District, said she has been sitting down with concerned constituents to go over their tax bills line by line. She encouraged everyone to look at the details and ask questions.

“I do encourage everyone to reach out to their elected officials,” Van Sickle said.

City residents can email questions and documents to Taxbill@superiorwi.gov, which goes directly to the mayor and city assessor.

“At this time, people should make sure they have a lottery credit on your tax bill if they are owner-occupied,” Johnson said. “The other thing you can do is apply with your Wisconsin income taxes for the lottery credit. This is income based and they do look at what you are paying for property taxes.”

Tax bills — or at least the first installment — are due Jan. 31; second installments are due by July 31. When reached by phone for comment, Douglas County Treasurer Amy Tyson declined to outline tax payment options. She said they follow state statute.

According to the county’s website, taxpayers who don’t pay the full first installment by Jan. 31 will accrue 1% interest monthly on the unpaid balance. Paine encouraged residents to call the treasurer’s office at 715-395-1348 to find out what options are available.

COMMENTS

Very disappointing. Nothing much new here at all. After being last to the table I would have expected more. But I’ll break it down.

1-The article was about 1/5th of the page. Melissa Hyatt’s new venture article a week earlier was 1/2 a page. Front page picture for this article: 0. Pictures for Melissa Hyatt’s article: 2 and both in color as well. Conclusion: Fake News.

“The impact to the tax bill was unique to each property,” Superior Mayor Jim Paine said.

MY TAKE

Yes some went up 20%, some went up 50% and some went up 100%, I must say.

Paine said it’s fairly normal to see property tax increases in the tens of thousands, but not in the millions.

MY TAKE

This from the man who said it really shouldn’t affect your taxes.

“I would also point out that if housing values suddenly fell ... we would do this again but with the opposite effect,” Paine said.

MY TAKE

He might be right, but how many cities have done re-evaluations during a down market? I personally have never seen that done in my lifetime.

I found that the article was mostly a compilation of all the articles from other news outlets and ones contributors made. But who did this scandal affect the most? You the taxpayers and you, the renters. You are the ones who will be affected by this. And they did not have a word from any of you in this article. They should have had many of your comments about how you are dealing with it. And what about tough questions for the Mayor on how this all happened and his “it shouldn’t affect your taxes” remarks. And by the way the Duluth News Tribune did not pic up this story. It did pic up Melissa Hyatt’s new venture story. Conclusion: More Fake News.

SO WHERE TO WE GO FROM HERE?

On the next Blog we will discuss that as well as a full recap of THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE and what you can do about it. And we will point some fingers.

NOW THAT THIS BLOG IS DONE I’M GOING TO HAVE A DRINK. THANKS FOR READING AND I’LL SEE YOU SOON. BRIAN

blog 80

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 15:48:50 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 3

SWINDLE DANCE

JIMMY SWINDLE

 SWINDLED TAXPAYER

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

705. THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE is Superior’s biggest story of 2024 in my opinion. I tried to find every article I could and create a timeline to try and figure it all out. Let’s pick it up from the last Blog.

DECEMBER 17, 2024

We will start today with an article from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page dated Dec. 17.

Craig Sutherland

December 17, 2024 at 5:22 PM ·

Attention, everyone!

Many of us have noticed the gift card the city sent out regarding the new tax bills, and it’s clear that many are upset. It’s time for a change, and that starts at the city council!

If you live in an even-numbered district, now is the time to step up, as elections are coming up. I heard that Jenny Van Sickle Paine will have an opponent in the 2nd district, and I think you’ll be surprised when that candidate is announced.

Let’s work together to ensure voters have strong options! Reach out if you have any questions or want to get involved.

Let’s make our voices heard!

706.

Here are some comments that people left

1-Competition for local races is healthy for a community! I hope more folks consider running for these types of seats in Superior. We rarely/never have uncontested elections in Duluth and we’re better for it as a city.

2-My biggest complaint is the bold faced lie that Paine made to many homeowners in Superior. If he would have told the truth in August, giving homeowners notice of the increases to come, we could have planned for them. There is no rational reason the increases couldn’t have been spread out over a five year period, and with full acknowledgment to the homeowners of Superior.

3-Both the Mayor and School Board Lied and didn't tell the citizens until the tax bills were out... Vote them all out, yes... how about impeachment? put it on record that the people don't agree.

4-30-70 percent increase is insane.

5- Time to sell and get the hell out of there sad cause East End is one of the best.

6-53% increase for my 1894 built home. No improvements done to it in years. Ridiculous.

707.

COMMENTS

Obviously the taxpayers aren’t happy. For more comments on Craig’s post go to: https://www.facebook.com/craig.sutherland.771

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Palacebartruth.com

I put out Blog # 77 and talked about property taxes.

Here is the link: https://www.palacebartruth.com/blog-77

DECEMBER 18, 2024

708-Here is an article from Angie Sapik’s Facebook page dated Dec. 18.

Former WI State Rep. Angie Sapik

December 18, 2024 at 6:37 AM ·

There is a lot of talk about our property tax bills that have recently come out, particularly in Superior, WI. The increases in some cases are surprisingly high. We are working on this today. We will find out how this happened, if you can contest your assessment (and when), payment plans, deadlines, referendum impacts, and any other information available having to do with this tax burden.

No one should be surprised the week before Christmas with a bill that is thousands of dollars higher than expected, especially after being told by Mayor Paine "Your new assessment will have little to no impact on your property tax bill." In his defense (if there is one) he probably actually believed that, which is short-sighted to say the least.

If you have any information you would like to share, please comment or email rep.sapik@legis.wisconsin.gov

This is a number one priority today. All information is helpful. I will help in any way I can.

Thank you,

Angie

709.

Here are some comments that people left

1-The problem is that the mayor very specifically said that tax increases would be negligible….which clearly isn’t the case.

The silence from Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior is deafening.

2- I saw a post from him yesterday

3-The post that said it wasn’t his fault, and he didn’t know anything, or have any power to do anything? That one?

4-Following as a landlord with over 75 plus properties in Superior. I have not received all the bills yet but I’ll let you know exactly how much more we have to pay but I’m guessing it’s gonna be in the $30-$50,000 range. I don’t know how we’re supposed to keep rents low, help the community and keep our homes nice and remodeled when this keeps happening!

5-My taxes bill went up 25% with no improvements. 1015 dollars! That's criminal!! I have a five lot parcel attached to the east side of my property. No city water, no city sewage. Yet they pushed the tax up from $122 a year to $595!

6-Ours went up 39.5% and I’ve seen others that went up 80-100%!! This is outrageous. Paine needs to be removed!

7-Thank you. Mine went up 1500, it’s criminal. I couldn’t contest this summer as I have been fighting cancer, surgeries, my God this will bury me. I did put a deck on my house but they already raised me 800 for that 2 years ago. HELP

8-I was deployed overseas and couldn't contest it.

9-Mine wet up like $900. Are you kidding me? I’ve been assessed every year now for the past 3 years. This old pile isn’t absolutely not worth $260 thousand. What is going on?

10-Bill must be coming due for his $1.8M electric fire truck

COMMENTS

The anger continues and with good reason. I do like the fact that Angie brought up one of my pet peeves. Sending out tax bills at Christmas. As I said before you have to be an atheist, a communist or both to do that. It’s almost sacrilegious.

For more comments on Angie’s post go to: https://www.facebook.com/Rep.Sapik

DECEMBER 19, 2024

Mayor Paine Finally Posts On Facebook

710-So this is the Mayor’s first Facebook post since the morning of the election on November 5 th . That was 44 days ago. It is also his first post since the scandal or story broke 5 days ago. Here it is:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

December 19, 2024 at 12:26 PM ·

We expected some changes in the tax bills this year, but nothing as large as we are seeing.

When the final bills were calculated last week, the sheer size of some of these swings shocked me. While many of you saw nice decreases, too many of you got increases well beyond what I led you to expect. I’ve spent the last few days trying to understand what happened. Here’s what I know and what I’m doing about it:

Residential property gained a huge amount of value very quickly, outpacing all other property. But I also think we may have undervalued the commercial property this year, which shifted too much of the burden to residential homes. If I’d known this at the time, I would have warned you. I know you can handle bad news which is why I’ve always delivered it when necessary. But the final numbers surprised most of us.

Your school tax also went up much more than we expected. The bill you got is not a “city” bill, it contains four bills: The City, Douglas County, Northwood College, and the School District. The city did not raise taxes, in fact, we lowered them. Douglas County imposed a small increase.

Northwood is always small. The School District bill grew considerably. That’s why you see some of these large increases even outside the city limits. The School District released a helpful letter explaining the increase, pointing out that a very broken state funding system pushed a massive and unfair burden onto local taxpayers. If this hadn’t happened, the impact of the revaluation would have been much smaller. Again, had we known this, we could have prepared you better.

Most of this process is set in state law so there’s a limit to how much we can do. But we’ve worked too hard for too long to keep this city affordable to simply accept this. So here’s what I’m working on and what you can do:

First, I’ve directed our assessor to reassess all commercial properties and bring them closer to fair market value. That means they’ll pay more next year but it should shift some of this burden off residential property owners. It’s fair and the law requires it.

Second, I’m personally joining the School District in fighting for a better state funding formula. I’ll be with them in Madison every time they go and I’ll use every ounce of influence I have to win a better education for our kids and a fair bill for our residents. Feel free to join us at Superior Days if you want to work on this.

Third, let’s make sure your assessment and your bill are actually correct. If something seems off, like your value is too high or the math just seems wrong, give us a call and we’ll work on it. I’ve also set up a direct email address TaxBill@SuperiorWI.gov so you can send your information and ask questions. The assessor and I will both see anything you send. If we got your value wrong, we will get it fixed. We’ve already fixed some.

Lastly, let’s make sure you can actually pay this thing. The bill is due to the County Treasurer and they have great staff that can help you with options for payments. Call them at 715-395-1348

If you made it this far into my longest ever Facebook post, it’s probably because this bill hit you pretty hard so please, give me a call and let’s work on it. I’ll also keep an eye on this comment section for the next few days and try to answer some questions.

ANALYZING THE MAYOR’S POST

711-My first thought after I read his was “Did he run this by anyone before he posted it?”. If so, who? Anyway I’ll go through his post and make my comments along the way. Here we go.

The Mayor said #1

“We expected some changes in the tax bills this year, but nothing as large as we are seeing. When the final bills were calculated last week, the sheer size of some of these swings shocked me.”

COMMENTS

Oh really? So you expected increases, just not that large. I thought you said that most people would not have increases at all. Here is the part I don’t get. You paid Associated Appraisal Consultants Inc. $355,000 for revaluation assessment services. You are saying the final bills were calculated last week,(Dec 8-14). This company deals with this stuff everyday. They fully well know that these situations happen all the time. I would like to think they would have advised you about this long before December and that you have a potential problem so that would give you time to come up with a Plan B. Maybe adjust the mill rate even lower might have been some kind of solution. So bottom line, I don’t believe you “Didn’t Know” until December.

The Mayor said #2

“I know you can handle bad news which is why I’ve always delivered it when necessary.”

COMMENT

First off, WTF does that mean? Secondly, based on all the social media, including comments on your own Facebook page, I don’t think a lot of you are handling it that well. And why should you?

The Mayor said #3

“The School District bill grew considerably. That’s why you see some of these large increases even outside the city limits. The School District released a helpful letter explaining the increase, pointing out that a very broken state funding system pushed a massive and unfair burden onto local taxpayers. If this hadn’t happened, the impact of the revaluation would have been much smaller. Again, had we known this, we could have prepared you better.”

COMMENTS

I didn’t find the School District’s letter helpful at all. To me it was just a lot of gibberish. I think a full investigation of the School District should be called for. I don’t know about you, our readers, but doesn’t it seem that every time you turn around the two Cryptkeepers AKA Tony Evers and Joe Biden are throwing billions to the education system? Many people on social media have made comments wondering why after closing a school and declining enrollment, why the hell the schools need more money in the first place? Hey Jimmy maybe you could explain or even do an in-dept investigation into the article below and let us all know where that money went. I won’t be holding my breath.

Wisconsin schools received $2.4 billion in federal relief aid over the past two years, and so far, that money has largely gone toward educational technology, responses to COVID-19 and addressing the effects of school closures, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Here is a link to that article which was published May 19,2022.

https://www.wpr.org/education/report-relief-funds-wisconsin-schools-are-going-technology-health-safety-and-covid-learning-recovery

And after blaming them he said:

‘If this hadn’t happened, the impact of the revaluation would have been much smaller. Again, had we known this, we could have prepared you better.”

Over 90% of your tax bill consists of three entities. The City, County and School District. Would it be asking too much if the leaders of these entities, which Mayor Paine is one of them, got together every year, maybe have lunch, on the taxpayers dime of course, and discuss their upcoming budgets before they release them? Then, guess what? He would have known.

The Mayor said #4

“But we’ve worked too hard for too long to keep this city affordable to simply accept this.”

Oh No. He’s back to the “I worked too hard “stuff again. Note to Mayor. You obviously didn’t work too hard otherwise we wouldn’t be in this mess.

The Mayor said #5

“First, I’ve directed our assessor to reassess all commercial properties and bring them closer to fair market value. “

Well, I guess he just scared off the last few businesses that might have been considering locating to Superior. I have never lived under a more destructive Mayor, especially towards business than Jim Paine. And I have lived under a couple, especially in Ottawa. And how did that work out? I left the country.

And by the way, I never felt that my businesses in Superior were under assessed, I just felt the rates were too damn high. And one last thing. How does Paine know if businesses in Superior are under assessed? Maybe the man who works so hard could show us the research he did to reach that conclusion.

The Mayor said #6

“If you made it this far into my longest ever Facebook post, it’s probably because this bill hit you pretty hard.”

The hardest working man in show biz

BABY BARF SPICE
Not The hardest working politician in America

OMG!!! By saying “My longest ever Facebook post” he is implying he worked tirelessly on his post. First off it’s not that long. Unless he wrote it out by crayon before he typed it up, I can’t see taking more than maybe 30-60 minutes to do that post. There isn’t much research or facts that he would have to spend a lot of time on. It’s mostly finger pointing and commentary. And the one thing missing. He doesn’t take personal responsibility and all roads lead to Jim Paine.

712.

HERE ARE SOME READER COMMENTS ON HIS POST

1-Vote no to everything, don’t let superior became some liberal safe haven that spends all its money on people who give nothing back… we need new leadership

2-Recall this liar. We need a new mayor this guy is not only a liar he's got anger problems, goes after our businesses, and jacks up our taxes to pay for his bs all over the city.

3-My commercial properties did not go down.. one went up $3-4,000 and there is 0 residential in it. Also, we just bought it a few months ago and had an appraisal done and it was $100,000 less than you guys say it’s worth! Our overall taxes are up $30,000!!!!! You want rents to stay affordable? This isn’t going to make that happen.

4-Mayor Paine, reassessing residential properties was an absolute disaster for you. What makes you think reassessing commercial property values will go any better?

5-Sad what has happened to superior born and raised there so my taxes increased a lot called and talked to the rudest man and was told nothing can be done just enjoy our water with lead thank you we need changes SAD

6-Our assessment went up by 50% (more than Zillow of course), and our taxes went up by over 15%. I've been a flatlander for 15 years now... might be time to sell and move back to Duluth.

7-Mr. Mayor you should be ashamed of yourself for vilifying SWLP the way you did to cover up your massive tax increase. You are the biggest liar & crook in Superior.

8-To summarize, ‘It’s not my fault’.

Not his fault that they spent way too much money.

Not his fault that they didn’t do the math, or place an incremental cap on the taxes.

It won’t be his fault when he shifts that burden back to consumers through the corporate taxes that he plans to further increase.

…But, it will be his fault that they all get voted out in the next elections. I’ll give him credit for that. It’ll be the best thing that could happen to Superior.

9-All the tax and spend liberals love stealing money from everyone else and and spending where they want to no matter what kind of hardship it causes. Mayor Paine is a despicable human being for vilifying SWLP and it's employees while playing down the tax increases he knew were coming and right before Christmas to top it off.

10-Taxes went up 600$. SWLP keeps going up. Sewage. And didn’t they close a school to save money. Why is Great Lakes over stuffed with kids, If we gotta pay more money anyway? It sucks being a homeowner in this town. Wish I wouldn’t have done it.

11-That’s why, I sold ALL my Wisconsin properties and moved away out of state where I actually got a tax decrease this year!!! Superior is a great place to be From...

12-All the instances in your statement where you say “ Had I known”, what kind of excuse is that?? Isn’t it your job to know these things???

13-Mayor Paine, instead of reassessing businesses perhaps you should reassess the "common" homeowner. That would go so much further with the community. And don't feel bad about knowing what the end result would be for us common homeowner...the county sent a letter letting us know this reassessment would not have an economic effect on us in the country. My question is how can all those in your positions not know what the outcome will be? You hire the companies but you don't question the results? You cannot claim plausible deniability. This is your JOB!

14-Remember when the city had free money for the Thirsty Pagan relocation not long ago? Correct me if I misunderstand that transaction. It's that kind of spending that leaves a city without solutions when they get "taken by surprise" by tax increases. Sorry, we don't have money, it goes to our progressive/liberal buddies. But now, it is business that has to take a bigger hit now? Which ones?

15-The Superior School District gets more state funding than 88% of public schools throughout the state and that is with decreased enrollment. The legislature didn't decrease aid to schools, they actually increased it statewide by over 20%. Not to mention, how much of that actually goes to educators’ salaries. Maybe people should have thought about how all these new schools & facilities would be paid for before approving them. Given the ridiculously high property tax rates relative to the rest of the Country, you can expect even less enrollment & a smaller tax base going forward, as your Mayor & City Council drive more people out of town. Brilliant management…

16-there is no such thing as a reevaluation. The company was out of Green Bay Area not local or in tune at all with superior. I asked how to prepare for my assessment debate meeting at superior city hall and the rep from the assessment company told me to “do my research and present recently sold comps” to the assessor. I spent hours finding perfect comps in superior to my home that were SIGNIFICANTLY lower in recent sold value. The assessor already had his mind made up before I even said one word that he was telling me NO to every FACT and NUMBER I presented him. Then he told me my home was an outlier because I had to overpay to secure my home during the COVID house crisis. It was such a waste of time and not a just process at all. He threatened me that if I pursue this further he would see me at a court hearing and I’d lose anyway and to save both us the time and stop arguing with him.

17-Property and school taxes go through the roof but we closed a school? We need a change with our mayor and city council.

18-Our commercial building went up 266% with this increase and we can expect more next year!? It makes it hard to want to continue to run a business or invest into other businesses in superior if this is what our future looks like.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE MAYOR’S RESPONSES

1-To be clear, the city lowered the amount we collected this year. We’ve done that a few times now. And we don’t have the power to place an incremental cap on taxes. Only the state can do that and I strongly support it.

2-I honestly don’t know but we’ll work closely with you to make sure it’s fair. The goal is fair market value. That increase seems large to me so I would hope you are close to that now and it wouldn’t jump but I can’t make any promises beyond the fact that we will try to find the fair market value, which the law requires .

3-The mill rate dropped considerably from last year. The city didn’t actually collect more in taxes. The school district did but that only accounts for part of your increase. The revaluation changed how much of the total amount you pay. That’s why some went up and some went down.

4-Thank you. I’d happily hold this but we simply lack the power to do so. I admit I’m embarrassed to be so caught off guard but most of this information wasn’t even available until the bills went out .

5-It’s not in my nature to make excuses so I cringed a bit writing that. But this information wasn’t available when I was describing the process in the summer. In fact, I didn’t have any real way of knowing the full impact until the bills went out. The tax process combines a lot of information from many sources and then puts it all together. Most of you learned of this about the same time I did. Now, I certainly admit I should have been more direct about the possibility of increases, but I don’t recall anything even hinting at fluctuations this large.

6- We have a legal and moral obligation to assess everyone fairly based on their true value.

7-While I'm mostly here to provide information, I have to disagree with this. Among all property tax payers, manufacturing is typically the lowest yield due to the manufacturing tax credit in Wisconsin. Combined with Superior's limited land, it can actually drive up the tax burden for everyone else. It has its place for sure, especially when a shop offers good paying wages to lots of workers but we need to be very selective about how much space it takes up so that it doesn't crowd out more beneficial uses. Nothing pays more taxes than residential, which also supplies customers from area businesses.

COMMENTS

713-The Mayor’s post has 576 comments, the highest amount for any of his posts in 2024. Here is the breakdown by totals, subject and date.

So there you have it. The # 1 story on Mayor Paine’s Facebook page for 2024 is “THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE”.

FINAL COMMENTS

714-I know I said we would wrap up this tax fiasco with this Blog. Well it’s going to take one more. But I promise it will be worth it. Thanks again for reading and stay tuned for:

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 4

NOW THAT THIS BLOG IS OVER, I THINK I’M GOING

TO BANG MY PINKY TOE AGAINST A TABLE

blog 79

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 23:46:13 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 2

JOHNNY ROTTEN

JIMMY ROTTEN

PLAYS FOR LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

686. Welcome to the first Blog of 2025. This is how the sausage is made and it’s not pretty or appetizing. THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE is the biggest story of 2024 in my opinion and I will explain that a little later in the Blog. I tried to find every article I could and create a timeline and try and figure it all out. Let’s go back to the beginning. Here is an article from The Superior Telegram dated April 21,2022. Bon Appetit!

687.

April 21,2022

Superior council prepares for citywide property revaluation Associated Appraisal Consultants received a contract to conduct a review of residential property values.

By Shelley Nelson April 21, 2022 at 9:00 AM

SUPERIOR — The Superior City Council set the stage Tuesday, April 19, to reevaluate property values in the city in 2023.

The council approved waiving bid requirements and a contract with Associated Appraisal Consultants Inc., for $355,000 for revaluation assessment services.

The city's current assessment has fallen out of compliance with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue the past two years, according to city assessor Terry Johnson.

Under state law, the assessed value of each major class of property must be assessed within 10% of the full value of the class in the same year.

Sale prices have increased dramatically, by more than 20% over the past few years, Johnson wrote in a memo to the council.

“Based on the real estate market trends, I believe this will continue for the upcoming years and we will be required to complete a revalue by the DOR within the next two years,” Johnson stated.

In addition to the real estate market, Johnson said, a review of current property records and assessments revealed home and garage updates and utility buildings that were done without permits since the last revaluation conducted in 2005.

“The assessor’s office has been working very aggressively for the past year to get ready,” Mayor Jim Paine told the council. “It’s going to be a big deal. It’s going to affect every one of your constituents.”

Paine said he plans to bring the city assessor in for a presentation on the subject to educate the council on the process. He encouraged councilors to learn as much as they can about the process because it is likely to result in increases in almost everyone’s property values when complete.

“It may not lead to higher taxes for them,” Paine said. “There’s a good chance it won’t depending on the property. But you will be well served if you can speak confidently on the subject.”

The tax levy determines the overall cost of property taxes. Property valuations determine the distribution — how much individual property owners — pay toward the tax levy.

Johnson said he views property valuations like a pie and the valuation is the share of the pie the individual property owners are responsible for.

“It has to be fair,” Johnson said.

Johnson said staff in the assessor’s office would begin inspections of commercial properties this summer, with residential properties to be inspected and revalued starting in 2023. Associated Appraisal Consultants Inc., will be conducting the revaluation of residential properties. He expects the revaluation to be complete before the assessment board of review meets. The board meets annually May in to review assessments and correct errors and omissions on the assessment rolls.

688.

COMMENTS

A lot to go over here.

1- “The council approved waiving bid requirements “. Why? In hindsight maybe they should have put it out to bid. Maybe a different company would have had a different outcome.

2- The cost to the taxpayer for the assessments was $355,000.00. That is what you, the taxpayers, all paid for the results you got.

3-“The assessor’s office has been working very aggressively for the past year to get ready,” Mayor Jim Paine told the council. “It’s going to be a big deal. It’s going to affect every one of your constituents.”

One thing I noticed about Paine is he uses words like ‘working very aggressively” or “I’ve never worked so hard” or similar lines in a lot of his rhetoric. Note to Mayor. That’s what you get paid for. That’s what real people in the real world get paid for. That’s what the taxpayers of this city do in order to pay your exorbitant taxes. And I find it exceptionally funny when he uses it when referring to himself. I have posted his schedule on other Blogs and the closest thing to his workload would be one of a corpse.

4- Then this:

“Paine said he plans to bring the city assessor in for a presentation on the subject to educate the council on the process. He encouraged councilors to learn as much as they can about the process because it is likely to result in increases in almost everyone’s property values when complete.”

And this:

In other words, “Go back to school”. Shouldn’t you be pretty well versed about how property taxes work in the first place if you are a city councilor? Well I guess that didn’t work out did it?

5-The city's current assessment has fallen out of compliance with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue the past two years, according to city assessor Terry Johnson.

And what about this assessor, Terry Johnson? What has his role been in this? I mean he is the city assessor. We need to know more about this guy. He then goes on to say:

“It has to be fair,” Johnson said. Well, do you all think it was fair?

689.

FINAL THOUGHT ON THIS ARTICLE

When this article came out in 2022, I told my wife that this was not going to have a happy ending. What happens when a city hires an outside firm to perform property tax assessments? They want to correctly assess the value of your home so it will be taxed appropriately. Which usually means your property tax will go up.

And as usual, after reading a Shelley Nelson article, I seem to have more questions than answers.

The population of Superior has dropped substantially over the years. About 40% actually. Did the city have to hire outside assessors in the past? Could the city not have hired a few assessors themselves to get this done in-house? They certainly knew that this was going to have to be done long in advance.

690. Does the Mayor or City Council not read the news? What has happened here is not unusual at all. It has happened all across the country over the years. This article makes one thing perfectly clear. The Mayor and City Council are responsible for this. You will read later in the Blog where the Mayor is blaming everyone else for this debacle. No Siree Bob! This is all on you Mayor and the “Brainless Bunch” AKA City Council. It was you and council that voted for this. Nobody else.

December 13, 2022

691. Mayor Jim Paine announces a Superior property tax Decrease

Amanda Eke WDIO News Updated: December 13, 2022 Published: December 12, 2022

December 13, 2022

The City of Superior is heading towards some changes in 2023. Mayor Jim Paine announced Friday December 9th, 2022 property taxes will be decreasing. Property owners that have not yet made improvements to their Superior home in 2022 can await an estimated 3% reduction in their property taxes in the 2023 year after accounting for changes in state tax credits.

“We are increasing services and we are decreasing taxes, and that’s because the economy is growing when there are more taxpayers, when there is more value in the property in the City of Superior, then everybody else pays a little less. When the economy was fairly low for decades, that meant everybody had to pay more to get the same or fewer services, “says Paine.

Paine also explains that there is a lot of new construction in the city when you have expansions on people’s houses and in a growing housing market everybody pays a little bit less.

“So in other words, if you had ten people paying in, that’s more money than nine people paying in. And so what we do is we charge as though there were nine and a half and then we get a little bit more revenue,” continues Paine.

Although great property taxes are going down, the individuals that do not own properties would not benefit from tax decreases. Paine states he recognizes this problem.

“Almost half our community rents and a sizable percent of the population lives even in subsidized housing, and a small amount are homeless. We are going to continue working to provide safe and stable and affordable housing options for everybody in the city,” finishes Paine.

692.

COMMENTS

Soothing words from our illustrious Mayor. One problem, they aren’t all true. When he said:

“that’s because the economy is growing when there are more taxpayers, when there is more value in the property in the City of Superior,”

Not exactly true. The population has decreased under his leadership which started in 2017. Anyway he sure has a strange way with words doesn’t he? He doesn’t mention the economy of Superior is stagnant at best. He doesn’t mention Superior is one of the highest taxed cities in the country. He doesn’t mention how the city could cut costs and expenses to bring these inflated property taxes down significantly which in my opinion could easily be done. So a 3% drop in taxes doesn’t excite me when I believe taxes in Superior are about 30-50% too high.

Since this was for your 2023 taxes, I wonder if this was used as a distraction for what was about to happen for your 2024 taxes? One can only wonder.

693.

August 24, 2023

Superior officials plan to reassess property values Associated Appraiser Consultants expects to begin residential exterior inspections after Labor Day for revaluation.

By Shelley Nelson

August 24, 2023

SUPERIOR — The city is gearing up to reassess the value of properties to bring assessed values in line with what the house would sell for in Superior.

Associated Appraisal Consultants will likely start conducting exterior inspections of all the city’s residential properties after Labor Day. Commercial inspections will be conducted by the city assessor and property appraiser.

“They’re going to have a team of as many as 12 people or more, but they won’t be able to make it up here right away,” said City Assessor Terry Johnson. One person will be coming up just after Labor Day to start doing exterior inspections, Johnson said. “That person is going to go to one neighborhood and start taking pictures of everything — front and back yards and improvements on the property,” Johnson said.

Johnson is currently working on letters to notify property owners of the revaluation and introduce Associated Appraisal Consultants as the inspectors, he said. They will have IDs and drive vehicles with the company name on them, he said. The city has about 8,300 residential parcels with at least one building on them to inspect.

The only properties that will be subject of interior inspections are those that had permitted work on the interior that was done, Johnson said. The last time a full revaluation of the city was done was 1999. A statistical review of the sales was done in 2005, resulting in many properties being reassessed.

“They updated the models statistically and made some adjustments, but they didn’t actually review all the properties,” Johnson said. While the city has good information about many of the properties in Superior, he said some property owners may have made changes that the city is not aware of that could affect the value.

“Any improvement to the property is assessable; it’s a matter of how much value does it contribute,” Johnson said. Things like siding, new windows, bathrooms and kitchens are most likely to increase the value of a home.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, property values in a municipality should be between 90% and 110% of the overall market value. The equated value provided by the Department of Revenue in fall 2022 shows Superior was at around 72%, Johnson said.

Once the inspections are complete, that information will be reviewed to reset the values to match what a home would likely sell for, Johnson said. The goal is to notify property owners of their new values by late summer next year so the Board of Review can hear any appeals in fall 2024.

Johnson encouraged people with questions to watch the “Who are Assessors” video on the Assessor’s website at ci.superior.wi.us.

He said some property owners could see their property values increase, but their property taxes go down.

Historically, the overall mill rate in Superior has fallen in the year when new valuations have gone into effect.

“What we’re trying to do is to make sure everyone is equalized on what they are paying based on their value,” Johnson said. “The bottom line is what would your property sell for?”

694.

COMMENTS

“They’re going to have a team of as many as 12 people or more, they won’t be able to make it up here right away,” said City Assessor Terry Johnson. One person will be coming up just after Labor Day to start doing exterior inspections, Johnson said.”

Let me get this straight. We hired them in April 2022 at a cost of $355,000.00 and over a year later only one out twelve or more is going to show up? Where are the rest of them? Where did they go?

JUNE 21,2024

695. Superior’s Board of Review gets alternate member in anticipation of more appeals

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — The city is making changes to its Assessment Board of Review.

The Superior City Council approved an ordinance that makes the city clerk an alternate on the panel with voting privileges when any of the five members are absent or recuse themselves from voting.

Councilors amended the ordinance change Tuesday, June 18, to ensure a majority of board members are residents of the city of Superior before adopting the change. The Assessment Board of Review is responsible for reviewing property assessments and correcting any errors or omissions on the assessment rolls.

“The revalue has our assessor a little concerned that we’ll have more claims than usual, or appeals,” Mayor Jim Paine said. “Normally, we get one or two claims a year … but we’re reassessing everyone so there could be more appeals.”

The city assessor is currently working with Associated Appraisal Consultants to review every commercial and residential property value in Superior after sale prices started to rise dramatically in the city. All of the inspections have been completed, and appraisers are looking at schedules to determine how land will be valued, said City Assessor Terry Johnson.

“We’ve got to get this all wrapped up by the end of July, early August, so we can send out notices come August,” Johnson said. The completed assessment roll will be open for examination in late August and early September to give the public the opportunity to meet with the assessor and determine if their assessment is fair.

The Assessment Board of Review will meet at 9 a.m. Oct. 2 to hear any objections regarding the assessment of property; however, people contesting their assessment must file a written objection with the City Clerk’s Office.

Paine said if the meeting runs multiple days, it could create a challenge for residents who serve on the board to attend every day the board meets.

“We still want it to be a citizen committee, so this is just filling in, in case we need to maintain a quorum to make sure we get a decent, fair decision,” Paine said.

Paine said he selected the city clerk because the position is familiar with the Assessment Board of Review processes and doesn’t work directly with the city assessor on the property valuations. Plus, as city staff, the clerk will be present during the meetings, he said.

Councilor Jack Sweeney proposed amending the ordinance to ensure that all of the appointed members of the board are residents of Superior.

“The Board of Review is one of the tougher ones to appoint because it’s somewhat technical work,” Paine said. “You need to have folks with some familiarity with property values.”

Without the residency requirement, Paine said it would allow him to appoint someone who spent their whole career working in real estate, even if they retired out in Poplar or an appraiser who lives in Duluth. A compromise would be to require a majority of members to be residents of Superior, said Councilor Tylor Elm.

While Sweeney and Councilors Brent Fennessey and Mark Johnson voted against the compromise amendment, they ultimately voted in favor of the ordinance as amended because there would have been no residency requirement for the appointed members if it had been adopted as the ordinance was originally written.

696.

COMMENT

At this point, I would settle for someone with a brain. I don’t care where they are from.

MORE COMMENTS

What I take from this is they knew in June, 2024 that this whole situation was looking bad and this was one of first steps of “damage control”. But in the end it was just an exercise in futility and Jim Paine was right in the middle of it. And in over his head as usual. I think it was around this time, June 2024 that he was alerted how bad these tax increases were going to be and this was his first attempt to deal with it. But as you all know it turned out to be futile.

An Exercise in Futility is an activity that has no point, use, or meaning; which produces no result, and is therefore not worth attempting.

AUGUST 19, 2024

697.

From Mayor Paine’s Facebook

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

August 19, 2024

Over the last few days, property owners began receiving assessment revaluation letters. I’ll explain how this works in the comments and answer what questions I can but here’s the short version: Your new assessment will have little to no impact on your property tax bill. You can challenge the new assessment, however, if you believe it doesn’t fairly represent the market value of your property.

Here are some of your comments from that post, and a few from the Mayor himself:

1-Your taxes are drowning your people man.

2-Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

Why was my property revalued?

We revalued all properties in the city and created new assessments for everyone. The state requires this when our assessed values stray too far from the equalized (or market) value for too long. If the difference between market value and assessed value becomes too large, it can be unfair to property tax payers, especially if your home’s value hasn’t kept pace with the market. That’s what happened in Superior. Most properties kept pace with the market and their tax bills have been close to fair, but close isn’t good enough. We need to know the true value of your property to fairly apply the tax rate.

3-Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

My assessed value doubled! Does that mean my taxes will double?

No. Since we revalued all property, and the market has been consistently climbing in value, all property values have gone up. But the city isn’t likely to collect much more in taxes and you’ll still be sharing that burden with everyone else, whose assessments also climbed. So your taxes will be similar to last year. Any increase or decrease is likely to be about the same as previous years. Most folks will see a small change, a few bucks higher or lower than last year.

4-Just got my property tax bill. My total due increased 42.4%. No major improvements made in over 10 years. I don't understand how this jives with your assurances in this post. I'm curious if others are seeing the same increases?

5-Not much or at all?? How about a 57% increase! No major improvements to the home. What is happening?

6-Hard to believe my home more than double in value increased.

And there are many more comments on his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/MayorJimPaine

COMMENTS

The Mayor said: “Your new assessment will have little to no impact on your property tax bill. You can challenge the new assessment.”

I mean he just goes on and on. It’s just so nauseating. And he is blaming the state as well.

698.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2004

Property values climb in Superior

Since 2005, all properties have increased in value by an average of 60% with residential properties climbing an average of 70%.

By Shelley Nelson

September 03, 2024 at 6:57 AM

SUPERIOR — Many property owners in Superior were in for a surprise when they opened their mail earlier this month and saw their new property value assessment. The last time property assessments were adjusted citywide was 2005.

Over the last 19 years, the total assessed value of real estate in the city of Superior rose by an average of 60%. Residential property values increased by an average of 70%.

“A good question to ask is ‘Could you sell it for this?’” City Assessor Terry Johnson said. “And if not, then we will work with people to look at those values.” State law requires property assessments to be within 10% of the state's equalized value at least once in every five-year period. Superior’s equalized property values remained within that margin until the early 2020s when housing prices in the city started to climb.

“Our assessment ratio was getting closer to 50% (of the equalized value),” Johnson said. He said assessments increased because a lot of properties were under-assessed when compared to what they would sell for now. The goal behind the revaluation is to establish equal and fair assessments of all values, according to Johnson. Estimating market value of property is determined by the price a typical buyer would pay for a property in its present condition. Assessors consider what similar properties are selling for, what it would cost to replace the property, the rent it may earn and any other factors that affect value such as improvements.

Economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation, supply and demand, and changes in tax law can also influence the value of real estate.

Johnson said he anticipates making adjustments to the tax rolls through September to get the most accurate tax roll before the Assessment Board of Review meets Oct. 2. The board will consider formal objections from property owners that must be submitted in writing on a form provided by the City Clerk’s Office. The notice of the appeal must be made at least 48 hours before the board’s first scheduled meeting.

Residents will have the opportunity to question their new assessments during the Open Book period that takes place Thursday, Sept. 5 and Friday, Sept. 6 by appointment in Room 270 of the Government Center. Residents can call 920-749-1995 or email info@apraz.com to set up an appointment.

Commercial property owners should call 715-395-7222 or email cityassessor@ci.superior.wi.us for appointments in the city assessor’s office Wednesday, Sept. 4 and Thursday, Sept. 5.

“The most important thing I’ve been telling everybody … just reach out to us right now,” said Mayor Jim Paine.

Assessments people received can still be adjusted, Paine said.

“If you’ve got any evidence — I mean Zillow, an appraiser,” Paine said. “I’m talking to a lot of folks who just bought their property two years ago or they just had an appraisal two years ago. That’s evidence and we can adjust these assessments down.”

An increase in the assessed value of a property does not necessarily mean the owner will pay more property taxes.

Paine said it’s really too early to tell what impact the new assessments will have on property taxes in 2025 because a number of factors including tax levies imposed by the city, county, school district and technical college; new properties being added to the tax rolls, and the overall value of the city all play a role in setting the mill rate.

Historically, while tax levies have increased, when assessed values rose, mill rates have dropped. That's the amount of property taxes paid for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

Following a revaluation in 1993, the mill rate dropped to $32.35 from $36.15 in 1992. In 2000, it dropped to $22.97 from $30.27 from the previous year; and the 2005 revaluation resulted in the mill rate dropping from $27.77 in 2004 to $19.54 in 2005.

Johnson said he has received calls from people who stated that their value increased by 200%. He said in those cases, it means the property was undervalued and others paid the property taxes those property owners should have paid.

“We’re just trying to make sure it’s an equal and fair assessment,” Johnson said.

“I think a lot of people would be surprised to know just how much their house would sell for in 2024, and you know that’s real wealth for people,” Paine said. “It may not feel like it, but you can leverage that. You can borrow against it. And I’m not giving financial advice to anybody here, but if your house is worth twice what it was … that means you’re worth twice what you were before. You will get that money someday or your heirs will.”

699.

COMMENTS

Let’s go over this mess:

1-I want to start with City Assessor Terry Johnson. He said the following:

“A good question to ask is ‘Could you sell it for this?’”

Well based on the hundreds of comments from you, the taxpayers the answer is “NO”.

On Blog 77 , I spoke about a few friends who were concerned with their assessments. Here is one of their stories.

My friend purchased a home in Superior a couple of years ago for $90,000.00. On his 2023 taxes the home was assessed for $100,000.00. His taxes were $1,600.00. Forward to 2024. He got a letter from the city and his new assessment was now $200,000,00. He called me. I begged him to call the city and contest the assessment. He didn’t. And the reason he didn’t was because Mayor Paine said that taxes weren’t necessarily going to up despite having higher assessments.

I imagine a lot of people didn’t because of what Paine said and found it hard to fathom that the city would ever raise taxes in the manner they did. He also had done no work to it. My friend is on social security and has to watch every dollar. I got a call just before Christmas. He was freaking out. His tax bill is $2,350.00. That’s an increase $750.00, almost 50%. Oh, and the assessment on the tax bill was $214,000.00. That’s $14,000.00 more that the letter he got. He would happily sell it for that to anybody who would like to buy it at the assessed price, take the money and move the hell out of town. And one more thing, his insurance went $400.00. Merry Christmas.

2-“We’re just trying to make sure it’s an equal and fair assessment,” Johnson said. Well, I will give Mr. Johnson a great big, fat F- for that effort based on what the taxpayers of Superior are saying.

3- And speaking of taxpayers, how come “#1 Mayor Paine Fan Girl” Shelley Nelson didn’t interview some of them for this article?

4-Then the Mayor is babbling on about “Zillow”, ”call him”, “call the city” “mill rates” and all kinds of crazy stuff. At this point he is grasping for straws and I’m grasping for a Tesla charger so I can hook it up to my brain. But my favorite is when he says:

“but if your house is worth twice what it was … that means you’re worth twice what you were before. You will get that money someday or your heirs will.”

Yes Mayor, I want to struggle to get by so I can leave my over-assessed home to my kids so they can blow it all on a 5-star tour of Europe for a year! NO THANKS.

700.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Here is an article from North News Now

Property values rise in Superior following city-wide assessment

By Jeffrey McClure

Published: Sep. 4, 2024

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Northern News Now) Superior residents are receiving letters, showing an increase in their property values for the first time in more than a decade.

“The city of Superior just recently sent out a notice that they’ve re-assessed all of the properties in the City of Superior. Mine personally as a homeowner went up about 50% to 60%,” said Superior resident Megan Wilson.

Wilson like many Superiorities has been told her property value has increased.

Unlike most residents, Wilson is also a realtor and felt the city’s assessment was not out of the ordinary.

“I took a look at the letter and I was like ‘Oh okay that’s not bad’ and kind of as a real estate professional, I know what the market value of my property is, and to be honest, the assessed value is still a little bit below the market value,” said Wilson.

For many residents, it caught them off guard because the last city-wide assessment came in 2005 because the city stayed near the market rate.

But, due to a recent housing market boom in the past five years, the 2005 assessment was no longer inside the 10% levy set by Wisconsin and they were required to have an assessment done by law.

“We can’t keep up with 60%, 70%, 80% value increases across the whole city. So, in other words, the market moved so fast, the law required us to do this,” said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

So, Superior homeowners will likely see an increase in their property value by around 60%.

Since the letters have been sent out Wilson, has taken calls from clients, concerned with what it means for property taxes.

“People are worried their taxes are going to go up, they might a little bit. But they’re not going to go up by the percentage your assessed value goes up,” said Wilson.

City leaders agree, saying that because values spiked for almost everyone, a large tax increase will not follow.

According to Wilson, realtors are more than willing to help through this process, so reach out to your realtor if you have questions. Otherwise, the city of Superior allows you to appeal your home’s assessed value.

Please call Associated Appraisal (920-749-1995) at least 24 hours before making an appointment for the Open Book meetings beginning on Thursday.

Thursday, September 5th, 2024 (Noon – 7:00 PM).

Friday, September 6th, 2024 (8:00 AM – Noon).

Appeals need to be completed by the Board of Review date which is Wednesday, October 2.

701.

COMMENTS

In this article Mayor Paine blames the “Law”. Here is what he said:

“We can’t keep up with 60%, 70%, 80% value increases across the whole city. So, in other words, the market moved so fast, the law required us to do this,” said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.

Then local realtor and resident Megan Wilson had this to say:

“People are worried their taxes are going to go up, they might a little bit. But they’re not going to go up by the percentage your assessed value goes up,” said Wilson.”

Unfortunately for many of you that was not the outcome was it?

702.

Dec 14, 2024

I ran this article from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page on Blog 77. I also ran a story on that Blog about taxes in the different cities I lived in. Below is Craig’s post.

Here is a post from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page on Saturday Dec 14, 2024

Craig Sutherland

CRAIG SUTHERLAND

GARNER MUFFAT

**Please Share**

Recently, the city reassessed property values to keep up with the times. If residents were unhappy with their assessments, they had the option to contest them. Only 3% of residents chose to do so, and among them was Councilor Garner Moffat. He successfully argued that his property was assessed too high and should be valued 15% less, resulting in lower property taxes for him. It’s quite ironic that a city councilor is seeking to pay less in taxes while the rest of us are dealing with increased spending.

Fast forward two months, and now Garner Moffat is asking for a salary increase of over 25% as a city councilor. Help me make sense of this situation!

COMMENTS

Here are some of the comments that people left on his post.

1-It doesn’t make for good optics. However one of the weaknesses of Superior is the near amateur status of being a city councilor. Little wonder few have the energy or time to disagree with the ruling regime.

2-We have the wrong people in office that's all.

3-It's sad to say but our government is corrupt even at a local level. The city I live in is a total dumpster fire right now.

4-You need to run and get that turkey shit of a mayor out. This is what is wrong with America. People in power like this…

Well I can’t disagree with any of this. There’s more comments on Craig’s post at:

https://www.facebook.com/craig.sutherland.771

703.

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Then there is this article from out friends at Soupnutz.net.

Skyrocketing Property Taxes: Mayor Jim Paine’s Overspending Forces Residents to Foot the Bill

Mayor Paine’s Reckless Spending and Council’s Blind Loyalty Are Crushing Superior Taxpayers

Superior taxpayers are being pushed to the financial brink. Property tax bills are surging anywhere from 10% to 90% following skyrocketing reassessments, yet Mayor Jim Paine continues to expand city spending with little regard for the financial burden placed on residents. Worse still, a core group of city councilors — Lindsey Graskey, Ruth Ludwig, Garner Moffat, Nicholas Ledin, Tylor Elm, and the mayor’s wife, Councilor Jenny Van Sickle — have enabled this mess through their unwavering support of the mayor’s fiscal decisions.

Families Struggle as Spending Grows

Homeowners across Superior are now staring down shocking property tax hikes, with increases ranging from 10% to 90%. These sharp jumps come after reassessments pushed property values up an average of 60% citywide. For families already struggling with rising costs of living, these tax hikes are not just painful — they’re unsustainable.

Rather than offer relief or show fiscal restraint, Mayor Paine’s 2025 budget inflates city spending to $35.9 million. To make matters worse, the mayor is pushing for $10 million in new debt for vague “potential projects” without offering residents any clear plan or accountability.

Yet Mayor Paine’s reckless fiscal behavior doesn’t stop there. His own unpaid city utility bills wound up on his property taxes a glaring sign of carelessness that raises serious questions about his ability to manage the city’s finances responsibly.

Council Enables the Mayor’s Financial Mess

CITY COUNCIL

While residents struggle with rising taxes and growing frustration, Mayor Paine has found unwavering allies on the city council. City Councilors Lindsey Graskey, Ruth Ludwig, Garner Moffat, Nicholas Ledin, Tylor Elm, and Jenny Van Sickle — the mayor’s own wife — have rubber-stamped his spending priorities and borrowing proposals without holding him accountable for their consequences.

Their loyalty to the mayor comes at the direct expense of Superior taxpayers. Instead of standing up for residents being crushed by 10% to 90% tax hikes, this group has repeatedly chosen to support budgets and policies that increase spending and push the city further into debt.

Taxpayers Deserve Accountability

Superior families deserve leadership that prioritizes their needs, not leadership that expands government spending while ignoring the very real struggles of taxpayers. Mayor Paine’s financial missteps — combined with the blind support of councilors Graskey, Ludwig, Moffat, Ledin, Elm, and Van Sickle — have created a financial mess that homeowners now have to clean up.

It’s time for real accountability. City leaders must rein in spending, reject unnecessary borrowing, and make taxpayers their top priority.

Mayor and Councilors Property Taxes

Mayor Paine 2024 Taxes & 2023 Taxes : $293.29 or 14.91% Increase

Tylor Elms 2024 Taxes & 2023 Taxes : $725.45 or 44.27% Increase

Garner Moffat 2024 Taxes & 2023 Taxes : $991.99 or 88.59% Increase

Nicholas Ledin 2024 Taxes & 2023 Taxes : $252.53 or 14.03% Increase

Lindsey Graskey No Property Tax Records Located

Jenny Van Sickle No Property Tax Records Located

Ruth Ludwig No Property Tax Records Located

Sourced : Douglas County Web Portal

Sources NorthernNews

704.

COMMENTS

Great article as always!

I thought I was going to get this whole story on one Blog but I found so much stuff that it’s going to take another Blog to get through it all. So stay tuned for:

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 3

blog 78

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:35:44 GMT

THE GREAT SUPERIOR SHOCKING TAX SWINDLE PT 1

JIMMY ROTTEN

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

679. That is the multi-million dollar question isn’t it? Welcome all of you to today’s Blog. I know I said that the last Blog would be the final one of the year but I decided after reading the news today I had to get in one more.

THIS IS GOING TO PISS YOU OFF

680. Today is Friday Dec 20. My last Blog was on Tuesday Dec 17. The Tehran Telegram AKA The Superior Telegram publishes on Tuesdays and Fridays. On my Blog on Tuesday Dec 17, I spoke about the tax story. Since Tuesday the story has blown up everywhere, in fact I think this will be the story of the year in Superior. I was anxiously waiting to see how the Tehran Telerag was going to cover the story. And I was especially curious how #1 Fan Girl and Jim Paine sycophant “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson was going to report the story. She writes most of his stories and in my opinion, the worst local reporter I have ever encountered.

It would have been nice if she had done some real investigative reporting on all of those texts between Paine and Melissa Hyatt that I have posted on the Blog over the past year and a half. More on her and the fake news on a later Blog. Anyway, the first thing I did was go on their website. Nothing, not a thing about the tax increases. Then I thought well it should at least be the lead story in today’s paper. Here is the front page of today’s paper, Friday Dec 20:

681. You can imagine the horror I felt when the lead story was none other than Melissa Hyatt’s new venture. She got half the page. Yes THAT Melissa Hyatt. The diabolical Melissa Hyatt that is/was the Mayor’s co-conspirator and fountain of misinformation that led to closing of the Palace. Maybe Jimmy put in a good word for her to get her that spread. But I don’t care about her new venture. The real story here is that there is nothing in today’s paper about this tax scandal story. That is unbelievable. I went through the paper three times to make sure I didn’t miss something. Nope, no story. And you wonder why the media have about a 20% trust rating with the public?

FYI-Nothing in the Duluth Fake News Tribune either today.

Are you a little pissed off? Good because it gets worse. Here is another story that was also on the front page of today’s paper.

3% increase recommended for most city staff

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — The Human Resources Committee is recommending nonunion city wages increase by 3% in 2025.

After reviewing the impact of larger increases on the budget, councilors agreed Monday, Dec. 16, that even a 1 percentage point increase would have a more significant impact on the budget than originally anticipated.

Mayor Jim Paine’s 2025 budget recommendation included a 3% cost of living wage increase, in addition to step increases for length of tenure, for most city employees. Last month, the Human Resources Committee began contemplating a larger cost of living increase for the majority of city staff who are not members of a union.

“One of the reasons I wanted to see the difference was actually to see the numbers,” Councilor Mark Johnson said Monday. “The mayor said it’s about $100,000 for each percentage (point). It’s closer to $200,000 … and that’s nothing to shake our heads at here.”

According to calculations put together for the Human Resources Committee to consider, a 4% wage increase would have cost an additional $182,000, a 5% increase would have cost over $363,000; and a 6% increase would have cost over $545,000 more than the city budgeted for wages in 2025.

“The mayor talked about that being $100,000,” Finance Director Nick Rhinehart said. “That’s $100,000 to gross wages, but then you add … Social Security, Medicare, WRS (Wisconsin Retirement System) and those factors on top of that.”

Johnson said he felt his hands were tied because of the budget.

“It would be hard for me to vote for any change at this point,” he said.

Paine said councilors could, going forward, set the annual wage increase in an ordinance or establish a policy that would tie the nonunion wage increase to a certain number.

Paine encouraged the committee to work on that early in 2025 or to discuss when the council holds its priority-setting session before work on the budget begins.

While two wage-related proposals were included in the priorities session earlier this year, few councilors supported those measures. Councilor Nicholas Ledin supported a measure to increase city wages by 5%, and Councilor Jack Sweeney supported a measure to move the city’s wage plan from the 50th percentile to the 60th percentile.

“I thought 3% was more than fair for this year,” Sweeney said. However, he said there is more work to do to ensure that Superior’s wages and benefits are competitive.

The City Council will consider the 3% wage increase Jan. 7; if approved, it will retroactively go into effect Jan. 1.

682.

COMMENTS

Can you believe this? But look at the date. Monday Dec 16th. As they were mailing out the new tax bills, they were voting for raises. Am I the only one losing my mind here? Are you getting a little more pissed? Well there’s more. On page 6 there is this joyful story:

Regulators set Superior utility rate increases

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin issued its final order on proposed utility rate increases Thursday, Dec. 12.

After making reductions to Superior Water, Light and Power’s proposed revenues, customers are still going to pay more.

SWL&P proposed increasing revenues by about $7.3 million through increases of 2.2% for electricity, 17.1% for natural gas and 18% for water.

The final rates approved will allow the company to generate about $5.5 million in new revenue through a 1.4% increase in electric rates, 15.57% increase for natural gas and 10.85% increase for water.

According to the Public Service Commission’s final decision, reasonable increases in operating revenue included about $1.3 million for electricity, $3.1 million for natural gas and almost $1.1 million water services.

According to company officials, the new rates will affect customers based on their utility service schedule, rate, season and usage. The average residential customers of all three utilities — using about 500 kilowatt hours of electricity, 75 therms of natural gas and 600 cubic feet of water — will see a total increase of about $22 per month.

“These rate adjustments reflect the continued investments and upgrades to our systems, ensuring that customers receive the safe and reliable electricity, natural gas and water services they depend on,” SWL&P president Rob Sandstrom said in a statement.

Sandstrom encouraged customers who have difficulty paying their bill to call 715-394-2200 or 800-227-9757 to learn more about their options.

The new rates go into effect Jan. 1.

683.

COMMENTS

Again, nice timing. Don’t any of these entities, the city, power company etc. communicate at all? There is only a few of them. It would be nice if they could spread their misery at different times. Your tax bills are due in January. Your new energy rates go up in January. Those city raises? Yep January. Happy January everybody. And if that’s not enough check out this story on page 7 of today’s paper.

Commission extends art grant application deadline

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — The Public Arts Commission is hoping to cast a wider net to draw interest from artist for its next round of grants.

The commission is changing its due date for applications to March 1.

The deadline was originally Jan. 1. Commissioner Heidi Blunt said delaying the deadline gives the commission more time to get the word out about the grant opportunity.

The Superior Public Art Grant program provides one-time grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to artists, artistic teams, creatives, makers, performers, art organizations and other culture drivers to enhance and increase public art opportunities within the city of Superior.

The first round of grants was awarded in late September. Projects that received funding include the restoration of 1933 paintings in the mezzanine of Outdoor North; workshops for people with disabilities to explore their creativity; an interactive art installation at the Douglas County Historical Society; and ukulele classes for people of all ages.

“We haven’t had any applications so far for the Jan. 1 deadline,” Blunt said. She said the additional time would give the commission time to do some additional advertising to draw potential applicants.

In addition to changing the deadline, commissioners decided Thursday, Dec. 12 to allocate up to $2,000 for marketing efforts.

For information about the program, go to superiorwi.gov.

684.

COMMENTS

I’d like to commission a painting. It would be called “The Crying Taxpayer”. I have couple of friends that are artists. They draw unemployment. I lent out a few “Art” movies to a friend and never got them back. OK, no more art jokes. But should we spending money like this at this point in time?

685.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

Jim Paine is in over his head and has been from Day 1. In the past couple of years he has become more reckless and I don’t know of he can overcome this tax scandal. I don’t think he can hide behind the fake news this time. You now have other sources like here on the Blog, The Duluth Monitor, Soupnutz.net and on Facebook you can look at Dan Hanger’s page, Craig Sutherland’s and Angie Sapik’s.

You can even look at the Mayor’s page. As of right now he has over 400 comments which is about double of any other article he has posted and the number is growing. About 90% of the comments are negative. He is in trouble and his responses aren’t helping, like blaming everybody but himself for this mess. I think it’s time for him and city council to consider a different job. It’s time to go.

blog 77

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 15:05:21 GMT

WELCOME TO THE HOLIDAY EDITION

678. Welcome to the final Blog of 2024. My wife, who edits the Blog is going to visit one of our daughters in London for the holidays and while she’s gone me and my dog, Hannah Banana will be staying stateside and will be working on Blogs for the new year. I want to thank all of you for your support over the past year and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

HANNAH BANANA

THE GRINCHES OF WISCONSIN

One of the things I hated about living in Wisconsin was Christmas time. Why? Because the property bills are mailed out just before Christmas and the last thing I want to see before I eat a nice meal and opened presents was a tax bill. I became obsessed with this to the point that I would pretty much ruin Christmas for my family because that’s all I wanted to talk about. I started to hate Christmas and they started to hate me. They called me a Grinch. I should have taken down my mailbox on December 1st every year. Who the hell thought that was a good idea? It had to be an atheist, a communist or probably both. One year I got a tax bill on Christmas Eve. That didn’t go over well at dinner. On top of that the first payment is due in January. That’s when you get your credit card statements from all the stuff you bought for Christmas. And you wonder why I hate government?

So I looked at how other places I lived handled property taxes.

I also went on Zillow to get the property tax rates as well. I took two home values, $250,000 and $400,000 and applied the property tax rate.

OTTAWA

They send out their bills in February and the first payment is due in March and the second one in June.

Value-250,000 Tax-2,000.00

Value-400,000 Tax-3,600.00

LAS VEGAS

They spread out their payments in four. Starting in August, October, January and March and if you pay the yearly property tax before July 1 you get a discount . They also have the lowest taxes of the four locations.

Value-250,000 Tax-450.00

Value-400,000 Tax-1,750.00

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA

I like this one the best. They send out their bill in October. You have the choice to pay in any month between November and April. You get a discount if you pay in any month except April.

Value-250,000 Tax-1,030.00

Value-400,000 Tax-2,590.00

Florida has it’s own problems looming. Here is part of a Newsweek article from Oct 28, 2024.

Florida's housing affordability crisis has been exacerbated by skyrocketing property taxes in the past five years, according to a recent Redfin study, which found that three of the five metropolitan areas reporting the biggest hikes since 2019 were in the Sunshine State.

In Jacksonville, the median monthly property tax payment climbed by 59.6 percent between 2019 and 2025, the third-highest increase of any of the U.S.'s most populous metropolitan areas after Indianapolis (66.7 percent) and Atlanta (65.8 percent).

As of August, Jacksonville homeowners were paying a median monthly property tax of $228 and a median monthly housing payment of $2,735, up 99.0 percent since 2019.

To read the whole article click the link below.

https://www.newsweek.com/florida-housing-market-trouble-property-taxes-skyrocket-1975908

Could this be coming to Superior? We will see over the next few years.

SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN AKA SCROOGELAND

They send out their bill at Christmas, Bah Humbug, and first payment due in January and second one due July. Out of the four, Superior has the highest tax rate. No extra charge for the beautiful weather either.

Value-250,000 Tax-2,100.00

Value-400,000 Tax-3,750.00

I know many of you are worried about this year’s new assessment. The city says some will go up and some will go down. I have a few few friends who’s assessments have gone up 100% and are worried. When you get your bill, if you have sticker shock send me an email here at the Blog. All your personal information will be kept in complete confidence. In the meantime I am not the Grinch. The state of Wisconsin and city of Superior are. A bunch of commies as far as I’m concerned.

Here is a post from Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page on Saturday Dec 12, 2024

Craig Sutherland

CRAIG SUTHERLAND

GARNER MUFFAT

**Please Share**

Fast forward two months, and now Garner Moffat is asking for a salary increase of over 25% as a city councilor. Help me make sense of this situation!

WELCOME TO TAMPON TIM’S MINNESOTA

(ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK)

In this feature we will run a story that shows you, America, how you dodged a bullet by not voting this incompetent buffoon to national office. We will outline stories that we feel are detrimental to the state of Minnesota but also for the country. You have read about the handling of the George Floyd disaster by Tampon Tim. And you have read about his goofy wife Gwen’s love of smelling burning tires and corpses. Today we are going to talk about their equally goofy daughter Hope “The Snitch” Walz. Here is today’s story.

Governor’s Daughter Tipped Off Rioters in Minneapolis That the National Guard Wasn’t Coming

July 13, 2020

This is not a new story. The events described in it occurred on May 28 and was part of the backstory of the protest-turned-riot over the death of George Floyd. Our correspondent, Shadow State, is right: This is not a story that the mainstream media would want to publish. Yet a governor’s daughter disclosing inside information to rioters that they needn’t fear the presence of the National Guard, who then went on to destroy some $500 million worth of property and cause the death of at least one man, Calvin Lewis Horton Jr., ought to be news.

Governor Tim Walz said what happened in Minneapolis after Floyd’s death was the second-most destructive incident of civil unrest in U.S. history, after the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. Yet, he declined the offer of President Trump to send in the National Guard, and as Shadow details, his daughter, Hope Walz, put that news out on Twitter to ensure that the protesters/rioters were aware of that good news — for them. It was bad news for the owners and tenants of some 700 buildings that were damaged, burned, or destroyed in Minneapolis.

It remains unclear why protesters/rioters enraged over Floyd’s death do not exclaim equal abhorrence to the death of Horton. His life was, at least to him, not any less important than George Floyd’s. However, to publish such sentiments would be to minimize the narrative that police are bad and the protesters are peaceful, righteous, and good. There is little to no outrage to the wanton destruction of property and loss of another life in the wake of the death of one man, Floyd, in Minneapolis.

By Shadow State

I dare you to publish this story which the mainstream media won’t touch.

Why doesn’t the DOJ arrest the communist Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, and his communist rat of a daughter, Hope Walz, for fomenting an insurrection?

President Trump offered to call out the National Guard to restore order to the streets of Minneapolis during a riot. Governor Walz rejected Trump’s offer.

On May 28, Hope Walz tweeted that the National Guard would not be called out to stop the rioting in Minneapolis. Hope used social media to give her Anti-Fa and BLM friends the green light to continue the riot.

Hope’s tweets were deleted but it was fortunately captured by a screenshot:

“could someone who has followers actually rel(a)y to the masses that the guard WILL NOT be present tonight??” Hope Walz

Hope goes on to Tweet, “the guard can not be sent in within minutes. it takes time for them to deploy because they come from all over the state.to be clear, the guard will not be present tonight.”

Walz continued, “what I do know is the guard won’t be arresting people tonight.”

So the guard won’t be arresting people and it is safe for you to riot says the governor’s daughter.

Screenshot of Hope Walz’s tweets.  https://apelbaum.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/hope-walz-and-isra-hirsi-twitter-riot-support-1.jpg

COMMENTS

I think the article speaks for itself, but here is a new story that just came out recently:

Hope Walz, Tim Walz's Daughter, Reveals Her Joe

 Rogan Test With Guys She Meets Online

Mon, December 9, 2024

Hope Walz said guys who are fans of podcaster Joe Rogan are a “red flag” and should be avoided.

Walz, the 23-year-old daughter of Tim Walz, the Democratic Minnesota governor and recent vice presidential candidate, issued her tip for meeting men online to almost 200,000 followers on TikTok recently.

“A litmus test for me and my friends for like years now has been if the guy we’re talking to follows Joe Rogan on Instagram, they’re a red flag and we should probably stop talking to them,” Hope Walz said. “And the times when they do follow him on Instagram and we haven’t stopped talking to them ... it’s never ended well.”

The massively popular Rogan gave President-elect Donald Trump a final boost at the polls with an election-eve endorsement . He later mocked Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee who tabbed Tim Walz as her running mate, for allegedly insisting that Rogan not bring up her stance on marijuana for an interview that ultimately didn’t happen.

And Rogan is apparently a nonstarter for potential romance, according to the younger Walz, a social worker and ski instructor.

“I just want to say that I stand by that. ... It’s literally never failed us and, at this point, it’s like the first thing we do when someone starts talking to a new person,” she continued. “If they follow him we’re like, yeah, this person probably isn’t a great person and probably our values don’t align so we’re gonna move on from that. And honestly it’s worked out well for all of us.”

Hope Walz didn’t offer evidence of her claims, but her personal testimonial sure sounded convincing.

“There’s been some heartbreak in there because of it, or at least some disappointment, but it truly is a litmus test and I got you, ladies,” she assured. “You should start doing it.”

“The Joe Rogan Experience” has millions of followers on Spotify ― 80% of whom are men .

That’s a sizable sliver of the dating pool, but whatever works.

COMMENTS

If you eliminate all the “MAGA” men and with all your other demands you have really narrowed the field. In fact most of the men that Hope Walz would be interested in are probably in some degree of transitioning themselves. I did find one online that might qualify for her below.

I will never understand why the people in Minnesota re-elected Tampon Tim to another term and also voted the Harris/Walz ticket in the last election. You voted for him and you got him. Enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget you get “Goofy” Gwen as well as Hope “The Snitch” as well. Good luck with all of that.!

AND NOW….

A CHRISTMAS MOMENT WITH CAITLIN

Just in time for Christmas, Caitlin gets here due

Time Magazine Crowns Caitlin Clark 2024 Athlete of the Year

Thanks to her impact on and off the court, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark was named Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year on Tuesday. Clark is the first WNBA player to receive the award and just the second individual woman athlete, joining 2021 honoree Simone Biles.

The 22-year-old's 2024 resume is extraordinary. Clark wrapped up her NCAA career as Division I's all-time leading scorer, helping Iowa reach a second-straight national championship game. Since becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark's pro debut included claiming the league's single-season assist record and fueling the Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016. Along the way, she picked up both All-Star honors and the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award .

Clark's on-court skills built a massive following, drawing record viewership and attendance at both the college and professional level. Her ascent into the league helped the WNBA record its most-watched regular season in 24 years.

That surge in fandom has directly contributed to the sport's growth, something venerated South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley acknowledged on the 2024 NCAA Championship podium, saying, "I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport."

COMMENTS

O my 69 years on earth, I don’t think I have ever seen an athlete, male of female transform a sport like Caitlin has. Not Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, David Beckham, Bobby Orr, Magic Johnson and many more. I would say the closest person to accomplish what she has is Micheal Jordan. So it would only seem right that she wins Time’s athlete of the year right? Well not according to Sheila Johnson. So who is Sheila Johnson?

She is 75 years old and confounded cable TV channel Black Entertainment Network in 1979 with her then-husband Robert. Viacom bought it for $3 billion in 2001. After her divorce in 2002, she sold her BET shares and has since invested in hotels in Florida and Virginia, real estate and horses .

As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: the NBA's Washington Wizards, the NHL's Washington Capitals, and the WNBA's Washington Mystics, for which she serves as President and Managing Partner. Here is what she had to say about Caitlin. WARNING: HATER ALERT!!!

Caitlin Clark should not have been singled out by Time, says Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson

Sheila Johnson, billionaire co-owner of WNBA franchise Washington Mystics, has criticized Time for its awarding of “Athlete of the Year” to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

On Tuesday, the outlet bestowed the honor on the 22-year-old after her stellar year, in which she broke multiple college, WNBA and broadcast records.

However, in an interview with CNN Sport, the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) suggested that the media should do a better job of promoting all the leagues’ players, rather than focusing on Clark’s exploits.

Johnson questioned why the publication “couldn’t have put the whole WNBA on that cover,” given the talent the league possesses.

“When you just keep singling out one player, it creates hard feelings,” added Johnson, co-owner of three Washington sports franchises – the NHL’s Capitals, the NBA’s Wizards and the WNBA’s Mystics.

“This year, something clicked with the WNBA and it’s because of the draft of players that came in. It’s not just Caitlin Clark, it’s (Angel) Reese (as well). We have so much talent out there.”

In her debut season with the Indiana Fever, Clark took home the Rookie of the Year award and was named to the All-WNBA first team – the first rookie to do so since 2008.

Her maiden season has also coincided with an unprecedented increase in coverage of the league, with viewership numbers consistently broken.

The league’s overall attendance increased by 48% year-on-year to its highest level in over 20 years; this phenomenon has been coined “The Caitlin Clark effect.”

A side effect of Clark’s success has been an increase in commercial deals, which Johnson says may create ill will among Clark’s counterparts.

Notably, Clark reportedly agreed to an eight-year deal with Nike worth $28 million that includes a signature shoe. This has prompted criticism from some quarters that her race has partly contributed to her commercial success, given other Black stars have not received deals on the same level.

“They would like to get the same kind of recognition. It all started with the whole Nike sponsorship that Caitlin got,” Johnson, America’s first Black woman billionaire, said.

“There are other players saying, ‘What about us?’”

COMMENTS

I never thought a billionaire, especially her, who owns various sports teams, could says something so stupid. Social media is blowing up against her. She obviously has an agenda here and maybe it’s time, at 75, to take a step back and enjoy the rest of her years out of the spotlight. Here at the Blog we don’t go for this “Hatelin” on “Caitlin” stuff, but this story was so over the top I just had to throw it in.

AND FINALLY…….MY CHRISTMAS WISH

As always, thanks for reading and we’ll see you soon.

Brian

blog 76

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:00:12 GMT

“NOT IN THE LEGIONS OF HORRID HELL, CAN COME A DEVIL MORE DAMMED IN EVILS TO TOP JIM PAINE”

Act 4 Scene 3 Macbeth

(William Shakespeare)

659. Welcome to today’s Blog. It’s just past midnight on Thanksgiving day and I am just figuring out how I want to approach this edition of the Blog. Usually I write a Blog over a 3 or 4 day period. So I was thinking about the last Blog when Mayor Paine said the following:

“Second, the city intervened to help Mr. Paine because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

So I thought to myself, what the Mayor, the man of the people, the man who’s only purpose is to help the citizens of Superior has to say on this Thanksgiving day? What words of hope, wisdom and knowledge could he bestow upon us, his loyal subjects, on this special day? I then went to his Facebook page. You can only imagine the sickly feeling that came upon my dark soul when I saw that his last posting was on Election Day, Nov 5 at 9:24 AM, only hours before Donald Trump was elected President. Here is his post:

Election Day turnout in Superior is the highest I’ve seen it since taking office. Lines are very long but moving fast. Voting is easy, just show up. If it’s your first time, here are a few tips:

1. Polls are open until 8 pm at the Government Center, Billings Park Civic Center, Zion Lutheran Church, Central Assembly of God Church, and Northwood Technical College. If you don’t know your polling place, DM me your address and I’ll help you find it, or call the Clerk’s office.

2. If you are in line when the polls close, stay in line. You can vote if you are in line before 8 pm.

3. You must have your photo ID to vote. If it doesn’t have your current address, bring a bill or official mail that does.

4. Electioneering is a crime near polling places. Do not wear campaign materials or try to persuade other voters.

5. Be cool to the election workers. They are well trained, but they’re getting through a long day.

670.

COMMENTS

While we thank the Mayor for his intelligent, insightful, one could even say life changing post, the question remains, WHERE THE HELL IS OUR MAYOR? No post in 16 days? No Thanksgiving words of wisdom from the Wordmeister of Wisconsin? Has somebody called the FBI? CIA? IRS? SPCA? EPA? NAACP? NFL? Craig Sutherland’s bait shop? Where is he? I decided to take action and launched my own investigation and I ran into this story.

Oh and by the way Mayor on point 5 when you said “Be cool to the election workers. They are well trained, but they’re getting through a long day”.They’ve had four years to prepare. Give me a break. Here is the story.

Distraught liberals hold ‘group scream’ on beach following Trump victory

Dozens of people gathered near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to scream from the shore of Lake Michigan

28 November 2024 3:49pm

Left-wing voters held a “group scream” on a beach following Donald Trump’s election victory.

Dozens of people gathered near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to scream from the shore of Lake Michigan, some of them throwing back their heads or doubling over as they did so.

Footage from Nov 9, four days after Mr Trump trounced Kamala Harris at the polls, shows the screaming lasted around 20 seconds.

One couple embraced afterwards, while others laughed self-consciously.

A woman wearing a plaid shirt and blue woolly hat spent significantly longer screaming than her companions, bellowing at the lake’s choppy waters with her smartphone in hand.

The video later shows three women from the event stripping off and heading into the lake, jumping in the waves before heading back to shore. “They’re going to get hypothermia,” the person recording them said disapprovingly.

Dozens of people gathered near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to scream from the shore of Lake Michigan, some of them throwing back their heads or doubling over as they did so.

A screenshot posted on social media, apparently from a local Facebook group, advertised the event as a “primal scream” taking place at 9am.

It was accompanied by a series of symbols, including the raised fist of the Black Lives Matter movement.

One commenter suggested: “Maybe an evening scream too, for those who are having a hard time dragging ourselves out of bed in the morning with this devastating news”.

The Daily Mail reported that the group huddled together before the scream, with one woman being applauded after relating how her granddaughter had said she wanted to help Ms Harris win if she ran again in four years.

Another woman was said to have reminded the group that they needed to work at a “local level” to protect their rights and values.

Wisconsin, where Mr Trump won 49.7 per cent of the vote to Ms Harris’ 48.8 per cent, was one of the battleground states that sealed Mr Trump’s election victory.

Police officers and supporters of Mr Trump were reported to be nearby during the event, although neither intervened in the “group scream”.

According to Tamara Gibbs, who posted some of the footage to Facebook, Trump supporters stood away from the women on top of a hill, waving flags in support of the president-elect.

Ms Gibbs said the scream took place “in order to release our pain and frustration after the election”.

It comes as John Fetterman, the Democrat senator for Pennsylvania, warned his party that they would “lose any kind of relevance” if they “freak out on everything”.

He told The New York Times that the president-elect fed off the “outrage” he provoked from the Left, and that they had a “symbiotic relationship”.

“The Democrats can’t resist a freakout, and that must be the wind under the wings for Trump,” he told The New York Times.

“Does clutching the pearls so hard – does that change anything? Did it work? Did it change the election? Was it productive? And, like, I can’t believe the outrage. That has to be candy for Trump.”

671.

COMMENTS

Do you think maybe that’s where Mayor Paine ended up? When stories about a bunch of goofballs like this pop up the funniest part of the story is the comments people post on social media. So below I’d like to share some of them with you below. Oh, and FYI. The Mayor of Duluth did share his Thanksgiving thoughts on his Facebook page.

1 - So yeah, a bunch of libs got together for a "primal scream" ritual, releasing their anger by screaming at Lake Michigan all because Donald Trump won. This Thanksgiving, be thankful this isn't you.

2 - Can you even imagine the miserable lives the people live?

3 - Hilarious.. What a bunch of psychos

4 - What is wrong with these people?

5 - These are all the people who are disowning their families because of the election.

6 - Surprised MSNBC didn’t provide lifeguards for these folks. This is half of their viewership.

7 - I lived in Wisconsin for almost 20 years and most people there are normal, like you and me. But these LIBERAL women need help - and are completely NUTS!

8 - Couldn’t they just have shaved their heads like a normal left wing lunatic

9 - I never knew whales could beach themselves on fresh water lakes.

10 - If you empty their pockets you will find all kinds of antidepressants, opioids and antipsychotic drugs. And a couple of hormone blockers too.

11 - What did the lake do to them? Why aren't they looking at this from the lake's perspective? Does the lake even identify as a lake? What if it identifies as a toad?

12 - What do we have here? Oh, just a group of well adjusted individuals doing nothing weird at all. These people’s opinions should obviously be held in the highest regard. Their insights into how to better the lives of Americans must be heeded.

13 - Screaming emits excess carbon dioxide. Is there a carbon tax for that?

14 - Is that Tim Walz I see?

15 - Fun fact: I am unable to scream, sing loudly or yell after getting vaccinated. Too painful!

16 - This is why we are homeschooling our 2 year old

17 - What did Lake Michigan ever do to them?

18 - Looks like all the Karen's are in one place

19 - All that bad breath will cause a terrible lake effect storm! lol

20 - This was in Wi, how embarrassing!

21 - I think it’s nice that ugly people have found each other!

22 - Can this be considered a form of water pollution?

23 - Enough already. Give them all a mirror and a backhand.

24 - Krazy Kamala Karens Konvention

25 - I feel sorry for the wildlife.

Here is a link to the story and more comments:

https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1861819922688684143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1861819922688684143%7Ctwgr%5E8864e22bb38ec0d74d1362347d198937e1649304%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisconsinrightnow.com%2Fupset-wisconsin-women-scream-at-lake-michigan-after-trump-victory-video%2F

672.

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS

No sex. No dating. No marriage. No children. Interest grows in 4B movement to swear off men

In the hours following former President Donald Trump’s election victory, Google searches related to 4B — a fringe South Korean feminist movement that made a name for itself in the mid to late 2010s — surged in the United States.

It’s called “4B” because “B” is a shorthand for the word “no” in Korean — and a series of “nos” is what the movement calls for.

No sex.

No dating.

No marrying men.

No children.

Young women on Instagram and TikTok are the primary demographic behind the recent American surge in interest. The idea behind the movement is individual resistance against what it defines as a conservative political environment and the corrosion of reproductive rights.

Michaela Thomas, a 21-year-old artist in Georgia, told The Washington Post that she first heard about the 4B movement about a year ago.

“Young men expect sex, but they also want us to not be able to have access to abortion,” Thomas told The Post. “They can’t have both. Young women don’t want to be intimate with men who don’t fight for women’s rights; it’s showing they don’t respect us.”

The concept of a “sex strike” is not new. The ancient Greek play “Lysistrata” highlights women swearing off sex to protest the Peloponnesian War. In South Korea, the 4B movement took root at a time when the country was undergoing its own reckoning with gender violence and equality issues. (It is a country with one of the widest wage gaps in the world.)

In the United States, there is a growing ideological divide between young men and women: Women aged 18 to 30 are 30 percent more liberal than men of the same age, according to The Financial Times. Some experts point to the 2018 #MeToo movement as the key trigger in the rise in feminist values among women and the subsequent backlash among young men.

673.

COMMENTS

If they go through with this, who are they going to bitch to? No men would want to have anything to do with them anyway. All this because an election didn't go your way? Good luck and have a nice life. And as one guy said on X:

“Men should be thankful about these women who are shaving their heads and wearing blue bracelets. Now you know for sure which ones to stay away from!”

674.

NOW HERE IS A WEIRD STORY

S.C. town’s entire police force resigns: ‘I’m going to go

where I’m celebrated'

Published: Nov. 22, 2024

McCOLL, S.C. (WMBF) - More details are coming to light following the resignation of one Pee Dee town’s entire police force. McColl Police Chief Bob Hale broke his silence on Thursday confirming he was resigning just over a year after taking over the top cop role for the McColl Police Department.

Hale claimed the town council has created a hostile work environment and made “significant cuts” to the department’s funding. A former investigator also made this claim about the department.

“At the end of the day, I have a family. And when my job is constantly getting threatened and certain things are getting said I’m not going to stay somewhere and tolerate that,” Former McColl Investigator Courtney Bulusan said. Bulusan said she called it quits on Thursday, adding she wanted to go somewhere where she’s valued.“I’m not going to stay where I’m tolerated,” Bulusan said. “I’m going to go where I’m celebrated.”

Bulusan claims her job faced unnecessary challenges due to the lack of tools and equipment for her to utilize. “I was on my way to a call when that one just stopped working. We need cars,” Bulusan said. She said she wanted McColl residents to know her resignation had nothing to do with the community and she hopes the town takes the right steps to keep the community safe.

One McColl resident said now that the police department is without a police force, he worries that residents could be at risk. “Say if someone were stabbed or shot or whatever -- without police enforcement, they would have to come from the sheriff’s office in Bennettsville,” said McColl resident, William Groom. “We’re talking ten or fifteen minutes and someone could possibly expire in that amount of time. Without police enforcement, it’s definitely a bad situation.”

WMBF News reached out to Mayor George Garner who would not comment on the allegations made by the now-former officers. “I hate to see them go. They were a great group. But we gonna continue on,” he said. He did add that the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office has assured him that they will cover the town while they look for a new police chief.

The mayor added that residents should be on their best behavior and show the county that they can handle themselves over the holidays. Bulusan also identified the previously unnamed councilman that was referenced in Hale’s resignation social media post as Councilman Harry Benjamin.

WMBF News reached out to Benjamin for comment but at the time of this publication, we have not heard back.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

7 DAYS LATER—IT GOT A LOT MORE WEIRD

South Carolina mayor dies in car crash days after town’s entire police force resigns

Fri, November 29, 2024

A South Carolina mayor died in a car crash during a deputy pursuit days after his entire police force quit .

Darlington County Coroner J Todd Hardee confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Tuesday. McColl Mayor George Garner II, 49, died when a car he was traveling in collided with a truck. The crash happened around 2.40 pm on Hwy 34 in Mechanicsville. Garner was being pursued by a Marlboro County Deputy at the time. He veered left of the center line and collided with an 18-wheeler on November 26. He was transported to McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, where he died. Garner had recently been re-elected to his position.

“The pursuit was not related to any laws being broken,” Hardee wrote. “The pursuit was taking place in effort to protect the well-being of Mr Garner.” Hardee expects to make a ruling on Garner’s death in the coming days. The Independent has emailed Marlboro County officials for comment.

Earlier this month, McColl’s entire police force resigned, leaving the town of 1,900 without a single officer on duty. In a statement obtained by WPDE , Chief Bob Hale said he resigned following treatment from a local official.

“For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership,” he wrote.

“These actions have not only affected me personally but have also created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”

The collision is being investigated by the Darlington County Coroner and the SCHP MAIT team.

In a separate Facebook post, Marlboro County 911 wrote: “Our hearts are heavy during this difficult time, and we are keeping everyone affected in our thoughts and prayers. Mayor Garner was truly a remarkable individual. He consistently treated everyone with warmth and respect, and his kindness left a lasting impact on those around him.”

Garner leaves behind a wife, two sons and a daughter. His funeral service will be held on December 3.

McColl Mayor Pro-Tem Brian Blue also offered his condolences to Garner’s family. In a statement he gave to WMBF, he wrote: “I want everyone to know the mayor loved his family and the people in the Town of McColl.”

“He always told us whether he was in or out of office, he always wanted us to move the town in the right direction. And at this time, I would like for everybody to keep his family and the Town of McColl in your prayers as we deal with the loss of the mayor of McColl.”

COMMENTS

You lose your police force and your mayor dies in a crash while being pursued by police within a week. And Thanksgiving week as well. My gut is telling me there is a lot more to this story. But weird? Ya, real weird.

675.

WELCOME TO TAMPON TIM’S MINNESOTA

(ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK)

Ilhan Omar's foul-mouthed outburst at pro-Israel protester

Ilhan Omar was filmed telling a pro- Israel protester to 'f**k' themselves in a shocking outburst near Capitol Hill last night. The progressive Democratic firebrand was confronted by the protester as she rushed into an elevator. The protester challenged the congressional ‘Squad' member on her rhetoric, telling her: 'Go to Gaza, sweetheart'.

Omar responded angrily, yelling: 'F**k you!' before the doors of the elevator closed.

The protester was part of the Betar US group, which has made horrific threats against Omar's fellow Squad member Rashida Tlaib . In one post, the group threatened Tlaib with a reference to Israel's pager bomb attack on members of Hezbollah. 'We will come back again and again,' they said, adding a pager emoji along with the threat: 'We have for you'

THEN THERE IS THIS STORY

Walz Endorsed Radical Ilhan Omar

Newly minted Democrat vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz previously endorsed radical Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for Congress, Walz's social media revealed.

In July 2020, as governor of Minnesota, Walz posted : "@IlhanMN never runs away from a challenge. Her determination inspires those around her to pursue their passion in the face of adversity. She has quickly established herself as a progressive leader in Congress. #MN05."

He added in reference to all of the Democrats he endorsed that year: "As a former member of Congress representing Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, I know exactly how difficult this job can be. In addition to the incredible leadership that each of these members has displayed on the national stage during their time in Congress, they have done an equally impressive job staying grounded in their home districts."

At the time, Omar, a member of "The Squad," a group of progressive House Democrats, was challenged in her primary by four other Democrats, but Walz chose to throw his support behind the controversial representative Omar. Along with Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Omar was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress but has become known for her anti-Israel sentiment such as her infamous "It's all about the Benjamins, baby," comment in response to then House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatening to punish Omar for comments regarding Israel.

Despite efforts by Democrats and some media pundits to rebrand Walz as a folksy, Midwestern centrist, he has already been called out by Republicans for his handling of the Black Lives Matter riots of 2020 in Minneapolis, his firm embrace of COVID-19 lockdown measures, and his steadfast allegiance to the transgender lobby.

Some moderates have accused Harris of capitulating to the hard-left base in the Democrat party by selecting Walz and avoiding the more moderate and Israel-supporting governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro.

The feelings of support appeared mutual with Omar posting on Tuesday: "Congratulations to our next Vice President @Time_Walz.Our North Star Governor has signed universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization, and protections for reproductive rights into law. Bringing Minnesota nice to the ticket."

COMMENTS

Yep, the “China Loving” Tampon Tim had the “America Hating” Omar’s back from the beginning. And once again, congratulations Minnesota. You voted her in and you voted for the Harris/Walz ticket and fortunately they lost. And Minnesota you got him back. Yep, your precious Governor is back for more death and destruction. You voted for him and you got him. Enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget “Goofy” Gwen is back too. Good luck!

676.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

A MAYOR PAINE SIGHTING

Yes, thanks to our friends at Soupnutz.net the Mayor has been located. Here is the story:

Superior City Clowncil Meeting: A Farcical Display of Governance on November 19th

Nov 27

The November 19th Superior Common Council meeting had all the gravitas of a student council debate over vending machine snacks—except the snacks are your tax dollars, and the debate? A masterclass in unintentional comedy. It wasn’t governance; it was an improv show no one asked for but everyone endured. Let’s break it down.

Superior’s Council Meeting: A Civic Circus with No Ringmaster

The Superior Common Council meeting on November 19th wasn’t democracy in action—it was democracy on autopilot, stalling at every red light while pretending it was in the fast lane. If Kafka wrote Parks and Recreation , this is what it’d look like. Strap in.

Mayor Payne: Leadership on a Smoke Break

Mayor Paine opened with, “Budgets passed, elections over. I got nothing.” That’s right, folks—the city’s highest-ranking official took the floor and delivered… nothing. Not even a platitude! We’re paying this guy to sit in a meeting and do less than your average Zoom attendee. At least on Zoom, someone fakes typing notes.

Finance Report: The Power of No Effort

Councilor Elm , tasked with reporting on the Finance Committee, dropped this bombshell: “I have not prepared a statement.”No shit, Sherlock!” Did you also forget to pay your electric bill or gas up your car? Because if this is how our finances are handled, we’re one missed paycheck away from pawning City Hall.

Rubber-Stamping the Budget: Democracy’s Easy Button

The council rubber-stamped the health insurance budget faster than you can say, “Do we have questions?” The only audible contribution? Councilor Van Sickle murmured a recusal she’s married to Mayor Jim Paine . Who needs deliberation when you can just chant “aye” and call it a day? If this is governance, I’m governing my own life by saying yes to ice cream for breakfast.

Achievements in the Art of Doing Barely Anything

The Finance Committee proudly announced their 2024 goal: one budget book. One. They patted themselves on the back for what amounts to remembering their kid’s science fair project the night before it’s due. If this is progress, we should all lower our expectations to sub-basement levels.

Museum Contract: Bureaucracy on Shuffle

The council discovered mid-meeting they hadn’t finalized documents for a museum management contract. Their response? Approve the idea of maybe approving it later. This is what happens when your entire decision-making strategy boils down to, “Eh, close enough.”

Fiber Expansion: Buzzwords Without Bandwidth

The city’s fiber-optic plans included impressive phrases like “170 miles of engineering” and “clustering installations.” Translation: We’re digging a lot of holes and hoping someone smarter will figure out the rest. Councilors seemed more worried about hiding cables underground than whether anyone will actually have internet access before the next ice age.

FOIA Software: Now With Predictive Text!

The council was thrilled about JustFOIA, a tool for handling public records requests with features like predictive text. Predictive text? For public records? Fantastic—now you’ll type “city budget” and get “Did you mean: We’re broke?” Transparency, brought to you by autocorrect.

The Whole Farce: Masters of Saying Nothing

From Mayor Paine’s deadpan “I got nothing” to councilors winging it like students bluffing through a book report, this meeting was less governance and more kabuki theater. The real takeaway? If you talk long enough, maybe no one will notice you’re not saying anything. Superior , your city council isn’t leading—it’s killing time.

677.

COMMENTS

Good grief! Is the Mayor going to cut his hair and stop dating?

Well that wraps up this one. I’ll see you next time.

Thanks,

Brian

blog 75

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 21:25:19 GMT

BACK TO THE PAINE...UGH!!

MY BRAIN IS EXPLODING JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!

648. Welcome to the Blog. Today we will have a story or two featuring Mayor Paine, a new regular column called “WELCOME TO TAMPON TIM’S MINNESOTA”. Also, the return of “A MOMENT OF CAITLIN” and much more. Hope you enjoy it.

THERE’S A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Got an email the other day about a new website. It’s called Soup Nutz. Here at the Blog we welcome any and all sites that keep our public officials accountable here in Superior. Because if you expect to read some of these stories in the hyper ideological Superior Telegram then you have very low expectations. So check them out and don’t forget the good work we get from our friends at the Duluth Monitor and another good source of information at former councilor Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page. Another one is Fox 21’s own Dan Hanger’s Facebook page. And if you know of any other sites drop me an email and I’ll give them a shout out. As they say “The more the muckier” or something like that. Here are the links:

SOUP NUTZ

soupnutz.net

DULUTH MONITOR

duluthmonitor.com

Dan Hanger’s Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dhanger

Craig Sutherland’s Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/craig.sutherland.771

649. Today I want to start with a story that was published by our friends at the Duluth Monitor on Sept 13, 2024.

Mayor Paine ties Superior Municipal Forest preservation to family land deal

On September 13, 2024 By John Ramos

On July 18, 2024, at the regular quarterly meeting of the City of Superior’s Urban Forestry Tree Board, Mayor Jim Paine reported that he wanted to pursue State Natural Area Dedication for 60 percent of the Superior Municipal Forest—the highest level of land protection available in the State of Wisconsin. “Once you’ve dedicated it … it’s basically permanent protection and nobody can touch it again,” said Paine. “I am vehemently opposed to any development in the forest, ever.”

The city’s negotiations with the DNR include a land deal which involves property owned by Mayor Paine’s extended family members—his uncle, Fred Paine, and cousin (Fred Paine, Jr.). The mayor advised the Tree Board that, although a “perception of a conflict of interest” existed, he, himself, did not stand to gain anything from the deal.

The mayor’s explanation follows:

Mayor Jim Paine: A member of my much more extended family, my first cousin and … his father, Fred Paine, approached me several years ago, because … the property on which their home is, on the St. Louis River, the DNR holds a bird sanctuary easement on it. And it’s not functioning as a bird sanctuary. The DNR has never done any management or development of it as a bird sanctuary. To be perfectly honest with you, I think they were surprised to learn that they had an easement on the property, but once they did learn about it, that is their easement. So it clouds the title, more or less permanently, unless the DNR releases that easement.

The land has already been developed. Most of it has been developed, much of it. And so I approached the DNR on Mr. Paine’s behalf to ask about how a…the reason I got involved, the city was involved in the original deal that locked in the bird sanctuary and sold and developed the land for Mr. Paine. And so he asked the city’s help in resolving the issue. I approached the DNR about releasing the easement, at least on the developed parts of the land. The DNR still would like to keep the easement on the non-developed parts of the shoreline, parts of the land, [which] Mr. Paine agreed to.

In exchange for the easement release, the mayor was proposing that the city replace the DNR’s conservation land with land in the Municipal Forest.

Commissioners asked many questions about what would happen with the Municipal Forest under the new arrangement, but none questioned the mayor’s personal connection. The Tree Board voted to recommend the City of Superior proceed with dedicating part of the Superior Municipal Forest as a State Natural Area.

The Fred Paine property

As you enter the City of Superior via the Bong Bridge, Fred Paine’s property is visible on your right, the lot with the long driveway leading to two homes on the St. Louis River. One home is owned by Fred Paine and the other is owned by Fred Paine, Jr. A large outbuilding is also present on the site.

This property is adjacent to the Belknap Terrace Mobile Home Park and the construction yard for Alliance Steel Construction, both of which are owned by Fred and Nancy Paine.

Fred Paine has reported that he was unaware of the DNR’s conservation easement on the property when he bought it in 1992. He built his home within the easement in 1993, and, in 1995, he towed a barge to the site and grounded it in the shallows of the river, where it remains today. Both Paine’s home and the barge violate the easement. In 2008, Fred Paine Jr.’s home, too, was built on the easement.

When the DNR finds property owners violating conservation easements, they address the situation in a variety of ways. Property owners may be issued a fine or be required to conserve a comparable amount of similar land elsewhere.

In this case, Mayor Jim Paine is extending thousands of acres of the Superior Municipal Forest to the DNR for the release of an easement on the private Paine property.

“Inasmuch as it relates to the Paine easement, [what we’re offering is] much, much, much larger than what they’re losing,” the mayor told the Urban Forestry Tree Board. “I think that’s an acre [affected on the Fred Paine property]. I mean, granted, it’s, like, fish habitat and it’s shoreline, and the [DNR] doesn’t give up shoreline so easy, but they’re getting a lot of shoreline here [in the Municipal Forest].”

The mayor said, “The reason I suggested it, in the context of these negotiations, was—I mean, it’s possible I have an internal bias that I want to benefit Mr. Paine, but the real reason is I would like this forest protected in perpetuity.”

Why involve Fred Paine?

The Monitor emailed Mayor Paine, asking for more details on the Fred Paine deal. The mayor responded via email on Aug. 1, 2024:

Mr. Paine is not a member of my immediate family. I receive no employment or other economic support from him or his businesses. I have no financial interest in his property. He is a citizen of Superior. I therefore have a duty to provide him with the same services and support as any other citizen, so long as my efforts advance the public interest. It is a common and expected practice for the city, including mayors, to advocate and represent individual citizens directly to state and federal agencies.

Mr. Paine’s concerns relate to land use decisions by the City of Superior. Decades ago, the city owned the land and granted the original easement to the DNR. Later, the city sold the property to Mr. Paine on the condition he develop major portions of the land. Mr. Paine was not aware that the land contained an easement that prevented much of the development, so he believes that the city sold him the land in bad faith.

As this transaction happened in the 1980s, I don’t have all the information, nor do I believe it is the relevant factor anymore. The questions in front of the city which triggered our involvement are basic land use issues. Does the Paine property better serve the city as a developed property or as a wildlife sanctuary? Does the municipal forest merit more long-term protection than it currently receives from local ordinance?

Neither I nor the city council have the power to release the easement on the Paine property. That decision falls solely to the DNR. The city must decide the value of placing the municipal forest into a new easement. The committee members and councilors may consider whether Mr. Paine’s interests are compelling or even relevant, or they can entirely ignore his interest in this matter. I simply have a duty to inform them of his interest and the role I played in these discussions.

After he has been out of compliance with the DNR for decades, the City of Superior is offering to shoulder the cost of resolving Fred Paine’s violations.

The Monitor sent Mayor Paine a follow-up email, questioning why the Fred Paine property was involved in the city’s negotiations at all. “It seems to be Fred Paine’s problem,” we wrote. “The DNR could assess him a fine or require him to replace the easement with property elsewhere, but [we] do not see what responsibility the city has to lift this burden from him. Every one of the goals the city is seeking to accomplish with dedication of the Municipal Forest could be accomplished without involving the Fred Paine property.”

The mayor responded on Aug. 8, 2024:

I believe my original statement fully answers your question but I’ll try to re-state it more succinctly … You asked why the city is involved with the Fred Paine property. The city is involved for two reasons. First, the City granted an easement to the DNR on city-owned land. The city sold that land for development and has never since replaced the easement. This agreement corrects that mistake and fulfills the city’s original responsibility to provide a habitat preserve.

Second, the city intervened to help Mr. Paine because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can. I’m proud to say we have invested millions of dollars helping Superior residents do everything from plant flowers in front of their home to building major industrial manufacturing plants. Helping Mr. Paine was relatively easy and costs the city nothing more than further protection for land that already enjoys the highest level of protection the city provides. Mr. Paine gains nothing other than land that he has already purchased and that is already developed. The biggest winner in this entire transaction are the people of Wisconsin, who long ago lost a wildlife sanctuary and now gain long term protection for the Pokegema and St. Louis rivers and the surrounding forest.

Years-long negotiation

The City of Superior and the DNR have been in negotiations over the matter for about six years.

According to DNR Public Affairs Section Manager Molly Meister, talks began in 2018. “The DNR reached out to the City in 2018 to address the matter,” Meister emailed the Monitor on Aug. 5, 2024. “The DNR reached out to the City and the landowners in 2019 to request resolution of the matter. Discussions have continued since that time.”

Meister provided us with detailed answers to our questions, which we reproduce here:

The DNR has been working to resolve violations of an easement it holds on property that was originally owned by the City of Superior.

In 1989, the City of Superior granted a conservation easement on land along and part of the bed of the St. Louis River to the DNR as part of the consideration for the DNR discontinuing a bird sanctuary on Barker’s Island. The purpose of the easement is to protect and enhance the lands for fish and wildlife habitat.

a) In 1992, the City conveyed the parcel encumbered by the easement to Frederick L. and Nancy Paine.

b) A residence was constructed on the property in 1993 and several portions of the property have been paved or had vegetation removed. In addition, a barge that now rests on the bed of the river was towed to the site in 1995.

c) In 2008, the Paines conveyed a portion of the property to Frederick A. and Dawn Paine, and an additional house and driveway were constructed …

The DNR holds a variety of easements throughout the state. When encroachments on these easements are discovered, the DNR seeks to make the state whole and can consider a range of options based on the particular circumstances including removal of the encroachment, exchange of lands, or direct payment to account for the diminished value of the easement.

The DNR has not agreed to a full release of the easement on the property, but is not currently seeking removal of the houses. The DNR has considered accepting a State Natural Area dedication on the Dwight’s Point and Pokegama Wetlands State Natural Area, which comprises approximately 60 percent of the Superior Municipal Forest, as a component of potential resolution of the matter.

The State Natural Area (SNA) program protects tracts of land with important natural features that are predominantly free of human disturbance and contain outstanding examples of biotic communities, geological features, or archeological sites. The Dwight’s Point and Pokegama Wetlands SNA was designated in 1996 through a Memorandum of Understanding between the DNR and the City. Designation is a process which recognizes the conservation values of the land and sets forth management goals, but does not offer additional legal protection for SNAs on land not managed by the DNR.

Dedication is the process by which SNAs are afforded more permanent legal protection at the state level through the recording of Articles of Dedication on the land designed to protect property in perpetuity. The articles are a form of conservation easement held by the DNR which contain legally binding provisions for stewardship, custody, and protection of the natural values of the property. A dedicated SNA must be approved by the governor.

The City and the DNR are presently discussing some combination of a partial easement release, landowner actions, and SNA dedication in order to attempt to make the state whole.

In response to a follow-up query asking why the Paine property was involved in the negotiations at all, Meister responded:

The DNR addresses issues when they are discovered. The DNR did not approve of the development on the easement in question and was not aware that it had occurred until recently.

The City granted the easement to the DNR when the City owned the property; therefore, the DNR considers the City to bear some responsibility for the diminished value of the easement and for making the state whole. Cash payments do not replace the lost conservation values the easement was designed to protect.

As noted previously, the DNR reached out to both the City and the Paines to seek solutions to the encroachment issues. The DNR remains open to a variety of solutions to replace the value of the easement.

According to the chair of the Urban Forestry Tree Board, Councilor Ludwig, a DNR representative will be invited to the UFTB’s October meeting to “address any questions and concerns” the board had about the Natural Area Dedication process.

Interested parties should set a reminder in their calendar for Oct. 17, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. The Urban Forestry Tree Board meetings are usually held in Government Center Room 204.

A message sent to Fred Paine via the contact form for Alliance Steel Construction, seeking comment for this story, received no response as of press time.

650.

HERE ARE A FEW COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“Funny, I think I've heard this "no conflict of interest" line from the Mayor before...we didn't buy it then, Jimmy, and we don't buy it now either.”

“It’s hard to believe that a savvy businessman just didn’t realize about the easement when he purchased the property. It smells. “

“It does smell and his aunt and uncle also donate $500 each to his campaign–the most allowed by Wisconsin law.”

“I’ve long thought some of that forest should be rezoned for development. There is no where to build within the city any more. But this is NOT the way to go about it!”

“Lots of the open fields would be great places to grow the tax base. I thought he was against development in “Wild” areas. Oh yea, only when it suits his needs…”

“Paine and his old lady have always had a conflict of interest. Time to boot them both out to the curb.”

HERE IS WHAT SOUPNUTZ.NET HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT

651.

Prioritizing Forest Protection or Family Interests in Superior, WI? Unveiling the Controversial Deal

November 8, 2024

Let’s talk about the latest in Superior, Wisconsin, where the mayor’s got a big idea to save the forest. Here’s the pitch: 60% of the Superior Municipal Forest gets dedicated as a State Natural Area, so no one—no one—can ever touch it again. Pretty righteous, right? And here’s Mayor Jim Paine, standing up there saying he’s “vehemently opposed” to any development. But wait… there’s a twist.

Turns out this isn’t just about trees and squirrels. The deal includes land owned by none other than—get this—his uncle and his cousin. That’s right, good ol’ Uncle Fred Paine and Cousin Freddy Jr. have some prime riverfront property with a very inconvenient conservation easement on it. The DNR says it’s supposed to be a bird sanctuary, but it’s got houses, a driveway, and even a barge sitting in the water like a beached whale. So what does the mayor do? He steps in, like any good nephew, to help negotiate a deal with the DNR.

So here’s the mayor’s grand plan: give up your public forest land in exchange for lifting that pesky easement on his family’s property. But don’t worry! It’s a “win-win,” he says. Because his family gets to keep their development, and the rest of you get to sit on your hands and enjoy the “protected” forest land you already had.

Now, maybe I’m old-fashioned, but it sure looks like a case of public land for private problems. Here’s the thing: why should the city step in to clean up Uncle Fred’s mess? The DNR could tell him to fix it himself, pay a fine, or dedicate his own land. But now Superior’s stepping up to solve a decades-old problem the Paine family created—for free! You’re telling me this helps Superior? This is supposed to be “for the public good”? Feels more like a private favor.

This story was exposed, and sourced from the fantastic reporting of John Ramos from the Duluth Monitor .

Footnote: Requests have been submitted to the DNR for all documentation related to this transaction. This information will be made public to ensure that the citizens of Superior can make informed decisions.

652.

MY COMMENTS

Here he goes again. First it was Melissa Hyatt, now it’s possibly his family. He seems to like doing favors for targeted people. And in this case it might be the taxpayers of Superior that have something to lose. Is there a value to the land he wants to give away? If so what is that value? I think giving it away would be inappropriate and perhaps illegal. Why is it everything Jim Paine gets involved with seem to have shady and slimy side to it? Look, I don’t know enough about the process here I really have no knowledge of the process in these cases. So for that reason I don’t want to pass judgment on Fred or Fred Jr. Maybe an investigation would be an option.

I will say that I think John Ramos at the Duluth Monitor did a great job with his article and I think Soupnutz did a good analysis. But you know what tics me off the most?

That’s right. The Fake Superior Telegram and the Fake Duluth Tribune. They both should be ashamed of themselves. They are nothing more than ideological hacks for the Democrat party. This story should have been covered by both papers. Remember how they covered the Kathy Cargill story? They had a field day with it. Several articles.

But this story? Nothing, zero, nada. Are you trying to tell us that this story is not worth printing? C’mon man. Even Joe Biden agrees.

This is Fake News by omission. To not run this story exposes your bias and quite frankly makes you look stupid, foolish, irrelevant and not believable. And to my readers, you luckily now have choices. These two local rags no longer have a monopoly on local news anymore and that’s a good thing. They are not really newspapers, they are political operatives for the Democrat party.

653.

AND THE MANIPULATOR OF WORDS STRIKES AGAIN

I have outlined in many Blogs how Jim Paine likes to manipulate words, sometimes to enhance and sometimes to diminish the importance of the issue he is addressing. And this story is no exception. Below are some examples of that.

“A member of my much more extended family, my first cousin and … his father, Fred Paine, approached me several years ago”

My response:

Excuse me Mayor, they are not “much more extended family”. Fred is your father’s brother and his son is your cousin. You didn't just find them after an extended search

on Ancestry.com.

“I mean, it’s possible I have an internal bias that I want to benefit Mr. Paine, but the real reason is I would like this forest protected in perpetuity.”

My response:

Ya right Mayor “Forest Fairy”. And folks, if you believe that I have a forest in Superior to sell you.

“Commissioners asked many questions about what would happen with the Municipal Forest under the new arrangement, but none questioned the mayor’s personal connection. The Tree Board voted to recommend the City of Superior proceed with dedicating part of the Superior Municipal Forest as a State Natural Area.”

My response:

Of course the Commissioners didn’t question the Mayor’s personal connections and voted for him just like City Council does. All of these clowns should be removed from their positions and that goes for City Council as well. They are all afraid of the Mayor. They fear the repercussions they will receive if they vote against him. I have no idea why they are so afraid to stand up to him but the fact that they are disqualifies them from public service or office. We need people with a spine and a set of balls, not these weak little marshmallow lefties that dominate our current administration. They aren’t doing their job and they are ruining this city.

“Second, the city intervened to help Mr. Paine because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can. I’m proud to say we have invested millions of dollars helping Superior residents do everything from plant flowers in front of their home to building major industrial manufacturing plants.”

My response:

I am 2,000 miles from Superior and I can smell his bullshit from here. His only purpose is to help citizens? Do you know how many people he has fuck*d in this city? Too many to count. Jim Paine AKA “The Forest Fairy” has probably Fuck*d more residents of Superior in his seven years of terror than any other Mayor of this city in history. When I read crap like that it makes my blood boil. Like I said before, very little “triggers” me but this is one of them. He doesn't care one bit about the citizens of Superior other than a select few. You would have to look very hard to find a lesser life form than him on earth.

Forest Fairy

654.

WELCOME TO TAMPON TIM’S MINNESOTA

(ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK)

What We Know About Alleged 'Secret Affair' Walz Had

with Chinese Communist Party Official's Daughter

Jenna Wang told the Daily Mail and New York Post she had a relationship with U.S. Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz in China, beginning in 1989. Walz, who was not married then, was part of a group of Americans teaching in China. The relationship was "secret" because Wang had to hide its existence from her father, who was a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Harris-Walz campaign has not commented on Wang's assertions.

Wang and Walz allegedly broke up because Wang expected a marriage proposal. When that didn't happen, she told media outlets she felt suicidal. She wrote that she remained in love with Walz until 2020.
In an open letter, Wang stated that her father was a high-ranking member of the CCP "at the local level." Even if her father's credentials are not exaggerated, they would not, based on Wang's own testimony, provide evidence of a nefarious connection between Walz and China, as alleged by opponents of the Harris-Walz campaign.
As of this writing, Wang was raising money for a "missionary" via a GoFundMe campaign. Via that website, Snopes attempted to contact Wang. In response, a man named Robert Gruber replied from an email address in Wang's name. He did not allow us to speak directly with Wang, but explained to Snopes that they were "in this together."

On Oct. 28, 2024, the Daily Mail and the New York Post both ran stories about a relationship between Democratic U.S. Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz and a Chinese woman that allegedly occurred between 1989 and 1992.

COMMENTS

I really don’t care who he was dating but if Ms. Wang and Mr. Walz had a son would they call him:

WILLY WANG WALZ

655.

ANOTHER LOSS FOR SUPERIOR

SUPERIOR, Wis. – FOX 21 learned Monday that a decades-long manufacturing facility in Superior is shutting down.

8 hours ago

Dan Hanger

Barko Hydraulics is located on Banks Avenue.

Employees found out Monday morning by mail that they are to not return to the office and are terminated Dec. 1.

Barko President Justin Rupar said in the letter to employees that Superior’s operations are being consolidated with a sister plant in Michigan.

Barko has been a leader in heavy forestry equipment manufacturing in Superior since 1963.

One terminated employee told FOX 21 that Barko has been more than a job for her family.

“My grandfather worked there for 40-plus years. My dad’s been there for 20-plus years. I was supposed to hit 3 years December 20th. Obviously, that’s not going to happen,” said Eber.

Barko’s letter said the number of employees being terminated is under 25.

656.

COMMENTS

More bad news for the Superior business community today. Especially losing a company that’s been here so long. And to make it worse they are consolidating their operations in Michigan. Without more info I really can’t comment more other than to say we are sad to see them go and wish them well in the future. By the way, as usual I haven’t seen any coverage from the two local newspapers. There is more on this story on the Fox 21 Web page. Here is the link: https://www.fox21online.com/2024/11/18/decades-old-barko-hydraulics-shutting-down-in-superior/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGpVpFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSZ5L0QchhRZqqS7ttUGamoWgdRWUJzDlhLpCHbl0l5cpvMQvPT2PHtgCg_aem_H0of6HpkCLBSnnSIzoZNdg

657.

AND NOW “A MOMENT OF CAITLIN”

I know how much you have missed your Caitlin news and I’ve missed writing them. I promise that won’t happen again.

Nike under pressure to deliver on promise to Caitlin Clark after $27 million deal

Basketball sensation Caitlin Clark's fans are urging Nike to speed up the release of her custom sneakers.

The 22 year old sports star, who recently completed her debut season as the No. 1 overall pick for the Indiana Fever, was spotted sporting a vibrant pair of Nike Infinity Tour 2 golf shoes during a golfing session with teammate Lexie Hull.

This has led to an outpouring of demands from her massive fan base for Nike to expedite the release of her own basketball shoes, which were promised as part of her $27 million, eight-year deal with the sportswear giant.

Social media was abuzz with fans tagging Nike and demanding "Shoes now!" One fan even suggested that Nike could make millions by selling the shoes, tweeting: "You REALLY wanna make bank, @Nike? In addition to the Caitlin 1s, drop some Caitlin Golfs as well for good measure. You'll thank me later."

One fan accused Nike of tantalizing fans with custom shoes for Caitlin Clark, stating: "CC [Caitlin Clark] custom golf shoes.... they're just trying all the different ways to tease us about her shoe drop. Can Nike stop fumbling."

Clark has been a transformative figure in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). WNBA icon Sue Bird highlighted the 'Caitlin Clark effect' by pointing out the record-breaking viewership numbers since Clark's arrival.

On her 'A Touch More' podcast, Bird commented: "Viewership numbers with Caitlin Clark are astronomical. She brings in all the things. We know this, we've said this. Yes, the games that she's not playing have lower viewership."

In reference to other playoff games not featuring Clark, Bird added: "The WNBA playoffs, where Caitlin's obviously not in it because her team lost are still breaking records from previous WNBA years. These numbers are still really high and still really meaningful."

"Yet, some people continue to flip that... Nobody ever said Caitlin wasn't gonna be a marketing gem, a unicorn."

658.

THEN I READ THIS

Sep 24, 2024

Fortunately, they signed the woman to build a brand around. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Caitlin Clark. Instead, in the early Clark Era, Nike's stock has tanked over this span and the CEO just got ousted. By the way, though Clark got famous around 2022, If you want to buy her shoe, you could be waiting until 2026-27.

COMMENTS

WHAT? I can’t wait that long. I need them now and my shoe size is 15 EEE. So Nike I have three words for you.

Well, that’s it for today. See you all on the next one.

Thanks,

Brian

blog 74

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:49:37 GMT

THE AFTER ELECTION SPECIAL

YOU CAN BREATHE NOW!!!

635. Welcome to Blog 74. Yes it’s over. No more political commercials 24/7 on TV everyday. No more fake polls. No more opinions or in most cases, lies from talking heads corrupting my brain. And you can throw print news into that barrel as well. No more endorsements from these retarded celebrities and Jim Paine (not a celebrity, but he thinks he is). And finally, no more of these idiotic politicians telling me to call all my friends to go out and vote. And by the way, none of them called me. And if they did I would have had 2 words for them and they wouldn't have been “Let’s Dance”.

636. On the last blog I talked about going to see Frankie Avalon on election night and we did. When I was 14 years old I went to my first concert. It was Grand Funk Railroad at the Ottawa Civic Center. It holds about 10,000 people and it was packed. I thought I was going to die. I had been there for hockey games, circus shows and other stuff but that night the fans were going crazy and you could feel the building moving. I thought it was going to collapse. It didn’t and I was hooked. I went to practically ever concert that came to town after that and I as I got older I started to go to Montreal (a 2 hour drive from Ottawa) because some times some of the bigger acts bypassed Ottawa. My all time favorite band is Aerosmith and rock has always been my favorite type of music.

637. When I moved to Vegas 2 years ago I noticed how many of the older bands they had here on a regular basis so I started to take interest in them. I knew a lot of their songs and liked them but they were just a little before my concert going days and I was more into into harder rock. Almost all of the shows here are held in casino showrooms that hold between 800 and 4,000 people. So almost all the seats are good and comfortable, and almost never any lines at the restrooms. It makes for a good night out.

These are some of the shows I’ve seen since I moved here.

The Grass Roots, Bryan Adams, Three Dog Night, Winger, Lita Ford, Chicago, Barry Manilow, Smokey Robinson, Righteous Brothers, Herman’s Hermits (twice), Collective Soul, Tommy James and the Shondells, Eddie Montgomery, Tom Jones, Engelberg Humberdinck and I have tickets for 2 upcoming shows, Burton Cummings and Heart.

Other than the music, my favorite things about these “oldie” shows is when they speak about their careers over the years, their associations with other big stars of their time and their families. It’s like a history of music. I didn’t know that Frankie Avalon had 8 children with his wife in 10 years. He is 84 and his children are between 51 and 61 and 2 of his sons play in his band. One on drums and one on bass and they are really good. He looks great, he sounds great and put on a great show. A good time was had by all.

After that I went on a three day rampage fueled by beer, vodka, cocaine, smoking, vaping, gambling and hookers. In fact I was interviewed somewhere on the Las Vegas strip the other night by a local TV channel. I really don’t remember though. See below.

COMMENTS

638. OK, that last paragraph isn’t true. I told you on a previous Blog that I have never vaped. Actually I haven’t had a drink since the election but today as I write this it’s NFL Sunday so I might engage in some of this activity but I won’t tell which ones. And by the way, don’t you hate these stupid early Sunday games from Europe? I do. They start at 6:30 AM Vegas time. I’m not used to drinking beer with breakfast. But I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

NAUSEATING CELEBRITIES

639. Every election year we hear the same old crap from these annoying morons and at least for me it’s getting old. Real old. Don’t you think it’s amazing how the singers and bands make so many good songs and lyrics and the actors string together so many smart and intelligent lines but in real life they can barely spurt out two sentences with a coherent thought? They sound like Joey Chestnut with his mouth full at a Nathan’s Hot dog eating contest.

640. And then all the crazy lefties want to move out of the country. Remember when Trump won in 2016 they were all going to move to Canada? Problem is, none of them did. Now that Trump won again they are threatening to move again. Problem is, they won’t. But they should. Canada’s policies are more in line with theirs. They have a carbon tax, gas is 5-6 bucks a gallon and you can be jailed for your social and political thoughts. Sounds good eh? Then I was thinking who is the worst one? Who has lost their mind the most? There is a large list: Billy Joe Braindead from Green Day, Billy Eyelash, The 5 Cows from “The View”, Morning Joseph Stalin and Mika McNazy, Donnie Douchbag, George Clowny, Al “Not So” Sharpton, Oprah Windbag, Killery and Bubba Klinton. Lady Caca, Cardi B (Rhymes with Itch),Bad Rabbit, Megan Thee Horse, Jennifer Dopez, Sally ”The Flying Nut” Fields, Bruce Spingboard and many others including Mayor Jim Paine (Only a celebrity in his mind). Collectively these “Celebs” have over 2 billion followers on their social sites and they couldn't push Kakala over the finish line. So what’s that telling you? And by the way Mayor Paine I think in your last couple of endorsements you are 1-5 (sounds like my football pics)

Remember this guy?

SO WHO DO I THINK WAS THE WORST ONE?

641. His whining, crying epic meltdown was something to behold. In his rant he went on and named pretty much every demographic there is and said they had a terrible night but they don’t realize it yet. It included children, Ukraine, immigrants, NATO, women, heath care, science, journalism, poor people, the climate and for everybody who voted for him. Basically the whole world. And all why balling like the little “Bitch” he is. I could have picked Rachel Mancow, Joyless Reid, the entire cast of The View or any show host on CNN or MSLSD. But Kimmel stood out with his hatred of President Trump to me, more than the others. Look, I don’t care if he hates him. But when he uses lies, and vicious ones at that, to try and convince his audience that Donald Trump is the worst person in the world, that’s what I don’t like. He has terminal and incurable Stage 5 “Trump Derangement Syndrome”. The worst case I’ve seen outside of Keith Olbermann. I think Jimmy should go on an extended vacation or perhaps retire. He is worth 59 million dollars which is a very comfortable nest egg. If he wants to continue comedy maybe do it without political jokes. It’s not like he has used any in the past anyway. At least not ones that were funny.

AND THEN THE BIGGEST HYPOCRITE OF THEM ALL

Whoopi Goldberg reveals what it would take to leave "The View": A bigger bank account

Whoopi Goldberg has been a co-host of " The View " for nearly 20 years, but in a recent episode, she joked that she’s not just sticking around for the fun of it—she needs the cash.

On the brink of turning 69, Goldberg spoke of her financial situation during Tuesday's live show— which touched upon the struggles of the working class— saying, "I appreciate that people are having a hard time. Me, too. I work for a living."

"If I had all the money in the world, I would not be here, okay? So, I'm a working person, you know?" Goldberg furthered. "My kid has to feed her family. My great-granddaughter has to be fed by her family. I know it's hard out there."

That said, Goldberg is not exactly strapped for funds in the same way many other Americans are. With an estimated worth of $60 million , Goldberg said in a spring episode that she plans to bequeath it all to her daughter, Alexandrea Martin.

"One of the great answers is children learn by what they see, Goldberg explained on the May 2 episode. "My mother worked her behind off and so that's why I feel the way I feel and I'm leaving my kid everything that I have.

A breakdown of "The View" co-host's salaries reported on by OK! Magazine in 2022 ranks Goldberg at the top, pulling in $8 million a year, with Joy Behar banking $7 million, Sunny Hostin banking $1.6 million and Alyssa Farah Griffin estimated a $250k.

"For Alyssa, who is coming from the White House, 'The View' salary would be a step up!" The insider who provided these figures to the publication said.

COMMENTS

642. If you are worth 60 million and got a 5% return, that would be 3 million a year. And by the way, heath care in Canada is free. And 60 million is US dollars today is worth over 83 million at today’s rate. Pretty sure you, your daughter and grandchild could live a very comfortable life. In fact you could buy a beautiful house, actually a mansion in Westmount which is in the most affluent part of Montreal. That’s where Kakala grew up. And it’s less than a two hour drive from Burlington, Vermont where I’m sure you may have some socialist friends you could visit.

But I think the biggest loser of this election is:

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA

643. Why Minnesota? A lot of reasons. Exposing Tampon Tim on the national scene again after the George Floyd debacle was a bad idea. He should have never accepted the nomination for the VP of this country. He should have known that every facet of his life would be put under a microscope. And it’s safe to say he has one of the strangest backgrounds that many of us have ever seen. And to think that if he and Kakala won he would be only a heartbeat away from being President is something you would only see in a science fiction movie. And then his wife “Turn the Page” “Goofy” Gwen who likes to smell burning rubber and dead bodies from her open window. It’s just too much.

644. And if that’s not bad enough they reelected the America hating, America Last, IIlhan Omar. She didn’t just win. She annihilated her opponent by a 75-25 margin. And if that all isn’t bad enough the state voted in Harris/Walz over Trump/Vance 51-46.

Now don’t get me wrong. The voters of Minnesota have every right to vote for who they want. But why these two? They are probably the worst, most inexperienced ticket to be presented to the American public. But what particularly stands out for them is that they both contributed greatly to the destruction of this state. We all have heard what Tampon Tim did when it comes to Covid and the George Floyd riots. But what about Kakala? Read this:

Kamala Harris’ support for bail fund that freed violent criminals shows how ‘tough on crime’ she really is

Oh No! Tim Walz Just Waved So Hard His Arms Flew Off!

Kamala Harris wants you to believe she’s tough on crime because she won a San Francisco election to become district attorney, and California elections to serve as attorney general, and actually prosecuted people when that was her whole job.

By this logic, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg must be tough on crime, too.

Far more telling is her support for bailing out the 2020 George Floyd rioters, endorsing a bail fund that put violent repeat offenders back on the streets of Minneapolis .

“Chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” she tweeted as the city burned (and as Gov. Tim Walz dithered on the mayor’s request to send in the National Guard).

That endorsement helped the Minnesota Freedom Fund raise $40 million, cash it soon used to release accused murderers, rapists, and thieves. In keeping with how Black Lives Matter nonprofits operate, only a tiny fraction of that largesse went to freeing simple protesters.

Among the sketchy recipients of the MFF bail funds:

Darnika Floyd got out on $100,000 after being accused of stabbing a man who refused to have sex with her; in 2021 she was convicted and sent to prison.

Christopher Boswell, a convicted rapist, was facing 10 felony counts including attempted rape, sexual assault and kidnapping against two women when he got released on $350,000 bail; those charges were later dropped, but he was convicted last year for heinous felonies committed in 2022.

Bailed out in August 2021 on a domestic abuse charge, George Howard weeks later murdered Luis Martinez Ortiz in a road-rage incident; he pleaded guilty last year.

MFF bailed out Lionel Timms on charges of violently pummeling a bus rider who refused to give him money; a month later, he was arrested for leaving his victim with a traumatic brain injury. In 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for felony assault.

Despite the MFF’s dismal record, Harris hasn’t deleted her tweet endorsing the bail fund — which means she still stands by it, or at the very least doesn’t dare cross the hard left by deleting it.

COMMENTS

645. I just can’t understand how the voters of Minnesota could vote in these two after what they have done to the state. But they did. And of course Mayor Paine endorsed them as well. But thankfully most of the country didn’t. And the news gets worse for Minnesota. You got him back. Yep, your precious Governor is back for more death and destruction. You voted for him and you got him. Enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget “Goofy” Gwen is back too. Good luck!

THE PIPSQUEAK CHIRPS UP

Definition of pipsqueek: a contemptibly small or unimportant person; a twerp.

646. On the Mayor’s Facebook page he posted the following on October 18th:

The City of Superior is offering more ways to cast your ballot than ever before. We’ve installed these secure ballot drop boxes outside the Government Center, Fire Headquarters, and the Bong Veterans Museum. Starting Tuesday, we will also offer in-person early voting with extended hours. You can receive and cast your ballot in the City Clerk’s office from 8 am-5:30 pm weekdays until Friday, November 1st. I’ll do my best to respond to any election questions here but it’s always best to get an official answer from our City or County Clerks. Democracy is our birthright as Americans, but it’s also fragile. It requires your participation. So make a plan to vote, bring that apathetic friend of yours, and I’ll see you at the polls.

COMMENTS

647. So I’m reading through this and it’s pretty cookie cutter stuff. Fine. Until the end when he says “bring that apathetic friend of yours”. He always has to have that last word or in his case, jab or insult. It’s a way to prove that he is better and smarter than you. He does this all the time. I have showed in past Blogs and I’ll show you more of these in future ones. I looked up the word “apathetic”.

adjective

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern. "apathetic slackers who don't vote"
“Apathy” is a term healthcare professionals use to describe a lack of goal-directed activity and motivation compared to previous behavior. It can also look like a lack of spontaneity, interest or emotional expression. Apathy is a symptom and/or complication of several neurological conditions.

So that’s what he thinks about your friends because he knows better doesn't he?

I do have an unconfirmed picture below of some of the friends that he brought to vote on election day.

Well that’s it for today’s Blog and hope to see you all back here on the next one.

Brian

blog 73

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:45:37 GMT

ELECTION DAY SPECIAL!!!

PLEASE GET IT OVER WITH

616. Welcome to the “Election Special” Blog. Have you had enough? Are you sick of all the rhetoric? Do you just want this to be over? Anxiety? Stress? Are you tired at the insane amount and content of commercials on TV? Me too. Did you know that 994 million dollars was spent just last week alone on political ads? In hindsight I wish I would have turned off my phone about 6 months ago and left the following message:

“Hi this is Brian. I can’t answer the phone I am in a self-induced coma at an undisclosed location. I will reverse it after Nov 5 or until the official election results are in. Don’t leave a message because the mailbox is full and I can’t call you back because like I said, I’m in a coma. Click”.

It’s almost been as bad as listening to a Mayor Paine “State of the City” annual speech. A bunch of hot air, lies and unfulfilled promises.

617. The most irritating and annoying thing is this constant barrage of politicians and talking heads on both sides telling me to “Go out and vote” and then “Go out and get 10 of your friends to vote”. I can’t tell you how much this drives me nuts. First off, I’m not retarded. I don’t need anybody to tell me to vote. Secondly I don’t have 10 friends. That’s too many and I don’t have time for 10 friends. I’m too busy writing this Blog. And the few I do have (well most of them) aren’t retarded either. They don’t need anybody to tell them to vote. If you are that retarded and need somebody to tell you to vote, maybe you shouldn't be voting in the first place. God please make this election nightmare end.

ELECTION NIGHT

618. My wife and I were married 36 years ago right here in Las Vegas. So today Nov. 4 is our anniversary. Normally we go out for dinner and sometimes we will go to a show, sporting event or a concert. It all depends what’s going on as long as it’s on that day or close to it.

So a few weeks ago I was looking online and Frankie Avalon is playing at South Point Casino, which has my favorite showroom, on Nov 5 and I bought 2 tickets. Remember him? He’s 84 years old and alive and well. He is a singer and actor. His biggest hit was Venus and made several films including 7 with Annette Funicello who passed away in 2013. She was 70 years old. When I told my wife she reminded me that was election night. So I said perfect. We will go to the show and should be home around 9 PM and then I’ll watch the election results. Then the day after I’ll start working on this (See below).

JUST KIDDING!!!

619.

I DID HAVE ANOTHER OPTION. SEE BELOW

Dances For Democracy': Visit The Polls And Then The Poles!

To add to voting day excitement, Crazy Horse 3 Gentlemen's Club is offering a unique incentive for voters in Las Vegas . Between 12 and 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, get in on the action at the Vegas strip club after placing your vote in the presidential election.

All you have to do is show your "I Voted" sticker and get a hot incentive for making your vote count. The award-winning gentlemen's club is encouraging everyone to go from the polls to their poles by hosting "Dances for Democracy" on Election Day.

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, guests 21 and older who show their "I Voted" sticker between 12 and 8 p.m. will get one complimentary lap dance. In addition to this hot incentive for voting, there will also be an Election Viewing Party, showcasing the presidential action on 30 100-inch flat-screen TVs. Another added bonus, guests with a valid Nevada ID will get complimentary entry.

COMMENTS

Two things. If I go there may not be a 37th anniversary and it may turn the election into an erection. And I don’t need my wife to have another reason to pick a bone with me. Well, maybe I do! But that’s the great thing about living in Vegas, you always have lots of options.

620.

STOP LYING AND CALLING ME NAMES

I want to know why the top leaders of the Democrat party keep calling me and many of you names. They always seem to be unhappy. It’s like they have an impacted wisdom tooth or terminal crotch rash. They are triggered 24/7 by anything and everything. And don’t forget the non-stop lying.

Let’s start with Barack Hussein Obama AKA “Barry”, the mom jeans wearing, dog eating, condescending, smug, arrogant, thinks his sh*t doesn't stink and failure of a president said. In my opinion the worst President of my lifetime. He recently said:

"Part of it makes me think — and I'm speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that," the former president said”.

Ya, OK Barry. They said that about having a black president several years ago. Last time I looked you were voted in twice. So if black men aren’t voting for Kamala, it’s not because she’s a woman. Oh ya don’t forget your “Clinging to their God, religion and guns” remarks from years ago. And oh ya, you ate a dog you sick bastard.

621.

Then there is Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama AKA “Nasty Moochelle”, in my opinion the worst First Lady of my lifetime said:

“If any man doesn't vote for Harris you don’t care about women”.

I can assure “Nasty Moochelle” that I and many other men care a lot about women. Quite a lot in fact. A lot a lot. I’ll leave it at that.

And don’t forget these words she spouted out in 2008

“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country”.

Really? Nasty, Nasty and more Nasty.

622.

And then there is Hillary AKA “Killary” Clinton. Where do you start? She just released her fourth book trying to explain why she lost her bid for president in 2016. You don’t need four books to explain it. Most of us could sum it up in one or two sentences. It started out with her calling us “Deplorables” and then it got worse when she called us “racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, islamophobic, you name it.” That’s a lot of “Phobics”. But she forgot one. Democratophobic.

I will confess to all of that. Just don’t “Killary” me.

Susan “Rat Face” Rice

Valerie “The Communist” Jarrett

623. And now, in my opinion America’s second worst president of my lifetime, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. The paper president. I say that because that’s what he is. Who has been really running the country for the last 4 years? My best guess is Barack Obama and many of the leftover surrogates from his presidency including Susan “Rat Face” Rice and Valerie “the Communist” Jarrett. So this is really Barack Obama's third term. One telling and obvious sign is in his press releases. I'm not talking about the ones attributed to the White House. I’m talking about the ones with his name on them. He doesn't talk like that. Even though his name is on them, he didn’t write them. Take my Blog as an example. That is the way I talk in real life. Not him though.

The other tell tale sign. For 8 years Barack Obama never stopped blaming George Bush for all the world’s problems. Remember that? I do and it was nauseating. Well what has Biden done for almost 4 years. Relentlessly blamed Donald Trump for everything. And now Kakala McKneepads seems to mention his name about every three seconds. Let’s be clear, this is Obama's third term.

As far as Joe goes, he has called us all kinds of things. Many I can’t repeat because they are not discernible. But his latest is a doozy. He called us “Garbage”. One band that I’ve seen a few times live said. “I know the feeling” (see below).

I like talking trash Joe, but your timing on that wasn't good.

And by the way Joe, KFC stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken, not Kentucky Fried Children. Creepy. And yes the baby was dressed as a chicken.

624. And after the successful coup of Joe Biden the Democrat party brought us the first possible “Female laughing hyena president” Kamala Devi Harris AKA Kakala McKneepads. She, in my opinion is the worst Presidential Candidate by any party in my lifetime. If you’ve been watching the news you’ve noticed she has been blurting out Trump’s name every three seconds and not really explaining what the hell she’s been doing the last four years or what she plans on doing the next four.

She and Joe Biden are responsible for the border disaster and the many deaths attributed to it. She claims she was the last person in the room during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal which killed 13 U.S. service members, wounding another 45, and killed more than 170 Afghan civilians.

And when you throw in all the lying, inability and refusal to answer questions, limited access to honest press, fabricated interviews, word salads and barely able to speak off teleprompters it just doesn't add up.

But the two things she did that really ticked me off were when the George Floyd riots were going on she was urging the public to help demonstrators “on the front lines” by donating to a bail fund that freed violent criminals. That to me totally disqualifies her for any government job at any level including dog catcher.

625. And the other thing she did was introduce the total mess “Tampon Tim” Walz to the nation. More on him and his goofy wife next. I know that the Dems have a weak bench. Some would argue they have no bench at all. How could this have possibly happened? Who vetted him? Well, none other than Eric “Meerkat Face” Holder.

Read an exert from an article I found below.

“Harris immediately tapped former Attorney General Eric Holder, a veteran of the Obama administration she had known well since her days as California attorney general, and Dana Remus, a former White House counsel for Biden, to lead the effort. Holder and a team of researchers and political veterans ultimately formally vetted nine choices -– perhaps a shorter roster than it would normally be for a months long process but still long enough to require phases and whittling before Harris got to the proverbial “short list.”

626. Eric Holder was one of the worst and most dangerous Attorney Generals and another Obama sycophant. So folks, if you didn’t like Obama’s third term, under Joe Biden I don’t think your going to like his fourth term under her. Because that’s what you’re going to get. I really don’t want to go through another 4 years of this.

Twelve years of Obama was more than enough.

627. I have purposely kept the worst until the end. The Buffoon of Buffoons, The Clown of Clowns. “Tampon“ Timothy James Walz. By far the worst ever Vice President candidate of my lifetime. And let’s not forget his wife “Goofy” Gwen “nee Whipple” Walz. I guess her dad’s name would be Mr. Whipple.

Let’s start with him. He has ruined many of Minnesota's downtowns with his over the top excessive COVID lock downs including here in Duluth. Who knows if and when they will ever come back. But the worst thing he did or didn’t do depending how you look at it was his handling of the George Floyd riots. He overlooked the death of 19 people, 2 billion dollars of damage, countless injuries, 1,500 businesses destroyed or damaged and the loss of thousand of jobs. That alone disqualifies him from having any type of government job. Could you imagine this guy being one step away from being president? Sorry to scare you like that.

628.

And what about his wife Gwen Whipple-Walz?

“Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s wife once admitted she kept the windows of the governor’s residence “open as long as she could” to smell the burning tires from the violent 2020 riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

“I could smell the burning tires, and that was a very real thing,” Walz said of the BLM protests that swept Minnesota and beyond, including the area near the governor’s home in St. Paul.

“I kept the windows open as long as I could because I felt like that was such a touchstone of what was happening,” she added.

Governor Walz was also accused of allowing his then-19-year-old daughter, Hope, access to confidential information about law enforcement’s plans — which she then tried to share with the protesters.”

629. What? Is she nuts? Is he nuts? What is wrong with this family? Are they Zombies? Are they Vampires? What the hell is wrong with them? Maybe they met at a pyromaniacs convention. They both really seem to like fires. What kind of perfume does Gwen Walz wear? Eau De Death?

A perfumer mimicked the exact chemicals that cause the decomposition smell of a dead body and has bottled it for people to wear as perfume!

Along with burning tires, she was also smelling the burning corpses of people dying or dead in those riots. She was also smelling the 1,500 businesses burning, many of them that have been in families for generations. These two people are sick. Lives shattered. Dreams broken. That’s what you were smelling Gwen Walz.

I could go on and talk about his failures in Minnesota, his military stuff, his hunting debacle, his uncontrollable body movements and more but you see that everyday on TV. Instead I would like to end this segment with a gallery of pictures. Think of it like the Blog’s version of a fireworks show. It’s also how my brain feels like right about now after writing this segment.

AND NOW AN ENDORSEMENT FROM LITTLE JIMMY

630. What would an election cycle be without an endorsement from Mayor Paine? Much better I think. I don’t think local officials should be giving out endorsements. I would prefer local politics to be party neutral. And he’s doing it for only one reason. And that reason is for him to add yet another entry into his political resume. He’s always checking the boxes to further his political future while he slowly destroys Superior. I will talk more about this on the next Blog. On the article below He is one of 300 Democrat Mayors who endorsed Kamala Harris. Here are a few observations I made.

1- The article is dated July 22 which means Paine endorsed her prior to that date.

2-Even Barack Obama who is going for his fourth term via Kamala didn’t endorse her until July 26. Jimmy beat Barry.

3-Tim Walz pic for VP happened on Aug 6. That means he endorsed before Harris picked her VP.

4- Kamala was officially declared the nominee on Aug 6.

Over 300 Democratic Mayors Endorse Vice President Kamala Harris

Jul 22

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Over 300 Democratic Mayors from across the country issued the following statement to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the next nominee for President:

“As Mayors, we are the closest to the people and understand better than most that too much is at stake for our communities to endure another Donald Trump presidency. Our rights, freedoms, and very democracy are on the line. With just over 100 days until the Election, Democratic Mayors remain fully committed to doing everything in our power to continue the momentum and legacy that President Joe Biden created.

We are fully confident that this progress will continue under the leadership of Vice President Kamala Harris. She has been the President's partner: delivering historic investments for our cities, championing working people, and fighting to protect our freedoms. We know she will continue to be a strong ally of Mayors and cities. She is more than ready to lead our country. We look forward to working with her to ensure we defeat Donald Trump and his extreme agenda this November.

Democratic Mayors enthusiastically endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the next nominee and are ready to support her vision of delivering opportunity for all Americans.”

631.

COMMENTS

Sorry but I just barfed after reading that.

Here is the link to the article and all the Mayors than endorsed Kamala. Jimmy’s name is on it.

Over 300 Democratic Mayors Endorse Vice President Kamala Harris — Democratic Mayors

Jimmy is not new to his controversial endorsements. Check out this article. It seems like Jimmy just can’t help himself. It is from March 29, 2019. He had been Mayor for 2 years at that point.

Endorsement Controversy Involving Superior Mayor Jim Paine, Council Candidates

SUPERIOR, Wis. — There are growing concerns among some Superior city leaders — inside and outside the council chambers — involving Mayor Jim Paine’s decision to publicly endorse three council candidates in a political ad that’s running on both television and social media before Tuesday’s election.

As FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports, one of those endorsed candidates is an incumbent city councilor whose relationship with the mayor is now being called into question.

On the condition their names not being released, the majority of the Superior City Council — seven who returned our calls — confirm to FOX 21 they are “very concerned” or “bothered” by Mayor Jim Paine’s endorsement ad for council candidates, especially involving incumbent 2nd District Councilor Jenny Van Sickle.

“I’m supporting these hard-working young leaders because they’re willing to do the toughest thing in politics — fight for you,” Mayor Jim Paine says in the 45-second ad also posted on Paine’s mayoral Facebook page.

The ad endorses three candidates for council: incumbent Jenny Van Sickle and newcomers Matt Osterlund and Laura Gapske.

“I’m Jim Paine and I’m asking you to stand with us April 2nd and build a city that works for everyone,” Paine continues to say in the ad.

But some councilors, like Brent Fennessey of Dist. 5, say mayors should never endorse candidates running against current councilors.

“Personally, I don’t like it. I think it sends the wrong message to the current council. Right now there’s a fairly unhealthy divide on the council and this does nothing to mend that divide. It just further perpetuates the division,” Fennessey said.

Incumbent Councilor Craig Sutherland, of the 8th District, who’s running against Paine-endorsed Matt Osterlund, says the mayor’s actions during the election have crossed the line.

“This election to me has gotten very dirty with the mayor’s political ad out there asking supporters to support my opponent, I should say, and he’s going around door knocking in the 8th District with people who have my signs even — going up to their door. It’s very distasteful,” Sutherland said.

But Mayor Paine, who is running unopposed in his own re-election, does not feel the same way and says he’s doing nothing wrong and nothing illegal.

“I was thrilled at the overwhelmingly positive response I received for my support of Matt Osterlund, Laura Gapske, and Jenny Van Sickle. The hundreds of positive reaction and 87 shares on Facebook are only matched by the enthusiasm we are seeing for these candidates as we speak to voters. While a small number of the supporters of the other candidates were obviously disappointed, and as much as I respect their opinion, local elections are simply too important to sit on the sidelines. We have important work to do in the coming years and I will need strong allies willing to challenge the status quo and push for real change in our City. I look forward to working with the next City Council in the coming year,” Paine said in a statement to FOX 21.

District 7 Councilor Ruth Ludwig is the one councilor who went on the record to support Paine.

“Any smart elected official, whether it be President, Governor, or Mayor has a vision for where they want to steer the country, state, or city. Historically these elected officials have endorsed and even campaigned for others whom they feel support that vision. I don’t believe Mayor Paine is wrong for doing the same-he has a vision for moving Superior forward and has chosen to endorse council candidates whom he feels will best help him and the city reach that goal,” Ludwig said.

Meanwhile, the debate around Paine’s political ad becomes even more personal with the endorsement of 2nd District Councilor Jenny Van Sickle.

All seven councilors who returned calls for this story say it’s known throughout City Hall and in political circles outside of City Hall that Mayor Paine is in a relationship with Councilor Van Sickle and they think the Mayor’s endorsement of her in the political ad is a serious ethical issue without Paine publicly acknowledging the relationship.

None of the councilors would go on camera or wanted to be named, but one councilor writes on the condition of anonymity:

“I don’t believe the Mayor should have encouraged, endorsed, or even supported 2 people running against incumbent councilors. The 3rd, Jenny, is a mutual friend but may be the most important due to the possible persuasion of thinking and access to each other when Jim May be looking for a vote one way or another. This also was partisan. While a member of the same party, this type of campaigning doesn’t belong in Superior politics.”

And even a person who claims to be Mayor Paine’s friend and continued political supporter agrees.

“Whether a relationship exists or doesn’t exist, does not put either Mayor Paine or Council Member Van Sickle in any compromising position other than politically. They can simply state “yes” or “no” to the matter. Mayor Paine making the endorsement moved the public’s right to know the answer to that question from being a personal matter to a public matter. I can tell you that this sentiment is pretty mainstream in Superior right now and exits with a broad spectrum of people, many who typically have been and still are supporters of Mayor Paine,” the friend wrote on the condition of anonymity.

As for Mayor Paine’s response, he would not confirm or deny the relationship to FOX 21 saying he does not talk about his personal life.

As for Van Sickle, she e-mailed the following statement:

“Mr. Hanger: In Social Work we abide by a strict code of ethics. I’m proud of my education and professional expectations. It’s my hope you’ll find a moment to reflect on your own code of ethics. Your request is disappointing and bears no merit. This is not news. This is not journalism, and when you chase the affection of vindictive motive, you’re using your station to lower the standards of the Twin Ports,” Van Sickle said.

Cindy Rugeley, an associate professor and department head of political science at UMD, says Mayor Paine’s endorsement campaign does not involve legalities or ethics.

However…

“What this ultimately does — the fact that he is weighing in on every contested race — is it certainly leaves the impression that he wants a council that’s going to rubber stamp everything that he wants, and that’s not healthy,” Dr. Rugeley said. “If these candidates don’t win, what is going to be their working relationship with the mayor?”

And as for the issue of a mayor having an intimate relationship with a councilor, Dr. Rugeley says again… there’s nothing illegal about it. It all comes down to transparency, perception and whether it causes divisions that could affect governing.

“It’s not because it’s gossip or is seedy or it’s National-Enquire-type tabloid material, it’s because constituents might have questions,” Dr. Rugeley said. “I mean, my council member is the swing vote, is my council member going to vote what I want, or is my council member working for the mayor on this one? Is there some kind of — does her personal relationship play into this?”

Mayor Paine did ask FOX 21 to hold this story until after Election Day and said the story could unfairly influence voters. This, as critics of Paine’s endorsement ad told us his ad could influence voters as well.

Contested Races:

Dist. 2:

Jenny Van Sickle (I)

Tom Wondolkowski

Dist. 4:

Jack Sweeney (I)

Laura Gapske

Dist. 8:

Craig Sutherland (I)

Matt Osterlund

632.

COMMENTS

I’ve got a mouth full of barf and I don’t even know what to say. The words slimy, corrupt and dirty come to mind though. It does show that only 2 years into his term as Mayor, he was already planning for his political future. More on that on a later Blog.

633.

DODGERS WIN!! DODGERS WIN!!

The L.A. Dodgers win the World Series. So what do you do?. Celebrate “L.A. Style” of course”. What do they do when they lose?

634. That’s it for today. It’s been a pretty weird election cycle when in 2024 the most popular politician is Adolph Hitler and he’s been dead for 80 years. See you on the other side of the election.

Thanks for reading today!

Brian

blog 72

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 22:45:20 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN--THE RECAP

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

608. Welcome to today’s Blog. After 17 exhausting Blogs analyzing Mayor Paine’s “Letter from Hell” today I was going do a recap with the highlights and lowlights, mostly lowlights of selected Blogs. Maybe I should call them lielights. But I realized that doing that could cause undo harm to yours and my mental state. The original “MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN” started on Blog 54 on June 14,2024 and ended on Oct. 24, 2024. As we go forward we will deal with different issues concerning the “letter from hell”. And today we have stories including another business possibly leaving Superior, a Halloween inspired story of a real life Vampire, “A Moment with Caitlin” (of course). We will discuss Adolph Hitler and Nazis. But here at the Blog we won’t be calling anybody Hitler or Nazis.

Who would have thought that in Oct. 2024, Adolph Hitler and Nazis would be in the press more than Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. After all Hitler died in 1945. But thanks to the Dems, they are. Here at the Blog we have to be topical, so I started my own investigation on this phenomena so we will talk about that as well. And we also have a comment from Craig Sutherland.

But we start off today with the “letter from hell”. Specifically about the common thread or theme that permeates throughout it. And that is “LYING”. 17 Blogs over 4 months, countless hours of research, 10 email requests to the city and 18 documented “Lies” and the one thing you take away is Mayor Paine is a “Serial Liar”. He is also a “Serial Know It All” as well. Oh, and don’t forget the other “Serial Liar” Melissa Hyatt. All you have to do is read her texts with the Mayor.

So what is up with the relationship between politicians and lying? We all know politics and lying go hand and hand. But while they lie a lot in public they used to keep a lot of their bigger lies behind closed doors. But not anymore. Everything is in the open. So I looked into it and this what I found.

609.

THE HISTORY BETWEEN POLITICIANS AND LYING

JOSEPH GERBALS

ADOLPH HITLER

The law of propaganda is often attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

The OSS psychological profile of Adolph Hitler described his use of the big lie:

His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.

610.

COMMENTS

I do not believe that Mayor Paine is Hitler or a Nazi. But after you read the above article, he has employed these tactics when it comes to lying. And it’s not only him. The entire Democrat party recently called President Trump and others Hitler and Nazis. When I was younger, calling somebody Hitler or Nazis was like using a four letter word. Now it’s like saying “bread and butter”. Those words are now marginalized and acceptable in some circles which in the end will make them meaningless. I rarely get triggered by words. Maybe I’ve been around too long. Maybe I’m too old. Maybe I’ve become immune to almost everything. Maybe because when I was little kid my mother told me about 500 times ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” So I wasn't really triggered when all this happened but I was a little surprised and I actually found it kind of funny. Why? Because the Democrats who seem to be triggered every day, no make that every hour about something Republicans said, are now calling fellow Americans Hitler, the most evil man that ever lived and think that it’s acceptable. So yes in a weird way, I find that funny.

When you attack someone you normally would have some measure of truth in that attack but in our case the Mayor did not provide us with that. Instead he just rambled on with non factual allegations about myself and also Jordan Wheat. Then he and Chief Alexander, the police Chief at the time, provided statements to the “fake news” Superior Telegram and Duluth News Tribune to make sure they could paint us the worst possible light and like usual there was little to no fact checking from the “fake news” and that is how you get the ball rolling to obtain the support of people in the court of public opinion.

But in the end I provided ample, clear and concrete evidence of wrongdoing between the Mayor and Melissa Hyatt. And almost all of it was supported by the texts between them and information I got from the City of Superior.

Public servants, take a higher oath and they are held to a higher standard of integrity. Unfortunately I don’t see this in the Paine administration. In fact I see the complete opposite. All I see is a “Serial Liar’ and a “Serial Know It All”. And it’s not pretty.

611.As Craig Sutherland said on his Facebook page on Oct 19, 2024:

And by the way here is a link to his page: (1) Facebook

“Don't piss on my back and tell me it's raining player! That's Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior for ya!”

COMMENTS

What he is saying is exactly what has been going on with Democratic party for the last few years. It’s also what the “politicians lying “article describes.

The left have completely lost all control of their mental facilities. They have lost their collective minds.

612. Business ‘bridged’

Blatnik rebuild forces testing firm to move

A local testing firm has brought new meaning to what it means to “get bridged” in the Twin Ports.

Twin Ports Testing currently operates out of a Superior facility at 1301 N. Third St. But, as plans to reconstruct the Blatnik Bridge advance, it has become evident the building it occupies will need to make way to accommodate the project. Next stop? Probably the Atlas Industrial Park in Duluth’s Morgan Park neighborhood.The Duluth Economic Development Authority will take up a resolution Wednesday, Oct. 23, that could authorize the sale of 5 acres of land in the park to Twin Ports Testing II Inc. and JBJ Atlas Properties LLC, a holding company expected to serve as the firm’s landlord. The land transaction is expected to cost about $26,000. If the sale goes through, the developer has pledged to construct about a 10,000-square-foot testing facility, bringing at least 17 new jobs to Duluth.

The proposed new facility would be roughly comparable in size to the structure Twin Ports Testing currently calls home, according to Joe Berger, an engineer and co-owner of the business. The city of Duluth reached out to a handful of businesses that could be displaced by the Blatnik Bridge project to ensure they remain rooted in the Twin Ports, said Tricia Hobbs, interim director of the city’s planning and economic development authority. She said the main objective was to keep local businesses supported, regardless of which side of the border they chose. One of those businesses was Twin Ports Testing, and Atlas appeared to be the best fit for the firm. Not that there were many choices, in Berger’s eyes. “Speaking frankly, there’s just not a lot of available property that’s affordable in the city of Duluth or Superior,” he said.

Berger acknowledged the move comes with challenges, but said, “We’re excited to get in there.” He hopes the firm will be able to move into a facility at Atlas sometime next year. “But there are a lot of moving parts to this, and obviously we still need board approval,” he said. The industrial park, formerly home to Atlas Cement, an auxiliary of the U.S. Steelworks facility that once operated there, was cleaned up and made ready for redevelopment only after significant effort.

Hobbs said she is thankful for the work of her predecessors at the city and the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, who saw the potential to reuse the idled property, which is about 60 acres. About 40 acres of that land were deemed acceptable for redevelopment. If the deal with Twin Ports Testing goes through, just under 10 acres will remain available at Atlas. Hobbs said another prospective buyer appears to be actively pursuing a site there that could cut the remaining property to less than 5 acres. Other Atlas occupants, current and anticipated, include a soon-to-open Amazon facility;Second Harvest, in the former Ikonics facility;and Goodwill, which seeks to purchase 8.8 acres.

Hobbs said staff recognize property readily available for development, such as the Atlas site, as a precious commodity. “Vacant land is not something that is easily found here in Duluth,” she acknowledged. But Hobbs said she also remains optimistic that additional land next door to Atlas will become available as cleanup efforts at the former U.S. Steel site continue and the property is delisted. DEDA currently controls the property at Atlas, but Hobbs said the city remains eager to see the idle land sold and developed to add to the local tax base. “We don’t want to be landowners. We want to be a catalyst for economic impact and growth,” she said.

For his part, Berger said Twin Ports Testing wants to relocate seamlessly without disrupting the critical services it provides in support of other Northland development. “Gotta find a way. That’s what we do as engineers,” Berger said. Twin Ports Testing, founded in 1972, began as a resource to confirm and strengthen pipeline integrity. But it has since expanded to offer what the company describes as “comprehensive nondestructive testing and nondestructive evaluation services as well as geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, environmental consulting, industrial hygiene and industrial chemistry laboratory services.”

613.

COMMENTS

Another company possibly and likely moving out of Superior. Why? The only thing we know after reading this article is that they have to relocate because of the bridge. But why are they leaving Superior? That is not mentioned. In fact there is no explanation as to why they couldn't stay in Superior. And as usual, after reading an article in the hyper ideological Superior Telerag or Duluth Fake News Tribune I find myself asking more questions than I got answers. So here are the questions that I wish were addressed. Did the City of Superior know about this? If so what did they do? Did they make any attempt to keep them in Superior? Could you explain the process? Where was Mayor Paine and City Council on this issue?

JASON SERCK

And what about Jason Serck, Planning, Economic Development & Port Director for the City Of Superior? Man that’s a long title, but it seems to me this would be right up his ally. I looked at his, the Mayor and city of Superior Facebook pages and there is nothing on it about this. Could it be Mayor Paine’s business unfriendly and combative positions that drove them out? I don’t know but with a complicit liberal press sometimes we are just left asking questions. But the bottom line is we may lose this company to Duluth and the press as well as Mayor Paine owe us an explanation. And hey, maybe there is one, but it should have been explained in this article. And by the way if you are the Mayor of any city the first you should do in the morning (which I do) is to go online and check out the morning newspapers. They are usually out by 3:00AM. And if there are any articles that may affect you or the city go on your Facebook and explain the situation. We know Mayor Paine is up early because of his sometimes 5:00 AM texts to Melissa Hyatt. As I write this it is Oct 29, 2024. The article appeared in the Duluth Tribune Oct 22, 2024. It’s 4:27 AM right now here in Las Vegas and I have read today’s Superior Telegram, Minnesota Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Ottawa Sun and Duluth News Tribune. My Las Vegas Review-Journal is usually delivered by 7:AM and I always read that when I have lunch. I prefer reading a physical paper than reading online. Some habits are hard to break.

614.

AND NOW……. A MOMENT WITH CAITLIN

Caitlin Clark named WNBA's most marketable star

Caitlin Clark's award-winning, record-breaking rookie season has cemented her as one of the most marketable athletes on the planet. Why it matters: Marketability leads to endorsements, which are often the path to higher earnings for WNBA players who still make a percentage of what their NBA counterparts pull in despite surging popularity.

Driving the news: Global sports media and events company SportsPro released its 15th annual list of the world's 50 Most Marketable Athletes on Tuesday.

Clark made her debut this year, cracking the top 5 as the fourth most marketable athlete, sandwiched between No. 3 LeBron James and No. 5 Lionel Messi.
Tyrese Haliburton is the only other Indianapolis athlete on the list at No. 86.
Caveat: The list came together before Haliburton signed a sneaker deal with PUMA Hoops, meaning his stock is still rising.

How it works: SportsPro deputy editor Ed Dixon told Axios the list is crafted with the help of consulting firm NorthStar Solutions Group, which has developed a methodology that blends qualitative research and quantitative metrics to determine the final ranking.

To be considered eligible, an athlete must have been active between Sept. 1, 2023 and Sept. 1, 2024.

Once the list of athletes was narrowed down to 150, 16 factors were rolled into three weighted scoring pillars:

Brand strength: An athlete's global presence and brand affinity.

Total addressable market: An athlete's reach and engagement potential.

Triple bottom line: An athlete's impact on people, profit and the planet, emphasizing their influence in the realm of social responsibility.

What they're saying: "Somebody like Caitlin Clark, she's got a lot of momentum behind her as does women's sports … but she doesn't have multiple years of consistent performance and consistent achievement," said Chris Collins, chief executive of NorthStar Solutions Group. "If that's all we looked at, she would never even rise into a category of some of these longer-term athletes like LeBron or Messi that have been doing this forever."

Dixon, meanwhile, said this list should hush any doubters who still question Clark's impact on today's market.
"WNBA chief marketing officer Phil Cook described it best when he described Clark's arrival to the league as a Tiger Woods entering the PGA Tour moment," he said. "That gives you an idea of how transformative she's already been and will be in the coming years."

Zoom out: Simone Biles topped this year's list.

Biles is just the third athlete to be No. 1 twice, joining Messi and Neymar.

By the numbers: Athletes from 18 countries are featured on the list, with the U.S. accounting for 42%.

21 of the top 50 competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With six players on the list, the WNBA has more athletes in this year's lineup than any other league.

Here is a look at the full top 10

�� Simone Biles

⚽ Vinicius Junior

�� LeBron James

�� Caitlin Clark

⚽ Lionel Messi

�� Rebeca Andrade

⚽ Kylian Mbappe

�� Ilona Maher

⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo

�� Katie Ledecky

COMMENTS

She may be #4 on their list but here on the Blog she’s # 1!!!

615.

A CREEPY TRUE STORY FOR HALLOWEEN

‘Real-life vampire’ considered so dangerous she was padlocked inside grave with a sickle at her neck: archaeologists

Just in time for spooky season, archaeologists have unleashed grisly new information about how a “real-life vampire” spent her final moments.

An elite female “vampire” who died some 350 years ago was first unearthed two years ago at a medieval graveyard in Pień, Poland. Dubbed Zosia by researchers, new illustrations of what the 18-year-old vampiress might have looked like suggest she had fair skin, blue eyes, short hair and a single protruding incisor tooth. Zosia was also laid to reset with a silk cap on her head, which signifies that she was of a high social status. But her rank wouldn’t save her from being accused of evil: Of about 100 other skeletons at the grave site, only Zosia was covered with a sickle across her neck and a giant padlock on her toe.

Professor Dariusz Polinski, who has led recent research on Zosia with study partner Magda Zagrodzka, told the Daily Mail , “It can be assumed that for some reason those burying the woman were afraid that she would rise from the grave. Perhaps they feared she was a vampire.” Experts believe that the sickle and padlock were fitted to the corpse as a form of “double protection” for villagers out of fear that the “vampire” could rise from the grave; the sickle would’ve ensured that she would be decapitated had she attempted to rise from her grave. “The sickle was not laid flat, but placed on the neck in such a way that if the deceased had tried to get up most likely the head would have been cut off or injured,” Polinsk explained.

Polinski and Zagrodzka worked with Oscar Nilsson, a facial recognition expert who took a digital scan of Zosia’s skull and made a copy using a 3D printer. He used clay to mold new “muscles” of her face, as well as silicon to give new skin. Bone scans examined by medical investigator Dr. Heather Edgar at the University of New Mexico found an abnormality in Zosia’s breast bone.

The abnormality suggests there might have been a physical deformity that caused her great pain and “marked this person [to others] in a negative way,” being a reason she was feared to be a vampire before she was sacrificed and buried, Edgar told the Times .

With the Swedish-Polish wars ensuing during the time of her death, researchers believe it’s possible that Zosia was Swedish and considered an “unwanted outsider.”

About 30 of the 100 graves were found with signs of being restrained, which ultimately led to the site’s nickname, “Field of Vampires.” Polinski said that the cemetery was specifically for people who were “excluded from the community;” however, all of the graves were left unmarked and there are no written records regarding the bodies. Among the other graves include a partially exhumed child, a woman with advanced syphilis, a pregnant woman and a man with a child’s corpse at his feet.

Some bodies were turned face down, some were weighed down with stones and others had coins in their mouths. “Ways to protect against the return of the dead include cutting off the head or legs, placing the deceased face down to bite into the ground, burning them, and smashing them with a stone,” Polinski told the Daily Mail. Zosia having the sickle over her neck suggests that she was feared the most by those who killed her. According to Smithsonian magazine, Eastern Europeans initially became fearful of vampires in the 11th century, believing that “some people who died would claw their way out of the grave as blood-sucking monsters that terrorized the living.”

By the 17th century, “unusual burial practices became common across Poland in response to a reported outbreak of vampires, Science Alert reported. Polinkski and Zagrodzka plan to return for more excavations, including a night-time excavation using fluorescent lighting that could uncover new bones. The latest findings about Zosia, the “real-life vampire,” are the subject of a new two-part documentary called “Field of Vampires,” which will air on Sky History on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 at 9 p.m.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Well that’s it for today and I’ll see you on the next Blog.

Thanks, Brian

blog 71

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 18:55:23 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 17

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

596. Today, I have the displeasure of disseminating the final part of Mayor Paine’s weird, bizarre and desperate last minute “letter from hell” to City Council on Dec 6, 2022. There has also been news to report on as well. Craig Sutherland, three term City Councilman has posted articles that I think you will enjoy. I also have a story of a dog and of course “A moment with Caitlin” as well. So let’s start this up.

“MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN”

THE LONG LETTER

597. So in the Mayor’s final act of insanity he goes on to say:

“Superior's downtown has improved dramatically in the last decade. New investments in business and infrastructure have made our city center a destination for the Twin Ports, increased public safety, and accelerated economic development. For this trend to continue, we must exercise a great deal of caution and set high standards for any venture that risks the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Superior. I hope that the building located at 1108 Tower Ave. will soon host another business, but I cannot support a proposal that puts our community at risk. I recommend the council deny this license.”

Respectfully,

Jim Paine, Mayor

City of Superior

COMMENTS

The pictures above best describe how I feel about his statement and as soon as I clean up the mess before my wife wakes up, I’ll break it all down. In fact whenever she finds traces of barf in the house she says “Have you been reading the Mayor’s letter again?”

598. He says: “Superior's downtown has improved dramatically in the last decade. New investments in business and infrastructure have made our city center a destination for the Twin Ports, increased public safety, and accelerated economic development.”

COMMENTS

Superior's downtown has not improved “dramatically” in the last decade. Granted, there has been some changes. Labelles Bar and the pool hall, Mr. Lucky’s next door to it were torn down and the Cobblestone Hotel went there. And that was an improvement. Did you know that the City of Superior almost lost the hotel twice due to the incompetence of its’ handling of the deal? Below is an article about the Labelles closure from June 30,2013. Did you know that La Belle is

french for The Beautiful?

Superior nightclub plans to close for good

A long-established Superior nightclub is closing today, and its owner blames road construction.

Labelles, 1014 Tower Ave., will close for good after business this morning, longtime owner Burnie Williams said on Saturday. Area bars already were taking a hit from the economy, Williams said, but it had become much worse since Tower Avenue construction began in April.

"Our business is about half what it should be just to break even," said Williams, 78. "There's other bars that I've been told are getting close to closing," he said. "There's no parking. You can't walk up and down the sidewalk." The establishment is one of the older bars in Superior, said Williams, who has owned it for 28 years. He talked to a customer on Saturday who said he bought his first drink in Superior there in 1958.

Back then, it was named after owner Tommy Byrnes. "It had a reputation for being the place to come in for a snit and a snort (a draft beer with a shot of whiskey on the side)," said Williams, who lives in Duluth. After Byrnes died, his nephew took over but eventually lost it to the bank, Williams said. Two Europeans purchased it -- one from Yugoslavia and the other from Greece. They named it Labelles in homage to La Belle, a West Berlin discotheque in which two American servicemen and a Turkish woman were killed and dozens injured in a terrorist bombing in 1986.

Under his tenure, Labelles has been most like a "big neighborhood bar," Williams said. "We probably had the most reasonable drinks in the Twin Ports." He probably should have closed a month ago, Williams said, but a bartender has been there more than 20 years and a couple of other employees almost as long. "We had emotional reasons to keep operating," he said. "It's not in the cards, I guess."

599.

MORE COMMENTS

And when he says :

“New investments in business and infrastructure have made our city center a destination for the Twin Ports, increased public safety, and accelerated economic development.”

That also is mostly untrue. When I bought the old “Lord Stanley’s” in 2012, that whole area surrounding it had become very blighted. People were reluctant to go to that area especially at night. I invested about a million dollars in that building and in August of 2013 Shorty’s opened with great fanfare. Finally there was life again. Over the next few years many of the existing businesses renovated their locations and new ones opened and of course a few closed as well. Then in 2017 I invested almost four hundred thousand dollars by purchasing the Palace and doing some renovations. That’s almost a million and half dollars in those two locations. We increased the customer base at the Palace substantially and our little block was kicking on all cylinders. And the other businesses around profited from those two investments I made as well. And all of this happened before you were even Mayor.

600. And when he said:

“New investments in business and infrastructure have made our city center a destination for the Twin Ports”

I say this:

It was investments by myself and the other businesses who opened or did renovations that got this all going. The city for the most part did “Jack Sh*t” as far as I’m concerned so don’t take any credit that you don’t deserve. All the city did was replace a road (Tower Ave.) that needed replacement. And quite frankly I don’t think there was anything special about it. I doubt that the street itself had anything to do with the resurgence of the area.

601.

LIE # 17

And the Mayor said this:

“increased public safety”

That is a lie. Yes if we called the police they would show up, but there was never any time in the combined 13 years I owned both businesses that any city official ever contacted me to have a specific meeting about safety. In fact if you Google the names of the Mayor, Chief of Police, City Attorney or City Council, with the word safety, nothing comes up. As I said before, I will be doing a Blog on “Safety” soon. Whenever I hear this Mayor talk about “safety” it just makes me cringe.

602.

AND NOW…………THE GRAND FINALE!!!!

AND THE BIGGEST LIE OF THEM ALL

The Mayor’s final words:

“For this trend to continue, we must exercise a great deal of caution and set high standards for any venture that risks the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Superior. I hope that the building located at 1108 Tower Ave. will soon host another business, but I cannot support a proposal that puts our community at risk. I recommend the council deny this license.”

Respectfully,

Jim Paine, Mayor

City of Superior

LIE # 18

The Mayor said:

“For this trend to continue, we must exercise a great deal of caution and set high standards for any venture that risks the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Superior.”

COMMENTS

If you could be jailed for lying, Mayor Paine would be spending the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole. You have bars in Superior that have had murders, people shot, people stabbed, human trafficking, guns and drug offenses. And guess what? They are all still open. We had one incident where a guy shot a gun into the wall just below the ceiling. Nobody hurt or injured. We are closed. How can you take his statement with any degree of seriousness? You can’t. I think his words speak for themselves. I believe he owes an explanation to you, the taxpayers, to City Council and to me about this scandal that he and the perpetually triggered Melissa Hyatt conjured up. In other words it’s time to come clean. If you believe one word of his final statement then you are living in another universe and should seek help although I think it may too late. And if you think that we were closed and Jordan was denied a license because the Mayor was concerned about “the risks, the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Superior” then chances are you are also on drugs.

On the next Blog I will do a recap of the “Manifesto from Hell” as well as a final new text between the two schemers and much more. In the meantime, as I stated earlier on the Blog, there has been a couple of developing stories of interest about the Mayor and his wife Jenny “from the frozen block” Van Sickle. She was born in Alaska and it’s cold there. So let’s get at them.

603.

CRAIG SUTHERLAND

COMMENTS

I don’t really know Craig. I have met him a couple of times when I owned Shorty’s and I made a purchase or two at his CBD shop several years ago. It was more like “Hi how are you” type of stuff. I haven’t spoke to him for many years. I did start watching his Facebook page several months ago. There is no secret that he and the Mayor don’t get along and he would make comments on the Mayor from time to time. But recently he escalated his activity about him. I’ll show you a couple of his posts below.

1-In this upcoming video, I’ll be highlighting the concerning direction our city is headed under the leadership of our mayor and his wife. It seems like they're paving the way for a lawless environment with little regard for accountability. Buckle up—there’s a lot more to come in the next few days! Stay tuned!

Here is a link to his Facebook page: Facebook

2-As someone who has been elected to council three times, I truly understand how things work. I know the ins and outs of policy, and I've seen firsthand how a vendetta among leaders can hinder success—especially for business owners.

Over the past five years, I’ve witnessed the extremes of their pettiness, affecting not just friends but family as well.

So, I’ve taken up a new hobby: exposing these actions by sharing videos from meetings and raw footage of their absurdities.

Revenge may not be the best medicine, but my doctor just upped the dose! Stay tuned for the upcoming revelations!.

It’s gonna get raw. I’m sorry in advance.

3-48 hours ago, I started exposing the outrageous behavior of some city council members during committee meetings, and the response has been insane! bThe three videos have already hit over 10,000 views combined!

Check out the attached screenshots of the insights from Facebook—it's time for some serious accountability. Someone in the Allouez area needs to step up and run against her because this is unacceptable! Let’s shake things up!

4-Imagine creating a sex trafficking committee, send out this massive presser and get local media to pat you on your back only to have ONE meeting in THREE years? Don't piss on my back and tell me it's raining player!

That's Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior for ya!

5-So let me get this straight: I get denied a beer license for my bait store, but the mayor’s staffer gets one for an Emo Prom event? Sounds like a personal agenda or vendetta to me!

This kind of favoritism is ridiculous! If we're not all being treated fairly, then something needs to change! GTFOH with this nonsense!

6-I want to be transparent here: I’m using my platform to expose the nastiness of certain local elected officials.

Let’s be real—last time I got involved, my team submitted an open records request and got a city councilor to resign immediately. It’s time to hold these people accountable.

Enjoy your weekend y’all, I’m smiling ear to ear.

7-Tonight, the Human Resource Committee will be discussing the request to fill two police positions. Last meeting, that item was tabled for more discussion in regards to the job description, so tonight should be interesting! I’m sure after the public witnessed the shitshow that was Councilor Van Sickle—who, by the way, chairs the committee—she’ll have to come back to what they call reality!

My two cents: If they want to keep turning us into a lawless city, someone with far greater authority over her and her husband(Mayor Paine) will end up policing our city—and that would be the Sheriff!

8-We’ve lost a lot of department heads in the City of Superior ever since our mayor and his wife took office. Just about three weeks ago, our amazing Parks, Recreation & Forestry Director, Linda Cadotte, abruptly submitted her letter of resignation. It really makes me wonder, “Why?”

Well, I know why. I’ve done my research, and I’m going to keep it at that for now. It’s clear that things need to change at the top, folks.

604.

COMMENTS

Lots to cover here. Here a few of my takeaways.

1- I wish the Chief would have put Ms. Van Sickle in a Van Sickle Cell. She’s got quite the yapper. And she should be voted out of office for her stupid Minneapolis/New York/ L.A. ideas and her shitty attitude. Imagine a lightweight like her telling the Chief how to do his job. The party of tolerance my ass.

2-When Craig talks about only one meeting in three years for the so-called sex trafficking committee it reminds me what I said earlier. The Mayor doesn't give a crap about safety and it sounds like his wife doesn't either.

3-The Mayor seems to enjoy weaponizing business licenses. It’s called abuse of power.

4-Here is my biggest takeaway. As you all know, I am a big supporter of law enforcement but I’m a little baffled. After reading the letter from the Mayor you would think that after the Palace closed the SPD would be able to lay off between 3-5 officers right? After all the Palace must have accounted for about 90% of all crime in Superior right? WRONG. Apparently the Chief wants to hire two more officers. It seems strange to me that with the population of Superior dropping every year since Mayor Paine took over and in 2023 the revenues to the City dropped, that we would be needing to hire any new city employees. In fact in the business world we usually lay off employees when our customer base and sales drop. Just saying.

6. And when Craig said:

“We’ve lost a lot of department heads in the City of Superior ever since our mayor and his wife took office. Just about three weeks ago, our amazing Parks, Recreation & Forestry Director, Linda Cadotte, abruptly submitted her letter of resignation. It really makes me wonder, “Why?”

I don’t know Ms. Cadotte. In fact I don’t know one person who works for the city but I have heard that a lot of people have quit under the Mayors leadership.

7- When you check out Craig’s Facebook page make sure you check out the comments. A lot of them are hilarious.

605.

I LOVE A GOOD DOG STORY!

Family dog finds 11-year-old boy under several feet of rubble after mudslide during Helene

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A family said their dog rescued their 11-year-old grandson from a mudslide in the mountains. The child is in the Charlotte area now being treated at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Jeff Gordon Children’s Center.

Jamie Parker and his dog Tucker have always been inseparable. “I probably would have died if it wasn’t for Tucker,” the little boy told WCNC Charlotte. When Hurricane Helene barreled through in late September, the bond between the two of them was everything. "It was terrifying for me,” Jamie said.

The two were at home with his grandparents and sister Jemma, not far from Asheville, when a mudslide slammed into their house.

“All of a sudden I felt the house go like this and I saw walls coming at me and I thought, 'What?'” Jamie's grandmother Donna Johns remembered.

Jamie said he was on the couch with his sister at the time. "Then the house mudslided, and I face-planted into a wall, full body went flying,” Jamie said.

His grandmother ended up on the roof, but Jamie was thrown under the stairs in a pile of rubble about 12 feet deep. "It was scary, I thought I was all alone," he said. "I thought they went down. I thought my family had died.” Donna Johns said she also thought her husband and the kids were all dead.

“I had yelled for Jamie and Jemma and Michael and nobody answered me," she said. "I didn’t know if everybody was dead, and I was screaming my head off."

Jamie was lying under the debris, screaming for help, but hearing no one in return.

“It felt like forever down there," Jamie said. "I couldn't see sunlight. I could feel water dripping on me, and I thought I was either gonna drown or run out of air.”

Jamie's grandfather Michael Johns said he could see his granddaughter, but couldn’t find Jamie.

“It was raining really hard, I remember seeing the little girl, but I couldn’t find the boy," Michael Johns said. "I couldn’t find him, didn’t know where he was.”

Jamie was trying desperately to get someone’s attention. “I was screaming at the top of my lungs, and my grandma couldn't hear me,” Jamie recalled. His best hope was his best friend. “Tucker was above me, and he was barking," Jamie said. "I heard him whining and barking.”

Michael Johns said Tucker wouldn’t move from his spot.

“He stayed on top of the pile and was barking away, and I just thought he was going crazy," Michael Johns said. "I didn’t realize he had located the boy!”

Tucker stayed put until firefighters arrived and used a chainsaw to dig Jamie out.

Jamie thinks he knows why Tucker was the only one who knew where he was.

“Since he has big ears and a big nose, I think he could hear me and smell me," Jamie said. "He was trying to tell them where I was.

"The trauma caused a condition that can be deadly, so Jamie was flown to Atrium Health Cabarrus where one nurse is fostering Tucker and the rest of the nursing team has spent their own money buying the basics for the family who lost everything, including their home. Donna Johns is gutted after spending two decades paying off her home. “I’ve been paying for it for over 25 years, and I’m just $4,000 short of paying it off," she said. "My idea was that it would be paid off and we wouldn't have any mortgage payment -- and now it’s all gone."

But they’re grateful they have each other, and of course, Tucker.

Years ago, the siblings used their allowance money to pay for Tucker, saving him days before he was to be put down at a shelter. “He was the last dog there,” Jamie said. "When he saw us he ran right up to us. So they rescued Tucker.

"And he rescued me," Jamie said.

As of now, they don’t know where to go, so even though Jamie is medically cleared and could go home, the hospital is letting the family stay at the hospital in a room together.

Here is a YouTube link to the story:

(1) Family dog rescues North Carolina boy trapped under rubble from Helene – YouTube

606.

COMMENTS

When you rescue a dog you think you are saving it’s life, and you are. But sometimes it ends up saving yours.

607.

AND NOW “A MOMENT OF CAITLIN”

Blame the refs for that overtime Lynx loss

What a heartbreaker.

If there was one thing Lynx and Liberty fans could agree on about last night's WNBA Finals game, it's that we could use a couple more. (The league is expanding the championship series to seven matches next season.)

But the overwhelming sentiment on the part of Minnesota basketball fans — and at least one notable NBA player — is that a series of blown calls tilted the game toward New York. Even Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve aired her frustrations during a postgame presser, saying "this [expletive] was stolen from us."

The Lynx may not be the 2024 league champions but this lineup just wrapped one of the team's most notable seasons in franchise history.

They packed Target Center on more than one occasion and set a pair of attendance records. They fought tooth and nail for every game in the finals series, sending Game 5 into overtime for the first time ever. And the Lynx did it all with a roster completely rebuilt after the four-championship dynasty of the 2010s.

COMMENTS

Yes Lynx fans, sorry about your damn luck. But my beef is with your nasty, Caitlin Clark hater coach Cheryl Reeve. The same Cheryl Reeve who from the beginning of Clark’s WNBA career has been one of her top haters. She is the reason I boycotted the entire summer Olympics. She is the reason Clark was not on the team and deprived the entire world of seeing what Clark could do on the global stage. She clearly was a better player than some of the ones she picked. The results were so-so attendance at Team USA games and so-so TV ratings. And by the way Team USA won the gold but you only won by one lousy point 67-66. You were lucky. But you didn't win the WNBA title and as the say, karma is a bitch. Here at the Blog we are always all Caitlin all of the time.

Well that it for this edition of the Blog and thank you all for reading.

blog 70

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 23:39:44 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 16

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

588. Welcome to today’s Blog. We will painfully continue to decipher the Mayor’s letter and later we will have stories about two corrupt Mayors, a cute beaver and of course more Caitlin Clark news. So let’s get on with the letter from hell.

“MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN.”

THE LONG LETTER

589. The Mayor said the following:

“JJ's Bar will detract from the largely quiet, orderly, clean, and peaceful environment that has defined that area of Tower Avenue since the closure of the Palace. Even if Ms. Wheat fully achieved her vision for JJ's Bar, it will be a loud late-night bar with a substantial smoking area on the front side of the building. It will be the 4th licensed establishment on that block and would have the largest square footage, significantly changing the way in which alcohol is consumed in that neighborhood.”

COMMENTS

As I said on the last blog:

“The Palace was a clean and well kept tavern. We had an outside cleaning service come in 365 days a year. Our restrooms and equipment was always well maintained. We always received very high marks from the heath and fire departments on our yearly inspections.”

LIE # 16

590. From the Mayor:

Even if Ms. Wheat fully achieved her vision for JJ's Bar, it will be a loud late-night bar with a substantial smoking area on the front side of the building.”

COMMENTS

God this guy is a hypocrite. You, Mayor Paine (by way of your proxy Melissa Hyatt) are the one who told her that you wanted to move smoking away from the back, not Jordan. You don’t have these rules for anybody else. But the fact that you are using your stupid idea against her goes to show what an idiot you truly are. Some people go to the front but most go to the back. I mean who wants to go to the front sucking up the fumes from the cars and trucks and also hear the noise. But some do. We live in a free country and people are supposed to be able to make their own decisions. Mayor Paine should take notice of that.

591. And the Mayor said this:

“it will be a loud late-night bar”

PALACE ON A SLOW NIGHT

MAYOR PAINE ALONE AT BAR

COMMENTS

WTF does that even mean? We don’t have live music. We have a jukebox like 99% of the bars in town. We are bound by city and state laws as far as when we can open and close. In other words, we are just a normal bar. Again, WTF is the Mayor talking about?

592. And then he said this:

“It will be the 4th licensed establishment on that block and would have the largest square footage, significantly changing the way in which alcohol is consumed in that neighborhood.”

COMMENTS

BOY GEORGE

Childish, stupid, infantile and deserves a “Manchild” moment. The three licensed establishments he is talking about are Bucktales/Shorty’s, Who’s Bar and The Tap on Tower. Superior used to have almost double the amount of bars and I’m sure the block we are on had more than we have today. It should not be the government’s job to say how many of any business whether it’s bars, convenient stores, grocery stores, barber shops, vape stores etc. The public will decide that. It’s called supply and demand. And one man, like Mayor Paine, the man of zero accomplishments, who has no clue how business works should not be making these kind if decisions. The public will decide that. And by the way the Palace has been around before this goofball was even born. And, what does “significantly changing the way in which alcohol is consumed in that neighborhood.” even mean. The Palace has “serving alcohol in that neighborhood” before that little moron was a little moron.

593.

SWITCHING GEARS

WHAT’S UP WITH THESE AWFUL MAYORS?

2 mayors running in spite of charges

Good Thunder, Waseca officials plead guilty to separate misdemeanors.

Two mayors in south-central Minnesota say they will continue running for re-election after both recently entered guilty pleas to gross misdemeanor charges in separate cases.

Randy Zimmerman, 49, said Friday that he trusts voters in Waseca, 30 minutes east of Mankato, will support his re-election campaign after he pleaded guilty to perjury under oath. As part of a plea on Oct. 4 that would dismiss two felony perjury charges, Zimmerman admitted to writing on a voter registration application in 2022 that his address was within Waseca, instead of his actual residence outside the city limits. “It’s going to be up to the voters; my situation has been an open book from the get-go,” Zimmerman said, adding that he still is building his house in Waseca. Zimmerman had written in his childhood home in the town instead of the address that was on his driver’s license and other documents, according to court filings. His challenger for mayor, Milton Madson, said he was running to hold Zimmerman and other public officials accountable. “It’s not right that he should be able to run as mayor,” said Madson, 37. “He just kind of got slapped on the wrist.” Zimmerman is slated for sentencing Nov. 27.

Robert John Anderson, 68, the mayor of Good Thunder since 1992, also had a plea hearing Oct. 4 and pleaded guilty to a conflict-of-interest charge, a gross misdemeanor. Anderson admitted to having a personal financial interest in a transaction on Aug. 25, 2020, after a city worker contacted his son for a street project, leading to the family trucking company receiving $1,723 to haul gravel. Anderson broke the law, but it wasn’t a “willful violation,” his lawyer, Thomas Hagen, said on Friday. “It’s a small town,” Hagen said of Good Thunder, which is 20 minutes south of Mankato and has a population of about 500. “The city was operating like that for years before he was mayor; that’s just the way they always did it.” As part of a plea deal, Anderson will have three felony counts of embezzlement and theft against him dropped, will not see any additional jail time and will have the remaining misdemeanor charge dismissed within a year. “The only thing he admitted guilt to is the only crime he committed,” Hagen said. Anderson is due for sentencing Jan. 14 in Blue Earth County District Court. He is running for re-election unopposed.

COMMENTS

Are all these Midwest Mayors A-Holes? Is there any comfort that other cities have shitty Mayors like we do? You decide.

594.

I LOVE A CUTE BEAVER...DON’T YOU?

NIBI

‘Diva’ beaver Nibi captures hearts in Massachusetts

Governor says she’ll stay with rescuers to educate people about beaverse

BOSTON – The question of whether a two-year-old beaver named Nibi can stay with the rescuers she has known since she was a baby or must be released into the wild was resolved Thursday when the Massachusetts governor stepped in to protect Nibi. The state issued a permit to Newhouse Wildlife Rescue for Nibi to remain at the rehabilitation facility and serve as an educational animal. “Nibi has captured the hearts of many of our residents, mine included,” Gov. Maura Healey said Thursday.

“We’re excited to share that we have issued a permit for Nibi to remain in Newhouse’s care, continuing to educate the public about this important species.” Nibi’s fate had made it all the way to the state courts before Healey stepped in. A judge on Tuesday had said that Nibi would be allowed to stay in her home at the rescue center in Chelmsford, northwest of Boston. A hearing had been set for Friday in a case filed by the rescuers against Mass- Wildlife, the state’s division of fisheries and wildlife, to stop the release. Nibi’s rescuers at Newhouse said on their Facebook page that they were “beyond grateful” for Healey’s decision. Nibi has been a hit on the rescue group’s social media site since she was a baby, and posts about her impending release garnered thousands of comments. An online petition to save Nibi from being released into the wild has received over 25,000 signatures, lawmakers have weighed in, and earlier this week Healey pledged to make sure Nibi is protected. “We all care about what is best for the beaver known as Nibi and all wild animals throughout our state,” Mark Tisa, director of MassWildlife, said in a statement Thursday. “We share the public’s passion for wildlife and invite everyone to learn more about beavers and their important place in our environment.” Jane Newhouse, the rescue group’s founder and president, has said that after Nibi was found on the side of the road, they tried to reunite her with nearby beavers who could have been her parents but were unsuccessful. After that, attempts to get her to bond with other beavers also didn’t work. “It’s very difficult to consider releasing her when she only seems to like people and seems to have no interest in being wild or bonding with any of her own species,” she said. Nibi has a large enclosure with a pool at the rescue operation, and will also wander in its yard and rehabilitation space, Newhouse said. “She pretty much has full run of the place. Everybody on my team is in love with her,” she said. Newhouse said she had asked MassWildlife if she could get a permit for Nibi to become an educational beaver, allowing her to take the beaver to schools, libraries and town halls. Newhouse said she feared a release would mean certain death for her beloved “diva” beaver, who doesn’t know how to live in the wild. “It doesn’t give her much time to figure out how to build a lodge for the first time, how to build dams for the first time, how to store all of her food before winter sets in,” she said. Newhouse said that beavers usually leave their parents between the ages of 2 and 3, so it’s possible that over the next year Nibi will show more interest in wanting to be in the wild. But unless that happens, she wants to keep her safe.

Beavers are common and abundant throughout Massachusetts. Beavers play an important role in fostering biodiversity of ecosystems, according to state officials. By damming rivers and streams, and forming shallow ponds, beavers are vital for creating healthy wetlands that support a tremendous diversity of plants, bugs, and wildlife, and store floodwaters. They are also North America’s largest native rodents, weighing between 35 and 80 pounds and reaching 2-3 feet in length as adults. Adult beavers have very few predators and can live for 20 years or more.

COMMENTS

There is nothing like a cute beaver.

595.

AND FINALLY

ANOTHER CAITLIN MOMENT

The WNBA badly needed a playoff format change, and the league responded

The first round of the playoffs will now give the lower seeded team a home tilt in Game 2, with a deciding Game 3 being played at the higher seed's arena. The WNBA Finals will also

expand to a best of seven series. This was a much-needed modification, as the prior WNBA playoff format was unforgiving to say the least. The league needed to take a closer look at adjusting its postseason setup, in order to increase excitement for the teams that qualify.

The WNBA went with a three-game series in the first round of the playoffs, followed by best of five series in the semifinals and the Finals. The higher seed hosted the first two games of the first round, while a deciding Game 3 took place at the lower seed’s home arena. The WNBA adopted this format in 2022, and ESPN’s Michelle Voepel anticipated some issues with the first round setup that would appear valid. She wrote in 2021, “A series sweep means that the lower-seeded team doesn’t get a playoff game at home. But if the series goes the distance, the decisive game has the better-seeded team on the road. And that’s not a good setup, either.”

The first point Voepel makes is no small deal. Lower seeded WNBA playoff teams who can’t force a third game in round one don’t get the benefit of what might be a major opportunity to sell out their building and drive merchandise sales at their arena. Additionally, stacking home games for the higher seed in the first two games of the first round puts the lower seeded team at a huge disadvantage, making it unlikely that first round series ever get to a Game 3. That hurts the WNBA as a whole, since their format inherently doesn’t promote longer, more compelling series.

Much has been written about WNBA salaries in recent years. The WNBA playoffs gives players a chance to augment their compensation by earning bonuses in the postseason. Marca reports that teams eliminated in the first round receive $1,616 per player, while teams eliminated in the semifinals receive $3,123 per player. The team that loses in the WNBA Finals sees each player receive $7,746. Players on the team that wins the WNBA title receive $20,825 each, which in some cases can be 20 percent of a player’s salary. Put in those terms, it qualifies as a big deal, but the WNBA’s playoff system makes it hard for teams to have a fair shot.

Granted, teams that have won more games and earned a higher seed should have an advantage. It seems like it might be too heavily weighted towards the higher seed, at least in the first round. The NBA used to have a playoff setup where the first round series was shorter than the series in subsequent rounds of the playoffs. Fewer games tend to drive up excitement considering the desperation in each contest, but also don’t create memorable battles that transpire over multiple days in multiple cities.

A two game sweep also pushes stars on lower seeded teams out very early, which seems a bit brief considering the regular season schedule they played to qualify. Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides told SB Nation, “The last time I was in this position, it was a one-game elimination. You could beat anybody in this league on a given night. It’s got a lot of luck to do with it. But, yeah, I agree. Now we have charter flights. We can get back and forth. I’m sure it’s something they’re going to talk about.”

COMMENTS

Do you think the WNBA reads the Blog? Maybe not, but there is no such thing as too much Caitlin.

See you next time.

Brian

blog 69

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 23:31:37 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 15

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

577. Hello everyone and welcome to the Blog. On the last one we talked about this Manchild Mayor, Ryan Sorenson of Sheboygan, Wisc. I have one more article I’d like to share with you.

JANUARY 16, 2024

New Salary Schedule Approved for Sheboygan Mayor, Alders

The Mayor and Sheboygan Alderpersons are getting their much-discussed pay raises. Last night the Sheboygan Common Council approved bumping the Mayor’s salary by 26% to $75,000 in 2025, with 3-1/2 percent annual increases through 2028. Alderpersons will get a 4% increase this April to an annual rate of $6,327 with another 4% increase in 2027.

The passage wasn’t without question. Council President Dean Dekker took time to clear up what he called misinformation about the subject, saying that the Mayor’s office is full-time, not part-time, and that he works well over 40 hours a week serving as Sheboygan’s CEO, and the City Administrator serving as Chief Operating Officer of Sheboygan. Dekker said that the raises were done by recommendation of an audit that showed Sheboygan’s salaries were falling behind those of similar communities, and the proposed figures bring Sheboygan back into a comparable level with them.

Alderman Joe Heidemann said he couldn’t vote in favor of the measure given the small size of the Committee that recommended it and that a full council wasn’t present Monday night.Upon voting, Alderman Trey Mitchell cast the second dissenting vote, but the measure passed anyway.

As of 2025, the mayor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin will earn an annual salary of $75,000, which is a $15,000 increase from the current salary of around $58,000. The pay increase was approved after a study found that the city was underpaying the mayor and alderpersons are paid about $6,000 annually.

COMMENTS

We used to call them Aldermen, then we added Alderwoman, then the woke left thought they all should be called Alderpersons. But what if somebody doesn't identify with being a person? Maybe Alderthings? I think these lefties are living in an Alderuniverse. Anyway, Superior is about half the size of Sheboygan and Mayor Paine is paid between $80,000.00-$90,000.00 and Council are paid $7,500.00. Superior taxpayers, you are getting ripped off. Sheboygan is twice the size and have 10 Council members just like Superior. I’ve been saying for years we should only have 5 Council members in Superior. Not just because of the money but if we only had 5, we could better assess the candidates credentials and get to know them better and by cutting council in half it would help us make better decisions at election time.

578.

ONE MORE THING FROM SHEBOYGAN

AUGUST 30, 2024

Sheboygan Alders Discuss Establishing Uniform Regulations for City Bars

Owner Dave Repinski was only allowed to reopen and maintain his Class-B liquor license so long as he operated a scanner and metal detector on his clients, something no other establishment was required to do.

Repinski took legal action and was able to get those conditions removed earlier this month, but not until background details of the hotly-contested issue with city administration had emerged.

WHBL News inquired about Wednesday’s meeting of the Licensing, Hearings and Public Safety Committee with City Council Vice President Zach Rust, who confirmed that the discussion was added to the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting at the request of Alderman Joe Heidemann, who wanted the Committee and City staff to get ideas on how to prevent another “Dave’s Who’s Inn” situation from arising in the future. Rust said that as of right now, the committee plans to reach out to the Tavern League of Wisconsin in order to get their input in developing any uniform code for the bars.

COMMENTS

You have a Mayor and 10 Alderweirdos and they need to reach out to the Tavern League for input. A sad indictment of that city’s administration. But the Tavern League would probably to a better job. Maybe Superior City Council should take note of this.

579. Now back to where we left off and later we will have a stories about the City of New York, Bihar, India and of course my fave, Caitlin Clark. Now back to the letter from hell.

“MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN.”

THE LONG LETTER

580. The Mayor goes on to say the following:

“She does not have the financial capacity to improve the tavern. She will rely on the income from the bar over time to make any improvements and therefore must continue operating the establishment in the same manner as before”.

COMMENTS

First off, there was no reason for her to “improve the tavern”. The Palace was a clean and well kept tavern. We had an outside cleaning service come in 365 days a year. Our restrooms and equipment was always well maintained. We always received very high marks from the heath and fire departments on our yearly inspections. Again this is the Mayor, the manipulator of words saying this to suggest that there was something wrong with the Palace. Having said that, Jordan did send you a comprehensive plan. And there were cosmetic changes to the bar in that plan. But you or the city never made that a condition for her to get a license. In fact I don’t think the city has ever made that a condition to any bar in the history of Superior. Over the years we invested lots of money and made improvements to the Palace as have many other businesses for that matter. That’s the way business works but really Mayor Paine how would you know? The only thing you ever did was piss away a lot of taxpayers money on a lot of stupid things. And I will be highlighting many of these in upcoming Blogs.

If you really wanted these “improvements” done it could have been easily arranged. The color of the drapes, the wall finishes, the lighting, the type of bar stools or anything else are not part of any problem. The problem that our bar and all bars have from time to time is bad people doing bad things. I have never once heard Mayor Paine address this. He has turned a blind eye away from criminals and instead blames every bar and other businesses for every incident that are committed by criminals or bad people. If he insists on this type of logic then shouldn't the Mayor himself not be held liable for all crimes that occur in Superior? I would say yes he should. And you wonder why the population is dropping in Superior?

Jordan was willing to make those changes and financing would not have been an issue. So once again we are dealing with an irresponsible Mayor issuing an irresponsible statement. If she had a million dollars to invest in the Palace he still wouldn't have agreed to give her a license because he and Melissa Hyatt had concocted a plan to shut us down at all costs and he damn well knows it.

LET’S SWITCH GEARS

581.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN NEW YORK?

NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges in campaign finance case

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on criminal charges in federal court in Manhattan, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC.

582.

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS:

Former NY prosecutor accused of accepting bribes dies in apparent suicide as FBI came to arrest him

Published September 24, 2024

A former leader in the Orange County, New York prosecutor's office, who was facing allegations of accepting bribery payments, died in a shooting at his home Tuesday morning as the FBI arrived to arrest him, sources familiar with the matter tell NBC New York.

The ex-chief counsel to the Orange County DA's office and executive assistant district attorney, was accused of using his authority in the prosecutors' office to initiate a criminal investigation at the request of a millionaire former restaurant owner, according to the unsealed federal indictment.

Rosenwasser had been accused of accepting at least $63,000 in bribe payments, according to the indictment. He is accused of receiving the bribery payments largely in the form of check or money order starting in 2022, according to the indictment.

Rosenwasser was indicted on charges of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, extortion under color of official right, making false statements, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and honest services wire fraud, the indictment states.

The FBI went to Rosenwasser's home in the rural Orange County town of Campbell Hall early Tuesday morning to take him into custody when he pointed a gun at agents and at least one shot was fired by the FBI, two sources familiar with the case tell NBC New York. Rosenwasser then barricaded himself and apparently took his own life, the sources said.

In a statement, the FBI said that its Inspection Division was "reviewing an agent-involved shooting," as is bureau policy.

"As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide," the statement concluded.

Rosenwasser received multiple awards during his time in the district attorney's office and quietly resigned from the office in June.

“It's truly heartbreaking that it ended this way. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family," the Orange County DA David Hoovler said in a statement. The DA's office said it would not comment further.

Rosenwasser was scheduled to be in federal court Tuesday afternoon in White Plains.

583.

AND THEN THIS!!!

Eric Adams’ girlfriend joined on $45K worth of luxe trips, accused of having ‘no-show’ DOE job

Published Sep. 28, 2024

Mayor Adams’ longtime girlfriend Tracey Collins, a highly paid “senior advisor” in the city Department of Education, joined Hizzoner on $45,000 worth of ritzy trips — and allegedly hasn’t shown up for work in nearly a year, according to complaints filed this week.

Collins, 61, a former DOE teacher, principal and administrator who was promoted after Adams took office, is referred to as “Adams’ domestic partner” in the 57-page federal indictment unsealed against the mayor this week.

The Fort Lee, NJ, resident went on Adams’ trips to India, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan, Oman and Ghana starting in 2016, among other luxury jaunts, according to prosecutors who accuse the mayor of accepting travel perks worth up to $123,000.

Several months after Adams took office and named David Banks schools chancellor, Banks promoted Collins to senior adviser to the deputy chancellor of school leadership, then Desmond Blackburn, who later quit. Collins received a 23% raise to $221,597 a year.

On Friday, a former DOE employee filed complaints about Collins and her “no-show job” wi th DOE ethics officer Samantha Biletsky, the Conflicts of Interest Board, the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, and the city Department of Investigation, all questioning if she reported the luxury perks as required.

The employee also alleged Collins has rarely appeared in the office since November 2023, and her work calendar has remained empty.

Co-workers haven’t seen Collins in person since Thanksgiving, the ex-employee reported.

“It is my understanding that DOE employees are only permitted to work from home two days a week,” the ex-employee, who previously worked in the same building as Collins, wrote in an email to Biletsky.

Investigators should look into Collins allegedly “accepting gifts in excess of 100K from a foreign government and not declaring said gifts on her Conflicts of Interest disclosure,” the complaint states.

Collins’ time and attendance records also must be examined to “verify that she put in for vacation while she took all of those illegal trips,” according to the complaint.

In January 2018, Adams and Collins traveled to Budapest through Istanbul, according to the federal indictment against the mayor.

Several months earlier, Collins bought two economy-class tickets from Turkish Airlines for approximately $560 each, but received a free upgrade to business class worth more than $14,000 – the highest the airline offers – following a request by an Adams’ staffer, the document states.

The free and cut-rate travel was omitted from Adams’ 2018 Conflict of Interest Board disclosure form, the indictment states.

584.

COMMENTS

So you may remember on Blog 36 when I was praising NYC Mayor Eric Adams for his stance on those despicable and ineffective walk throughs that the Superior Police Department conduct on businesses. He calls himself the hip hop Mayor. Well he is in a little trouble, well maybe a lot lately, but I still support his views on those despicable walk throughs which, put in the wrong hands, like Mayor Paine, can be used and abused against a targeted business of his choice like he did to us. I’ll have more on this subject in a future Blog.

WHY IS NEW YORK CITY IMPORTANT?

New York City is the most visited city in the United States for international tourists, with over 9 million visitors in 2023. Like a lot of cities like Superior, Sheboygan, Minneapolis, St Paul and many others they have suffered through lousy Mayors and weak City Councils. But NYC is very important to our country. Take a look at the chart below. In the early 80’s I had to travel there on business several times and it was the sleaziest city I had ever seen. Full of strip clubs, vagrants, drugs, hookers, porn shops, bars, night clubs, electronic stores and more. I was in my mid 20’s and I loved it. It was a crazy place. Then years later stores like Niketown, Disney and Toys are Us started opening and ruined the downtown in my opinion. But I am glad I was there back then. On one trip I saw the Pretenders at the Roxi and the only beer they sold was Molson Golden which I thought was weird being that I was living in Ottawa at the time. And on another trip I went to the infamous CBGB’S. I can’t remember what bands I saw that night but I did have a good time, I think. Anyway here is the chart and let’s hope NYC get’s it sh*t together because it’s an important part of this country.

COMMENTS

OK, I made up the last two. Couldn't help myself.

585.

WEIRD STORY OF THE DAY

INDIA

37 children drown during Hindu festival

At least 46 people drowned in the eastern Indian state of Bihar as millions of Hindu devotees were celebrating a three-day festival for the well-being of children, officials said on Thursday. Thirty-seven of those who died were children and seven were women, the government of Bihar State said. As part of the annual festival Jivitputrika Vrat, women fast for 24 hours and offer special prayers for the long life and good health of their children. When they are fasting, mothers travel to rivers and ponds to bathe, sometimes accompanied by their children.

COMMENTS

They may want to find a new way to celebrate the three-day festival for the well-being of children. Just saying.

586.

When was the first state income tax?

History. The first state income tax, as the term is understood today in the United States, was passed by the State of Wisconsin in 1911 and came into effect in 1912.

Congratulations Wisconsin and thanks for nothing.

587.

AND NOW...A CAITLIN MOMENT

Caitlin Clark's absence from WNBA Playoffs speaks volumes after record viewership Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever's absence from the remainder of the WNBA playoffs has had a huge impact on viewing figures, but the league still has cause to be delighted.

Game 1 of the playoff semifinal between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces on Friday attracted an average viewership of 929,000, with a peak of 1.2 million. The figures represented a 60 per cent increase on 2023, highlighting the league's growing popularity even without its biggest star in action.

No. 1 overall pick Clark has had a transformative effect on the league, summed up by the huge audiences that tuned in for the Fever's Round 1 playoff clashes with the Connecticut Sun. Fans watched in their masses as the former Iowa sensation chased championship glory in her rookie season.

Game 1 of the series set a new WNBA record with a viewership of 1.84 million, and that benchmark was smashed just a few days later for Game 2 when an enormous audience of 2.54 million viewers tuned in. Ultimately, the Fever lost both games, bringing the curtain down on Clark's rookie season.

But the 22-year-old's stardom continues to have a positive impact, even when she is sitting at home for the offseason, with mainstream interest in the league growing. But there can be no denying Clark is the one who can move the needle like no other, with Sunday's Game 1 between the Sun and the Minnesota Lynx drawing a viewership of just 650,000.

Kelsey Mitchell, Clark's Fever teammate, says the point guard has changed the lives of WNBA players. She said last month when asked about the increased interest in the WNBA: "I think the reality of it is that I don't think people would know without [Clark].

"She's done an unbelievable job of bringing her own fans and people that support her, but, for me, I kind of laugh at it and I embrace it at the same time because I always flew under the radar. I've always kind of been that person that is very conservative, very introvert, so now I get to see the flip side of it."

Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft after four outstanding years with the Hawkeyes. She and the Fever made a slow start, going 1-8 before finding their feet and finishing third in the Eastern Conference with a 20-20 record.

Clark finished the regular season ranked seventh in points per game with 19.2, and she led the league with 8.4 assists and 3.1 made field goals from beyond the arc per game. Her performances led to her being named the WNBA Rookie of the Year.

COMMENTS

It’s Caitlin’s world and we are just living in it. Well at least I am.

AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO

MAYOR PAINE AND COUNCILWOMEN JENNY VAN SICKEL

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY!!!!

AND A SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY FELLOW CANUCKS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!!!

Thank you all for reading and see you soon.

Brian

blog 68

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:40:16 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 14

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

561. Welcome to today’s Blog. We will pickup where we left off last time and we will have a special story from

Sheboygan, WI. later on the Blog.

Now back to the “MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN”

THE LONG LETTER

LIE # 15

The Mayor says the following:

“She does not have the support of the currently operating businesses in the area. Her immediate neighbor strongly refuted Ms. Wheat's claim that she had the support of her neighbors for this venture and believes very little will change. We cannot rely on Ms. Wheat to create a positive relationship with the surrounding community”.

COMMENTS

You really have to watch how this little weasel uses his words. Notice how he uses

“businesses” and “neighbors“. They are both plural. Anyway let’s decipher this statement.

562.

COMMENTS

When he refers to “Her immediate neighbor “, he is referring to the notorious “Meddler of the Midwest” Melissa Hyatt. And by the way if there ever was one business license in Superior that should not be renewed, you would have a strong argument that it should be A Dozen Excuses or any business that Melissa Hyatt owns. Anyway when he said that Jordan “did not have the support of the currently operating businesses in the area” that is a lie. So I will send the following email below to the Mayor today Oct 8,2024.

From:brian noel

To:painej@ci.superior.wi.us,Rebecca Scherf

Wed, Oct 9, 2024 at 8:33 AM

On the Dec 6, 2022 letter, the Mayor said the following:

Could the Mayor please explain and/or forward the results of his investigation that “She does not have the support of the currently operating businesses in the area." Please include the names of the businesses and the person or persons associated with them.

Thank you,

Brian Noel

563.

COMMENTS (CONTINUED)

The reason that I say that the Mayor is lying is back in 2022 the Mayor’s Posse told me at my only meeting and Jordan at either one or both of her meetings that becoming “Friends” with Melissa Hyatt and having support from surrounding businesses would be necessary even though we have no documentation from any businesses with the exception of Ms. Hyatt ever having a complaint about the Palace. Let’s deal with the “Friends” issue first.

As far as being “Friends” with her, what the hell? Are we in kindergarten? Since when has the City of Superior ever mandated something as stupid as that? They are trying to make two adults be friends with each other. But only one would lose their license if it didn’t succeed. So basically the Mayor is saying that if Jordan could not make friends with Melissa she would not be granted a license. But if Melissa could not make friends with Jordan her license would be just fine. How is that for a setup? But it was Jordan who reached out to Melissa and she did feel that things went fine and the situation would work out. I told Jordan at that time that I did not trust Melissa Hyatt and I felt that she was a very unstable person and to be very careful with her. Little did Jordan know that only minutes after their meeting that Melissa Hyatt was texting the Mayor saying all kind of nasty things about Jordan. You can see those texts on Blog 46. Did the Mayor ever tell Melissa Hyatt she needed to become friends with Jordan? What a con job.

Imagine this. You are friends with Mayor Paine and yes I know you, my readers may have just barfed in your mouth. You live in an apartment. You don’t like your next door neighbor. You call the Mayor and tell him you want the neighbor out of the building. The Mayor sends them a letter. In that letter he says they need to be friends. The neighbor reaches out to you. You still want them out. You don’t really want to make friends. You tell the Mayor you don’t trust them and you still want them out. The Mayor uses his power and gets them evicted even though he has shown no proof that they did anything wrong and he lied about things that they had done that aren't true. And they actually reached out to you to try and solve the problem. But you get to stay in your apartment. That’s pretty much what happened to Jordan.

But the real question here is why in hell is the Mayor getting involved in this kind of nonsense? What is his relationship with Melissa Hyatt? Because everything that he has done in this is not even close to normal and is completely out of bounds and he has, in my opinion, abused his power as Mayor of Superior.

564. I said earlier that when the Mayor said the following that he was lying.

“She did not have the support of the currently operating businesses in the area”

Well on November 22, 2022 Jordan sent the following email to Mayor Paine:

From: Jordan Wheat Date: November 7, 2022 at 10:50:05 AM EST  To: Jim Paine <painej@ci.superior.wi.us>  Subject: Meeting this week

Good morning Mayor Paine,

I took your advice and met with the following neighboring businesses;

Melissa (Owner of A dozen Excuses) - 218-522-1576

Josh (General Manager of the Cobblestone hotel) - 715-319-3050

Jordan DeCaro (Owner of Tap On Tower) - 218-428-0861

They all seemed very positive about me reopening the bar and look forward to having business relationships going forward.

I look forward to our meeting this week, please let me know when you are available.

Thank you,

Jordan Wheat

NOTE: After Jordan sent this to the Mayor she also told me she talked to the auto store and to the party rental store across the alley and they were both good with her. And yes she thought her conversation with Melissa Hyatt was productive. And yes she was wrong but as far I’m concerned it says more about Melissa Hyatt than it does about Jordan.

565. And then his final words in that paragraph which is just a bullshit salad and once again meant to make Jordan look bad was the following:

We cannot rely on Ms. Wheat to create a positive relationship with the surrounding community”.

COMMENTS

What a sad, pathetic little man Mayor Paine really is. Maligning a hard working young women who doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from a no accomplishments little doofus like Paine. And since when is it Jordan's or any other business’ job to “create a positive relationship with the surrounding community”. Well it’s not. Every business’ job is to follow the rules, follow the laws not “create a positive relationship with the surrounding community”. And what the hell does that even mean. Is she supposed to bring everyone in the area an apple every day?

What the community can’t afford is for you, Mayor Paine “to create a positive relationship with the surrounding community”. You and Melissa Hyatt are the clear and imminent dangers to this community, not Jordan. Just another mess of bullshit words from a mess of a bullshit Mayor.

566.

TIME TO SWITCH GEARS

A VERY INTERESTING STORY FROM SHEBOYGAN WISCONSIN

Speaking of shitty Mayors, I have been following this story from Sheboygan and it has many similarities to the Palace story. Sheboygan's population is 50,000 people, about double the size of Superior. The mayor’s name is Ryan Sorenson. Elected in 2021 at age 27, Ryan Sorenson made history as Sheboygan's youngest mayor. Like Mayor Paine he is a liberal and an actual Manchild.

Sorenson’s political career began at UW-Milwaukee, where he majored in political science. He was a member of the Student Association, serving as its president during his junior year. He graduated in 2016. He ran for and won a seat on the Sheboygan City Council in 2017. In 2020, he became the Common Council president. He became mayor in 2021. So like Mayor Paine he has no real life experience and has sucked off the taxpayer tit his whole life so far. What could possibly go wrong here? Well, a lot actualy.

And like Superior, Sheboygan’s city council has a lot of similarities, which by the way is not good. I will present the story by a timeline from various articles I have accumulated and I’ll make comments as needed and a final comments at the end. This is the story of Dave's Who's Inn Bar.

567.

JULY 14, 2023

Sheboygan Mayor Accused of Ethics Violation

Mayor Ryan Sorenson is shown posing with members of "The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" in this photo posted to the VisitSheboygan Facebook page

Sheboygan’s Mayor is under fire, accused of an ethics violation for a photo that was posted to the Visit Sheboygan Facebook Page late last month. Concerned citizens have sent letters to Common Council members calling on the Council to conduct an investigation into Ryan Sorenson, claiming he violated Section 2-246 of the City’s Ethics Policy. The charges stem from a picture in which Mayor Sorenson posed with members of “The Sisters for Perpetual Indulgence” during a pride event on June 24th Members of that group were dressed in outfits mocking nuns and the Catholic religion. WHBL News was sent copies of letters from two citizens, asking for an investigation by the Common Council. Alderman Joe Heideman told WHBL News that he went to the City Clerk’s office Thursday afternoon attempting to have those letters included in Monday’s common council agenda, but minutes after submitting them to the Clerk was contacted and was told that the Mayor – who rarely vetoes items from the agenda – did just that and Heidemann’s request was turned down.

WHBL contacted Mayor Sorenson for comment, but he did not return our calls. The group “Take Back Sheboygan County” plans a protest at City Hall during Monday night’s 6pm meeting.

JULY 10, 2024

568.

Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson to attend Democratic

Party Convention

Sorenson and his allies attempted to cancel a City Council meeting so he could presumably attend the party in Chicago without being noticeably absent from City Hall.

SHEBOYGAN — Mayor Ryan Sorenson will travel to Chicago in August to attend the Democratic National Convention.

Sorenson, a Democrat, is one of 95 delegates from the State of Wisconsin who will attend the Democratic Party’s National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The delegation includes Governor Tony Evers , Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson , State Attorney General Josh Kaul , U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and other state and local-level Democrats.

The Democratic National Convention will be held August 19th through August 22nd. As Mayor of Sheboygan, Sorenson presides over Common Council meetings and will likely miss the August 19th meeting so he can attend the party in Chicago. Last month, Sorenson attempted to cancel the August 19th city council meeting through a proposal by Alderperson Dean Dekker and Zach Rust . After a 13 minute debate, the attempt to cancel the meeting failed by a vote of 7 to 2, with Rust failing to show up to the meeting to vote and debate the proposal he co-sponsored with Dekker.

The two who voted in favor of canceling the July 15th and August 19th meetings were Alderpersons Barb Felde and Robert La Fave . For Felde, it was a chance to get out of two meetings. She has only attended three of seven city council meetings in-person so far since April 14th. Felde attended four meetings remotely, being minutes late to three of those meetings. During the May 6th meeting, she joined remotely 32 minutes after the meeting had started only for that meeting to end 12 minutes later.

Should Sorenson skip the August 19th meeting to attend the DNC, Alderperson Dekker would preside over meeting in the Mayor’s absence as he is the President of the Common Council.

Sorenson is a life-long Democrat. Just days after graduating from Sheboygan South High School, he made his first political donation of $79.50 to Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. So far this year, Sorenson has donated $35 to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, $80 to the 6th Congressional District Democratic Party and $40 to the Manitowoc County Democratic Party. In total, Sorenson contributed over $2,000 to local and state Democratic candidates and committees since 2012.

569.

JULY 22, 2024

Dispute over liquor license conditions prompts longtime

Sheboygan bar owner to close tavern

SHEBOYGAN, Wisc. — Dave's Who's Inn bar hasn't turned on its neon signs or opened its doors in three weeks.

Owner David Repinski decided to close the tavern at the end of June when he discovered his liquor license renewal came with stipulations, ones he deemed unfair . Instead of accepting them, he's fighting them.

“It’s a shocking thing to go through something like this,” he said.

Two conditions imposed by the city are concerning to Repinski and his lawyer, Richard Hahn:

No underage persons on the premises.

Prohibit all weapons and use a metal detector on all patrons entering the premises

The first condition might not seem too radical, but for Repinski — who's prided himself on making the bar a family-friendly, community space — it is. “We’ve been around this city for 50 years. We have some of the same customers that have been here since the 70s that still come in here.”

Repinski's father established Dave's Who's Inn in 1974 off of Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street. They moved locations in 1989 to the current spot on 9th Street and Indiana Avenue.

While I interviewed Repinski, two patrons driving by asked if they were open.

“I've never seen these conditions, certainly the [metal detector] wanding conditions are completely unprecedented,” Hahn remarked.

“That would make them feel very uncomfortable just as much as it would make me feel uncomfortable to do to them,” added bouncer and bartender Andrew Schuessler, who's worked at Dave's for nearly a decade.

Schuessler is one of the employees dealing with the consequences of the bar closing.

He and his girlfriend — who is also employed at Dave's — welcomed a baby boy last month, and money gets tighter by the day.

"The formula jug we just bought was $52. That will maybe last us two weeks," Schuessler said. "I’m losing hundreds of dollars a week.”

I reached out to City Attorney Charles Adams for comment on this issue.

He said the city imposed these conditions which “Mr. Repinski agreed to…in 2022, after a lengthy history of violations…His license was surrendered temporarily for 30 days and then reissued on those conditions.”

All violations involving the bar have been dismissed in court.

“It was either that or they were going to pull our license. We didn’t have much of a choice so we had to take the shutdown,” explained long-time employee Coralie Kunstman.

A Sheboygan Licensing, Hearings and Public Safety Committee meeting on May 25, 2022 revealed members didn't know how long these conditions would last when they implemented them.

When watching, you can hear Attorney Adams ask the police officer in attendance, "Did we make it a whole year?"

The officer responds, "I don't know that it specified. I think it's kind of open-ended."

And Adams concludes, "Might be open-ended, might be forever, ha!”

Repinski and Hahn said they were blindsided when the conditions were applied again, after no issues in 2023.

Kunstman said she understands the decision to close the bar, but worries she won't be able to cover her bills if Dave's is out of business much longer.

“I don’t want this to have to be the end of my career," she said. "To not know, are we ever going to get to be who we are? What made us, you know?”

Repinski's case will be heard at the Licensing Committee meeting on Thursday. For now, he’ll keep the doors locked.

570.

COMMENTS

Sounding familiar? I am putting a link here for you Dispute over liquor license conditions prompts bar owner to close tavern (tmj4.com)

The reason is there is a video in this article and the owner and staff speak about how this irresponsible and useless city administration has effected them just like the shitty administration of the City of Superior has affected ours.

571.

JULY 27, 2024

Dave’s Who’s Inn to Reopen with Lighter Restrictions

Dave’s Who’s Inn in Sheboygan is set to resume business operations with a few changes.

The Downtown Sheboygan establishment had been closed since the beginning of July amid a dispute with the city over conditions placed on their liquor license.

These conditions were: no minors were to be allowed on the premises and they must use metal detection wands on every single patron that enters the bar.

Dave Repinski and his attorney, Richard Hahn, argued that these new conditions they had been placed under were vague and unfair.

Dave’s Who’s Inn has underage employees who work at the bar as pin setters, is a popular spot in the city for families to get fish dinners, and is the only bar in the city required to wand each and every patron that enters the building.

It is for these reasons that Repinski and his legal counsel strongly opposed the conditions to which their liquor license was subject.

At the Sheboygan Licensing, Hearings, and Public Safety meeting on July 25, this committee agreed that the current conditions of the license, which have kept the bar closed for nearly a month, were excessive, unfair, and had no concrete end date.

The new conditions of the liquor license have been reduced or eliminated.

Minors are once again allowed on the premises, and metal detection wanding is only to be done on weekends from 10:00 p.m. to close, Friday through Sunday.

The Sheboygan Police Department also agreed these new conditions were fair and reasonable.

The conditions will go until the end of the calendar year, and if they are complied with, they will be eliminated when the year-long liquor license expires.

572.

AUGUST 6, 2024

Common Council Modifies Conditions for Operation of Dave’s Who’s Inn

Dave Repinski was nearly jumping for joy during Monday night’s Sheboygan Common Council meeting.That’s because the Council approved the recommendation of the Licensing, Hearings, and Public Safety Committee to amend the voluntary license conditions on his business, Dave’s Who’s Inn.Those amendments reduced the requirement to operate metal detectors to between 10 p.m. and closing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, and to lift the ban on any underage persons from the premises, which Repinski is attempting to operate as a family gathering place.

The Committee on July 25th was given favorable input from Police Chief Domagalski, City Attorney Charles Adams and others, prompting them to recommend the changes. Last night, the Common Council gave unanimous approval to the move, prompting Repinski’s celebration, and nearly a spontaneous speech, which the Mayor cheerfully stopped by saying: “Dave, I can’t let you speak.”The audience, however, may have said it all in their applause.

573.

AUGUST 7, 2024

Dave's Who's Inn reopens in Sheboygan. What to know about the bar's liquor license dispute.

Owner Dave Repinski with new license Aug 6, 2024

SHEBOYGAN –The doors of Dave’s Who’s Inn have reopened after more than a month of being shuttered because of contentious conditions proposed for a liquor license renewal.

The Common Council voted unanimously Aug. 5 to remove all voluntary conditions and stipulations attached to the issuance of the bar’s liquor license, ending a three-year struggle with the city.

“I’m feeling great, we had a unanimous decision,” said Dave Repinski, owner of Dave’s Who’s Inn. “I don’t know if I can explain myself. It shows they trust us.”

The bar, 835 Indiana Ave., voluntarily closed at the end of June when it was set to renew its license because Repinski disagreed with several conditions from the city that would've required his agreement and compliance with upon issuance of the license.

574.

AUGUST 30, 2024

Sheboygan Alders Discuss Establishing Uniform Regulations for City Bars

A recent dispute between the owner of a bar and the City of Sheboygan has the City considering new rules. The issue arose following a several-years-long tussle that began with the City’s withholding of the liquor license of Dave’s Who’s Inn for 30 days two years ago. Owner Dave Repinski was only allowed to reopen and maintain his Class-B liquor license so long as he operated a scanner and metal detector on his clients, something no other establishment was required to do.

Repinski took legal action and was able to get those conditions removed earlier this month, but not until background details of the hotly-contested issue with city administration had emerged.

575.

COMMENTS

Can local governments be any more out to lunch, dysfunctional, detached from reality, ineffective, stupid, uniformed and useless? I guess they could and Superior and Sheboygan are on their way to prove they can. We need to be more diligent on who we elect, we really do. Congratulations to the owner, staff, customers and their lawyer for fighting the good fight.

576.

A FINAL THOUGHT

Now to my favorite subject. As you may know there has been a controversy over the Caitlin Clark WNBA “Rookie of the Year award.” The voting was not unanimous. And I am not

happy.

WNBA reporters rush to clarify their votes after Angel Reese gets one over Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark captured 66 of 67 votes to nearly unanimously claim the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year honor.

Unlike in other sports, writers are not mandated to make their votes public. Many surmised Clark would claim all 67 votes after averaging 19.2 points, a league-best 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game.

The remaining first-place vote went to Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese . The former LSU star is no slouch herself: Reese averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds before missing the end of the season with a wrist injury.

Connecticut Sun reporter Terrike Forster-Brasby wanted to make clear she was not the voter who didn't vote for Clark. "Just so we're clear... it wasn't me," she tweeted. "I voted for CC. So don't blow me up or call me a hater 'cause IT WASNT TERRIKE."

National reporter Khristina Williams echoed a similar sentiment: "'I had Caitlin Clark on my ballot for Rookie of the Year.

Clark's teammate Aliyah Boston was the unanimous Rookie of the Year last season with far inferior stats, though she did not face as stiff competition as Reese.

Other unanimous WNBA rookie winners include A'ja Wilson for the Las Vegas Aces in 2018, Elne Delle Donne for the Chicago Sky in 2013, and Tina Charles for the Connecticut Sun in 2010.

"If you were the person who had that one vote, you should be able to stand on it, and we should know who you are," said ESPN analyst Andraya Carter on a recent WNBA preview show.

Clark, who was already named the unanimous Associated Press Rookie of the Year in late September, did not acknowledge the vote when she released a statement about her win.

VERY FINAL THOUGHT

So nobody wants to fess up. I have a hunch it has to be one of two people (see below).

THE FACE OF EVIL

MELISSA HYATT

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.

Brian

blog 67

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 23:56:24 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 13

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

554. Welcome to Blog 67. As we get closer to the end of analyzing this letter it seems as though Mayor Paine’s blood pressure is on the rise. Either that or he has consumed large amounts of coffee or something else because he really is falling of the rails. So let’s dive in this cesspool of corruption.

“MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN.”

THE LONG LETTER

555. On the last Blog we left off with Jordan’s plan for the Palace, which by the way was mandated by Mayor Paine in order for her to get her license. I thought she did an excellent job with it. I also mentioned that we would examine the Mayor’s comments on it. I’m sure he was impressed as well. Don’t hold your breath.

So here is what he said:

“Her safety protocols are insufficient and lack either a clear understanding of how to keep a tavern safe or little intention of doing so. She describes security cameras, increased lighting, locked rear entry, a dedicated security staff of at least 3 people, and the use of metal detector wands. Most licensed establishments in Superior maintain safe environments without these protocols. It is clear to me that she expects to draw a large and potentially dangerous crowd that must be carefully managed. We should not license new establishments that require such aggressive security. To curb violence in the rear of the bar, she intends to move all outdoor activity, such as smoking, to the front of the building in view of neighboring establishments and the outdoor seating area of the nearby hotel. Her proposal does not have a plan to eliminate the regular fighting that took place outside the Palace. It merely moves the problem from the alley to Tower Ave.”

556.

COMMENTS AND LIE # 12

Let’s break it down. He said the following:

“Her safety protocols are insufficient and lack either a clear understanding of how to keep a tavern safe or little intention of doing so. “

Really? Do you know who has no safety protocols and an insufficient and lack of either a clear understanding of how to keep a city safe. You Mayor Paine. And I will prove it in a “Safety Report” on an upcoming Blog soon. If she had employed the Nation Guard To secure the Palace that still wouldn't have satisfied you. You had one and only one goal and that was to close us down to satisfy none other than the “Notorious” Melissa Hyatt. If you actually read Jordan’s plan you would see that she put a lot of thought and effort into safety.

LIE # 13

557. He then goes on to say:

“She describes security cameras, increased lighting, locked rear entry, a dedicated security staff of at least 3 people, and the use of metal detector wands. Most licensed establishments in Superior maintain safe environments without these protocols.”

COMMENTS

Guess what? I agree with Mayor. Jordan also agrees. First off, many of the busiest bars use some or all of these protocols. Did you shut them down? No you didn’t. And there is no law that requires these protocols so it’s up to all bars to figure what it is they want to do based on their needs. So that’s LIE # 14.

Then he said:

ANOTHER “MANCHILD” MOMENT

“It is clear to me that she expects to draw a large and potentially dangerous crowd that must be carefully managed”.

558.

COMMENTS

Yes she did expect to draw large crowds. Every business wants to draw large crowds.

That’s called success. That’s why they got in business in the first place, but since you have never owned a business and have about a zero understanding of anything outside of government I guess you wouldn't understand. And the Palace has been drawing large crowds since before you were born.

And then the Manchild moment:

“and potentially dangerous crowd that must be carefully managed”.

COMMENTS

Focus on the words “potentially dangerous crowd”. If you read her plan she addresses that and once again the Mayor is manipulating words to insinuate the worst outcome. And as usual no facts to support his infantile statement.

And then this word salad:

LIE # 14

“We should not license new establishments that require such aggressive security.“

COMMENTS

You already do Mayor(read previous paragraph).

Then this nonsense:

“To curb violence in the rear of the bar, she intends to move all outdoor activity, such as smoking, to the front of the building in view of neighboring establishments and the outdoor seating area of the nearby hotel. Her proposal does not have a plan to eliminate the regular fighting that took place outside the Palace. It merely moves the problem from the alley to Tower Ave.”

AND YES I’M YELLING RIGHT NOW. ALL THIS NONSENSE ABOUT SMOKING WAS MANDATED BY YOU MAYOR AND THE SUPERIOR POLICE DEPARTMENT. YOU SAID IF SHE DIDN’T SHE COULDN'T GET THE LICENSE. OH, AND BY THE WAY THESE IDEAS FROM THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH(SEE BELOW) WERE ALSO MANDATED AND WERE REQUIREMENTS TO GET HER LICENSE. AND FOR THE RECORD THEY WERE ALL DUMB IDEAS EXCEPT THE LIGHTING AND CAMERAS WHICH WERE TAKEN CARE OF.

“She describes security cameras, increased lighting, locked rear entry, a dedicated security staff of at least 3 people, and the use of metal detector wands.”

SO YOU ARE USING YOUR MANDATES AND USING THEM AGAINST HER. WHAT KIND OF AN IDIOT ARE YOU? SHE DID NOT AGREE WITH THESE STUPID IDEAS. BUT YOU INSISTED ON THEM OR NO LICENSE. WHAT WAS SHE TO DO?

WHEN YOU GO DOWN TOWER AVE. AS WELL AS OTHER STREETS YOU WILL FIND CUSTOMERS AND STAFF SMOKING OUT IN THE FRONT, BACK AND SIDES OF THEIR BUSINESSES AND IT’S NOT RESTRICTED TO JUST BARS. AND THAT IS EVERYWHERE IN AMERICA.

AND ONE LAST THING. I SUPPORTED THE BUILDING OF THE HOTEL FROM DAY ONE.

AND UNLIKE YOU WITH NTEC, I NEVER CHANGED MY MIND. AND WE NEVER HAD ONE COMPLAINT FROM THEM ABOUT IT. THEY ARE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM US THAT THEY AREN’T AFFECTED.

559.

CHANGING TOPICS

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

Man dies in freak accident involving frozen hamburgers: 'Difficult to hear'

Andrea Vacchiano

Sun, September 22, 2024 at 3:00 AM PDT

British officials recently determined the shocking and tragic way that a Welsh man died last year.

The Western Telegraph reported that Barry Griffiths, 57, died after accidentally knifing himself while separating frozen burgers in June 2023. Officials announced the results of the investigation at a coroner's court hearing on Monday.

Griffiths, a resident of Llandrindod Wells, had been trying to separate the frozen burgers with a knife when he stabbed himself in the stomach. During Monday's hearing, coroner Patricia Morgan said Griffiths had reduced mobility in one of his arms after a stroke, which likely led to the freak accident.

Tragically, Griffiths' body remained in his apartment for several days after his death. Morgan noted that Griffiths "[had a] relatively private life with limited contact with others," which was why it took over a week for police to conduct a wellness check.

Griffiths' body was found in his bed on July 4, 2023. According to the Western Telegraph, his phone was last active on June 23, and his laptop was used on June 24.

Griffiths also suffered from atherosclerosis, which meant that his arteries were clogged with plaque. That condition, which restricted blood flow to his heart, also contributed to his death, according to Morgan.

Officials initially thought that his death might be a suicide or murder. According to Deputy Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees, officials eventually came to the conclusion that the cause of death was "an accident solely involving Mr. Griffiths."

"The bottom drawer of the freezer had been left open and pulled forward in a position to access food items," Rees explained, per the Western Telegraph. "On the work surface in the kitchen adjacent to the fridge freezer were two uncooked burgers, a knife and a tea towel."

"The wound to the abdomen would have been approximately the height of the work surface," he added. "My hypothesis at that stage was that Mr Griffiths was attempting to separate frozen burgers using a knife."

During the hearing, Morgan told Griffiths' family members that she understood that the "evidence is difficult to hear and traumatic."

"Thank you for your patience while the investigation was ongoing," Morgan was quoted as saying. "I express my condolences at this difficult time."

COMMENTS

I can tell you that over the years I have actually cut myself chopping up food including using a knife to separate frozen patties. Nothing that required medical help thankfully. And I’ve also had several near misses. I think in the future I’ll just defrost everything,

560.

FINAL COMMENTS

I AM TOTALLY BUMMED OUT

Last night Caitlin Clark, my favorite player, and the Indiana Fever were knocked out of the WNBA playoffs. I have watched about 90% of their games this year and I have to confess I have watched more WNBA this year than all other sports. But I don’t like their playoff set up. For those of you not familiar with it, I’ll explain it. The format isn’t much different than most other sports. In their case the top 8 teams make the playoffs, the first place team plays the last place team etc. But the first round is best out of 3 games. Most sports are best out of 5 or 7 games. What makes this worse is that the first 2 games are played at the top seeds home court. So guess what happened this week? The Indiana Fever along with Seattle, Phoenix and Atlanta all were eliminated without even playing 1 game at home. Now that’s stupid don’t you think? Not fair to the fans. So my suggestion to the WNBA is that make it best of 5. The first 2 at the top seeds arena the next 2 away and game 5 if necessary at the top seeds home. At least that assures the lower seeds to get at least 1 game.

As far as the Fever go my dream trade would be the following: Trade fever coach Christie Sides and Alyssa Boston to Chicago for Angel Reese AKA The Chi-Barbie. It may sound a bit weird but I think those two would take the Fever to another level and could elevate both their games. As far as the rest of the WNBA playoffs go, without my girl playing I won’t be tuning in. I guess the NFL and Nascar and the NHL will have to fill the void. I wonder how the TV ratings will be without her. But I will be back next year.

Well that’s it for today and thanks for your support.

Brian

blog 66

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:05:29 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 12

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

549. Welcome everyone to today’s Blog. As we get closer to the end of deciphering this letter that the Mayor dropped to City Council on Dec 6, 2022 only a couple of hours before their meeting, he seems to be ramping up his nonsense to an even higher level of vitriol and lies. And by the way don’t forget what he said when he got his assistant Rebecca Scherf to send a letter to Jordan canceling their meeting(because the spineless lizard didn’t have the guts to do it himself) and saying that he would let council decide the outcome of the license. That meeting was postponed twice and on both occasions he was in town. We covered that on Blog 41 and 49. We even published his schedule to prove it. Another lie by the gutless serial liar himself. He really is a clinical imbecile and an intellectual and moral pygmy.

PYGMY GOAT

PYGMY MAYOR

PYGMY HIPPO

NOT A REAL PYGMY GOAT

TOM BRADY--REAL GOAT

550. Now back to the letter from hell.

“MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN.”

THE LONG LETTER

The Mayor said the following which deserves another Man-Child moment:

“Ms. Wheat's proposal describes the exact same establishment as the Palace Bar but with a new name and minor changes in decor. It describes a loud, late night bar with "a touch of the old Palace Bar". While she envisions major renovations and upgrades in the future, she cannot afford these changes and the proposal does not plan to achieve them within the first year.”

COMMENTS

551. WTF does “It describes a loud, late night bar with "a touch of the old Palace Bar" mean? Well we will start with “Loud’. Some bars have live music. We don’t. Others have D J's. We don’t. Almost all have jukeboxes and some of those are hooked into intricate sound systems. We have a jukebox with regular speakers. And by the way if you have a bar and you don’t have a jukebox, you may want to consider shutting your doors.

Then he goes on to say “late night bar“. We were open 10:AM till 2:AM seven days a week(2:30AM on Fri. and Sat).” Many, if not most bars in town are open similar hours.

He likes to use words to make something normal sound or look like a bad thing.

He then said "a touch of the old Palace Bar". Another line to suggest something bad.

Because we wanted to find any reason, no matter what, to shut us down. No matter how weak the facts and truth were.

552. Then he said:

“While she envisions major renovations and upgrades in the future, she cannot afford these changes and the proposal does not plan to achieve them within the first year.”

COMMENTS

I want to start off by saying that once my license was out of the picture I told Jordan that I no longer thought that my involvement would not be of any benefit to her and quite frankly I was sick and tired with the whole administration of this city. I just wanted to concentrate on getting my house ready to sell and get the hell out of Superior. And that is exactly what I did. I moved to Nevada in October, 2022. Of course I talked to Jordan occasionally but for the most part I was out of the picture. But I will let Jordan describe the situation to you in her words below:

I remember him calling the bar dark not loud. And I told him that I wanted to keep the big Palace sign because that was cool. I wanted to change the name, change the colors. Yes the bar itself would've stayed the same because nothing was wrong with it, but the decor would've change to make it "different bar"

He was trying to tell me that I had to have major construction in order for it to be considered a new bar and I was like why I don't wanna do major construction. There's nothing that needs to be majorly changed. All I wanted to do is cosmetic changes.

And I was like well I can't afford to do major changes like construction, but yeah, I wanna change the signs change the name that kind of stuff would've all been done in the first year would've been done before I was opened.

COMMENTS

Then she submitted him a plan, requested and required by Mayor Paine, that she had put together below. Just so you know, I had no input at all in this plan and never even saw it until after she submitted it to the city. And by the way I would like to see a plan from any other bar in Superior that was required by Jim Paine in order to get a license.

JJ’s Plan View Here

553.

COMMENTS

I don’t know about you folks, but I think she did a very impressive, thorough and thoughtful job. On the next Blog we will examine what Mayor Paine thought about it.

CHANGING TOPICS

I will leave you today with a story below from my hometown of Ottawa, Canada your Communist neighbors to the north. We left there over 30 years ago. Our two daughters were 4 and 2 years old. I moved to the USA because Canada was heading towards socialism and I wanted them to have a better life. But now it seems that they are really now getting closer towards communism. This story below was published from one of our local newspapers, the Ottawa Sun this week and yes you can be fined up to $100,000.00 for idling your car. What a bunch of morons.

Possible new anti-idling rule in Ottawa would bring $100K fines

Proposed penalties would range from a warning to a minimum fine of $500, ranging up to a maximum of $100,000.

Author of the article:

Blair Crawford

Published Sep 15, 2024

City councillors are considering tougher anti-idling bylaws as a way of improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Ottawa.

And it’s not just idle talk. A motion to be debated this week proposes to make it illegal to idle a vehicle for more than one minute in any 60-minute period. When it’s below freezing or warmer than 27 C, that limit would be five minutes to allow time to defrost windows or cool the vehicle with air conditioning.

The motion will be discussed Thursday at a special joint meeting of the Environment and Climate Change, and the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services committees

Ottawa’s current bylaw has been in place since 2007 and limits idling to three minutes. But that’s fallen out of line with other major cities such as Toronto, Burlington, Kingston and Vancouver, which have adopted a one-minute maximum. The Montreal borough of Outremont limits idling to 10 seconds, with a $150 fine for offenders.

Penalties in the Ottawa proposal would range from a warning to a minimum fine of $500, ranging up to a maximum of $100,000 “where continued or egregious non-compliance is occurring.” When the proposal to toughen the idling bylaw first came to council in 2022, it mentioned that higher fines for idling was one of the tactics used to counter the three-week convoy occupation of downtown Ottawa in February 2022.

There are plenty of exceptions allowed in the current bylaw that would be continued under the new proposal. You won’t be ticketed if you’re idling while stuck in traffic — or in a drive-through lane. Emergency vehicles are excluded, as are public transit and private transit vehicles (school buses and tour buses, for example), vehicles engaged in farming, police vehicles since they need to keep their onboard computers powered, mobile workshops, vehicles being repaired and armoured vehicles. Anyone with a doctor’s note saying they must be in a climate-controlled vehicle will also be exempt.

IF this happens you the taxpayer will be on the hook one way or the other because they don’t pay property taxes. I got this on Google:

As a result, their vast property holdings are exempt from taxation in all 50 states. The rationale for this status is that higher education is an inherent public good.

See you all soon on the next Blog,

Brian

While CAFES is pleased with the proposed bylaw, Keller-Herzog called it a “partial success.”

“Obviously, there are vulnerable populations that we need to be concerned about. Around schoolyards, we think there should be signage and more education. When you have caregivers and parents dropping off and picking up kids, they should not all be standing around with engines running, polluting the air. When kids are there and that pollution is going straight into their lungs — that’s reprehensible.”

She’d like to see the city commit some money to more signs, more education and more enforcement.

“If you have a bylaw where the only purpose is to encourage good behaviour, but if there’s gross abuses there’s no mechanism to enforce it, that’s kind of useless,” she said

“We’re not after random small infractions. But if there is systematic, repeat behaviour — say the same delivery truck always idling or a driver who finds a nice shady spot on a street and takes a nap with the engine running — I think that’s where residents should have recourse,” Keller-Herzog said. “Not everyone’s comfortable knocking on someone’s car window. There should be a response from (a call to) 311.”

COMMENTS

Now you know why I left. These people have completely lost touch with reality.

And don’t forget the wise words of Billy Idol. “If you go to Canada, don’t idle”.

See you on the next Blog.

Brian

blog 65

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 23:35:01 GMT

MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN PART 11

SOUR NOTE

FACE OF EVIL

THE MOUTHPIECE HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE HORN AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

543. Welcome today to Blog 65. Sometimes I get certain thoughts that I can’t get out of my head until I publish them in the blog. I guess you can call it some type of therapy for myself. Well today I want to talk about the word “GASLIGHT” or “GASLIGHTING”. While they aren’t new words, I can’t ever remember a time in my life ever using them. When I hear those words it reminds of watching old black and white movies shot in England on a dark misty and foggy night and there is a pole with an actual gas light in the distance. Sort of like a typical night in Superior. But it seems in the last two years or so you hear that word all the time on political and news shows. So how did that happen? Best I can tell is Democrats started using it first to substitute the words “BULLSH*T, BULLSH*TTER” and “LIAR”. I think they deliberately started using it to soften the words “BULLSH*T, BULLSH*TTER” and “LIAR”. And not long after the Dems started using it, Republicans joined in. I hate the words “GASLIGHT” and “GASLIGHTING”. I will never use those words here. On the Blog we will call a BULLSH*TTER” a BULLSH*TTER” and a “LIAR” a “LIAR”. There, I got it off my chest and I fell better now. And I’m not “GASLIGHTING” you.

544.

Now back to the “MANIFESTO OF A MADMAN.”

THE LONG LETTER

The Mayor said the following:

I am therefore asking the Council to deny the license for the following reasons:

The ownership/management structure is essentially the same. While Ms. Jordan would now own the business, Mr. Noel still owns the building. She describes him as hands off but ownership of the building is significant leverage in the relationship. Furthermore, while she blames Mr. Noel's unwillingness to make changes, she was the on-site manager and responsible for the riotous house that

occurred. The change in ownership status and titles is a technicality. The same people that were responsible for the Palace Bar in 2022 are now applying for the same license for 2023.

545.

COMMENTS

LIE # 8

When he said: “The ownership/management structure is essentially the same. While Ms. Jordan would now own the business, Mr. Noel still owns the building.” that is a lie.

At the only meeting I attended, yes the one that Elvis Paine did not attend because he was whooping it up in Vegas on your taxpaying dime and at least one meeting Jordan attended with Mayor Paine, it was made clear to everybody at those meetings that when she was granted a license, the sale of the business and building would then be completed. The reason for that is doing the sale would cost thousands of dollars and tons of paperwork. No different than when you sell a home. We had already had a verbal agreement and there was no question that I was not interested in keeping the building. In fact they could have included a clause that the license would be conditional that she had ownership of the building and I would have had no problem with that.

At the only meeting I attended I was badgered as to why I don’t sell the building to her before she obtained the license. Answer: Because that would be stupid, not to mention expensive. It would be like if you bought a home and didn’t get the financing in place first or the building inspection first. So when the Mayor said that in the letter, he was once again lying.

546.

LIE # 9 AND #10

The Mayor said:

“Furthermore, while she blames Mr. Noel's unwillingness to make changes, she was the on-site manager and responsible for the riotous house that occurred. “

First off she did not blame me being unwilling to make changes. That was all covered in the previous Blog. So that is a lie.

And then when he said:

“she was the on-site manager and responsible for the riotous house that occurred. “

And by the Mayor’s logic, she is no more responsible than the Mayor or the Police who by the way knew the shooter and I don’t think it’s because they spent Thanksgiving together. But by my logic, the only person responsible is the person who committed the crime. And he used the word “Riotous” because it’s a word that is in the State of Wisconsin rules that can be one reason to close a business. But the word “Riotous” in the State rules is meant as an extraordinary situation that is different than it’s competition in that they have way above the normal amount of incidents. And we have proved in Blog 22, with the statistics from the City of Superior, the Palace have very similar numbers as our competitors. So that is also a lie.

LIE # 11

547. And then he said:

The change in ownership status and titles is a technicality. The same people that were responsible for the Palace Bar in 2022 are now applying for the same license for 2023.

COMMENTS

The Mayor said “The change in ownership status and titles is a technicality.”

Well at the beginning of this paragraph he said:

“The ownership/management structure is essentially the same. While Ms. Jordan would now own the business, Mr. Noel still owns the building.”

So I really don’t know what he was trying to say so let me try and explain what I know.

I was told that the only way the Palace would get a license is that I would have to be completely out of the picture and Jordan would have to own the building and business.

And that is exactly what I did. Not only that but when he wrote that letter on Dec 6, 2022, I had already moved in October from Superior to Nevada and my home there was for sale. But he finished that paragraph by saying this:

“The same people that were responsible for the Palace Bar in 2022 are now applying for the same license for 2023.”

Not true. Only Jordan applied for the license, nobody else. So another lie.

548. Well that’s enough lying for today. I want to share an article below from our friends at the Duluth Monitor which I highly recommend you consider subscribing to. Here is the link Duluth Monitor – Regional News and Investigations

August 6, 2024

Duluth Monitor

UWS is asking the City of Superior for $10 million to help them build a new 49,000-square-foot indoor sports center. Tonight, UWS Chancellor Renee Wachter told the Common Council that, unless they get the full $10 million, they won't be able do the project. Mayor Jim Paine says the city can afford it. Most of the Council seems to be on board.

COMMENTS

IF this happens you the taxpayer will be on the hook one way or the other because they don’t pay property taxes. I got this on Google:

As a result, their vast property holdings are exempt from taxation in all 50 states. The rationale for this status is that higher education is an inherent public good.

See you all soon on the next Blog,

Brian

palacebar

blog 101

THE BIG FAT PLAN

THAT WAS A BIG FAT SCAM

BUT FOR NOW LET’S GET DANCIN’ AGAIN!!!

AND AGAIN!!!

AND AGAIN!!!

AND AGAIN!!!

CENTERFOLD’S IS BACK BABY!!!

GET YOUR FREAK ON AND LET’S HAVE FUN!!!!

BUT GUESS WHO’S NOT DANCIN’

RECAP

THEIR ANSWER

LOVE IN A GRAIN ELEVATOR?

WHO IS ANGELA STROUD?

ANGELA’S LETTER ABOUT NTEC

Bad River’s Legal Battle Against Line 5

MORE BAD NEWS FOR SUPERIOR

CHS to close Superior terminal

BACK TO THE STORY...

FINAL COMMENTS

SOME NTEC FACTS

JOB KILLER

Court rules cannabis inspections violated Fourth Amendment

BACK TO THE STORY...

blog 100

ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE!!!

AND DANCE!!!

AND DANCE!!!

AND DANCE SOME MORE!!!

BUT HE SAID NO!!!

This guy is fucking nuts.

READERS COMMENTS

AND MY FAVORITE

SOCIAL MEDIA

Council postpones vote on Centerfolds’ liquor license

BACK TO THE ARTICLE...

BACK TO THE ARTICLE...

ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ 2-INGREDIENTS LUNCH RECIPE

BACK TO THE STORY...

FINAL COMMENT

blog 99

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

BUT MAYBE NOT FOR EVERYBODY

I’LL EXPLAIN!

THE FUTURE OF CENTERFOLD’S?

Council doesn't renew Centerfolds' Cabaret liquor license

COMMENT

BACK TO THE STORY...

COMMENTS

Lots, and I mean I got a lot to go over here.

COMMENT #1

COMMENT #2

COMMON SENSE PREVAILS? DON’T BET ON IT

Then the “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” returned

COMMENT # 1

Let’s start with current Mensa Member “Tooler Elmo”

COMMENT

COMMENT # 2

NOW THE “PUPPET CALLED MOFFAT” EDUCATES US

COMMENT # 3

UP NEXT: “EVIL” LINDSEY GRASKEY AKA “SPUDS MACGHASTLY”

COMMENT # 4 A TWOOFER FOR SPUDS BUT SHE CAN’T COUNT THAT HIGH

COMMENT

Another Shelley Nelson And Superior Telegram Fake News Failure!!!

The following was not in Shelley Nelson’s article.

UPDATE

972. Our friends at Soupnutz.net had this timely article just the other day.

June 17th City Clowncil Meeting – Stripper Hours Debated While Mayor Forms Committee on Duck Farts

“Centerfolds Clipped: When a Strip Club Fails and Golf Wins—Welcome to Superior”

Strip Club Shutdown: We’ll Get There, Probably Not

Real Quotes, Real Head-Scratchers

“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration… I figured you guys could just figure out a way to verify it at the end of the month.” — Roderick Pettycourt, Centerfolds applicant, confidently outsourcing math to the city

“It’s just like a series of naps if you’re lucky.” — Councilor Tylor Elm, defining both new parenthood and council meetings

“You didn’t leave your writings on the wall, did you?” — Councilor Graskey, referencing jail graffiti like it’s local art appreciation

Mayor Paine added a TED Talk for no reason:

Mayor Paine’s Dumbest Committees (So Far)

The Dog Poop Committee

Mayor Paine’s Land Trade Committee

The “Jenny for Council Again” Committee

COMMENT # 4
A TWOOFER FOR SPUDS BUT SHE CAN’T COUNT THAT HIGH

“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration… I figured you guys could just figure out a way to verify it at the end of the month.” — Roderick Pettycourt, Centerfolds applicant, confidently outsourcing math to the city

“It’s just like a series of naps if you’re lucky.” — Councilor Tylor Elm, defining both new parenthood and council meetings

“You didn’t leave your writings on the wall, did you?” — Councilor Graskey, referencing jail graffiti like it’s local art appreciation

“I think people have done a good job on the golf committee. It’s a good committee. It just has some good glory to it.” “Glory” and “committee” in the same sentence? Sir, please.

“It’s been an extraordinarily valuable partnership… more than my golf advice.” A humble brag no one needed, especially the taxpayers.