Merrill

Shorewood wants everyone to read novel; Merrill parents try to ban it

October 5, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Larry Watson, left, author of the best-selling novel, "Montana 1948," is speaking in Shorewood today to kick off a "Shorewood Reads" program in which the whole community is being encouraged to read his book. Elsewhere, they're trying to ban it. Shorewood Patch says:

Shorewood Library Director Beth Carey estimated that the book has been checked out of the library more than 200 times and been read by a number of area book clubs over the last few months...

Montana 1948 has been the featured book in community reading programs numerous times since its publication in 1993, something Watson attributes to the fact that it deals with the kind of moral dilemma that “frequently makes for interesting and productive discussions.”

The novel also has provoked an interesting discussion in Merrill, up the road a piece, where some parents tried to get it banned from high school libraries and out of the curriculum for 10th grade English students.

That effort failed, as the Wausau Daily Herald reports:

So everyone can march on Labor Day in Wausau; will Republicans show up?

August 31, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Much ado about nothing -- the refusal by Labor Day parade organizers in Wausau to allow Republican elected officials to march -- has resulted in a change, and now everyone can march, the Wausau Herald reports.

If they dare to show up.

Marathon County Labor Council President Randy Radtke said … “we don't want to have community groups and school bands affected. We didn't start this fight in Wisconsin, but were responding to anti-worker positions and policies supported by local Republican politicians, including those who have complained about not being invited. With the track records that Pam Galloway, Sean Duffy, Scott Walker, and Jerry Petrowski have all put together this year, they should be ashamed to even show their faces at a Labor Day parade." 

Rep. Duffy -- the guy whose exclusion started all the hubbub -- wisely said he plans to attend a Labor Day celebration in Merrill on Monday instead of the Wausau event.

UPDATE: Duffy now says he's coming after all.