Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

It turns out that Rep.-Elect George Santos of New York padded his resume some. And locally it was reported last week that Oakwood’s CEO resigned it seems in part because, among other things, he claimed to have a doctorate… from a university that doesn’t award doctorates. Some lament this new post-fact era of resume writing,Continue reading “My Updated Resume”

It’s Christmas Eve. You may be hosting a get-together tonight or tomorrow or sometime over the next week. You’re a delightful host and so, of course, your guests will want to stay into a night that is so deep. But you’re sleepy. What to do? Try Dave’s Christmas jokes! I guarantee that by the secondContinue reading “The Annual Christmas Jokes”

This year has had its share of fashionable words and phrases that have overstayed their welcome, if they were ever welcome in the first place. Here’s my list of language that should be banned starting at midnight on January 1st. Athleticism. I watch my share of sports on TV and I keep hearing that theContinue reading “Let’s Retire These Words in ’23”

It’s a Panic Weather Alert Day, people! You know what that means! Run for your lives! Or don’t! Really, you might as well just roll yourself into a little ball in a corner of your bed and whimper! Because this is the STORM OF THE CENTURY! Now, let’s turn to chief Panic Meteorologist Beau Bentley.Continue reading “A Panic Weather Update”

Today’s headline is a sad double entendre. Madison’s hopes for passenger rail service will, it appears, have to remain just a thought. Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu have said they will oppose any state cost share if the feds decide to build a rail line connecting Madison to Milwaukee. Since aContinue reading “Train of Thought”

It’s a grab bag today. Honors classes saved. Somewhat to my surprise, the Madison School Board voted last night to keep stand-alone honors classes. Board President Ali Muldrow joined three other members — Chris Gomez Schmidt, Laura Simkin and Nicki Vander Meulen — in voting to maintain the classes. Muldrow also showed leadership earlier thisContinue reading “Catching Up on Some Stuff”

I love end of the year lists. Top ten this, top ten that. People who died. All that stuff. Here’s my list of local folks who I think had the biggest impact on our community and state this year.  Tony Evers. God knows, I’ve had my differences with the governor. I even called for himContinue reading “People of the Year”

The latest hot issue in the Madison School District is stand-alone honors classes. This morning’s Wisconsin State Journal offered an excellent primer on the controversy, which is well worth reading. The last few paragraphs of that story did challenge my support for stand-alone honors. My main concern about eliminating the courses, offered to freshmen andContinue reading “How to be Honorable”

Madison’s Plan Commission has approved 550 units of low-income housing in a redeveloping former industrial area. That’s good. What’s not so good is that those 550 units are all low-income (no income diversity is allowed) and it’s concentrated in one tightly packed development. There are also some brown fields issues involved because the site hadContinue reading “The Wrong Way To Do Affordable Housing”

We could skip a step. Gov. Tony Evers could just submit a blank piece of paper in February as his proposed budget. Then Speaker Robin Vos could fill in all the numbers and send it back to Evers for his approval. That would be a more honest and direct process than the sham that isContinue reading “Invest in Little Kids, Not Rich Adults”