Blog entries

Tourism points to our slow economic rebound

Dan Plutchak — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:14:01 +0100

Although National Tourism Week ends Sunday, it’s really the beginning of perhaps the most important season in the Stateline area.

A study released a week ago by Tourism Economics shows that the impact of tourism on Wisconsin’s economy was $16.8 billion in 2012, up 5 percent from the previous year.

In Illinois, the tourism industry generated nearly $31.8 billion in revenue in 2011, an increase of 8.4 percent, according to the most recent report from D.K. Shifflet and AssociatesRead More...

60-foot cross ignites soul searching

Dan Plutchak — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:05:30 +0100

The controversy ignited over a proposal by New Life Assembly of God to build a 60-foot cross on its property began to smolder as quickly as the community got wind of the project.

Strong feelings aren’t new in Janesville, even for those not directly impacted. Just think of the long-running sidewalk controversy. Nearly everyone has an opinion, even if they already live in a neighborhood with sidewalks.

Word of the plan to construct the 60-foot lighted steel cross on church propeRead More...

Concealed carry debate comes to Illinois

Dan Plutchak — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 21:55:16 +0100

In the midst of the national debate sparked by the shooting rampage in Newtown Conn., Illinois now must decide how it wants to deal with the issue of its citizens carrying concealed weapons.

Wisconsin passed concealed-carry legislation a little more than a year ago, making Illinois the last state without a concealed-carry law.

That will change in five months, after a three-judge Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel voted last month 2-1 that the Illinois ban on carryiRead More...

In Janesville, pedestrians best beware

Dan Plutchak — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 21:53:38 +0100

Unlike in bigger cities, pedestrians in Janesville take their safety into their own hands when crossing the street. That was highlighted Jan. 2, when a vehicle struck a 13-year-old Franklin Middle School student as she crossed the street in front of the school.

When you’re in cities like Madison, Milwaukee or Chicago, it’s common for cars to stop as you make your way to the other side of the street.

In fact, it’s the law in Wisconsin, but it’s a law few drivers seem to be aRead More...

Even our staff isn't immune to the flu

Dan Plutchak — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 19:05:20 +0100

It’s not unusual for writers to immerse themselves in a topic to fully understand the story they’re trying to tell.

Be careful what you wish for.

While working on this week’s cover story on how the influenza outbreak is affecting residents of Walworth County, staff writer Todd Mishler was stricken with flu-like symptoms for several dRead More...

Can you convince the undecided?

Dan Plutchak — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:31:07 +0100

If our recent poll on WalworthCountySunday.com is any gauge, a whole lot of presidential campaign money is being spent on a very few undecided voters.

We asked readers to tell us if they’ve made up their minds about who will get their vote for president or if they remain undecided.

It turned out only five of those who voted in the poll are undecided, or about 5 percent.

Recently, the New York Times 2012 Money Race tracker showed Mitt Romney had raised $633 milliRead More...

Let's bypass the bypass

Dan Plutchak — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:23:27 +0100

I was on my way to Burlington last week, but never got there. Blame the new bypass.

It had been awhile since my family and I had taken this particular route home from Racine. We were returning from my niece’s 30th birthday party, and I decided to drive through Burlington, where we could stop for gas and get something to eat.

But as we approached the city, we ended up on the sparkling new bypass that whisked us to the other side of the city. On this trip, there would be no Read More...

In his hometown, Ryan pick energizes both supporters and critics

Dan Plutchak — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:08:14 +0100

JANESVILLE — After covering Rep. Paul Ryan since his first run for Congress in 1998, I’ve only heard of one occasion where he’s buckled under pressure and changed his mind.

Rep. Paul Ryan shares the stage with Mitt Romney during a campaign stop June 18 in Janesville. Romney made the formal announcement Aug. 18 that he had Read More...

Democrats want their Assembly seat back

Dan Plutchak — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:19:45 +0100

Janesville Democrats have their eyes on an Assembly seat they feel should have been theirs all along.

The first step in that direction takes place at the Aug. 14 primary, where voters will decide who challenges Republican Joe Knilans, the incumbent in the 44th District, which represents nearly all of Janesville in the State Assembly.

The four primary challengers made their case Tuesday during a forum at the Janesville Senior Center sponsored by the League of Women Voters anRead More...

Blog: On the way to Mars, making things still means something

Dan Plutchak — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:55:26 +0100

ROSCOE -- It’s been years since America’s exploration of outer space has captured the national imagination. In many ways, the same can be said about the American manufacturing industry.

But for employees of a small Roscoe manufacturing com-pany, that fascination is back as they wait for the Mars rover Curiosity to touch down on the surface of the red planet in the early morning hours Monday.

The success of the mission rests in part on some small parts made at Forest City GeRead More...