An important vote in Washburn

On April 2, Washburn residents will vote on whether we will have a direct vote on future commercial development proposals regarding 16 acres of lake frontage on Holman Lakeview Drive. Originating on December 18, 2022, with the simple thought that the majority of Washburn’s residents should determine the development of the town’s natural center, the proposed ordinance states essentially the following:
Any development proposal converting to alternative (commercial) purposes the some 16 acres of city-owned Lake Superior frontage bounded by 6th Avenue West and Holman Lakeview Drive and extending to the east of the ravine at the foot of Washington Avenue should go to a direct vote of the people of Washburn. 
With the sole intent to place the development of the historic center of our lakefront and its Lakefront Walking Trail directly in the hands of Washburn’s people, the ordinance expresses the knowledge that the city is its people. That is, while we must trust the ones whom we elect to represent us, we must at the same time stay ever involved in governmental decision-making. Acknowledging that in a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, the people ultimately are the decision-makers, the ordinance seeks to facilitate communication between our elected representatives and the constituency, and by extension, on the council itself. 
In Washburn then, the proposed ordinance acknowledges the mutual responsibility implicit in our American system of self-governance. An appeal to Washburn’s people, it’s an opportunity for every resident to directly participate in democracy at the grassroots level. If adopted, the ordinance would grant each and every Washburn resident a direct vote on future proposals for commercial development of the sixteen acres at the heart of our community’s iconic lakefront and its historic Lakefront Trail.
Note:  A “Yes” vote means you favor adoption of the ordinance.

Roth Edwards
Washburn, Wisconisn

Greetings from NW Wisconsin 

It has been a very welcome addition to the newsstand at our local Marketplace grocery store to find the Reader available each week for the last month (or more?). 
Not only are you including events in our area, but the articles and editorials are essential reading at this important time in our community and country. 
Hurrah for independent journalism and thanks for including us in your delivery area!

Patty Danielson Strandquist
Seeley, Wisconsin

The religious fairy tale

Ed Raymond always sounds very hateful of Christians per His Article “Sex and the World” is an insult to Christians who are not perfect but have been instrument in improving most of the world towards a peaceful coexistence. He has a right to his very cynical opinions but needs to give credit where it is due. He blames religion for all the wars which actually is the only reason for wars. Wars are caused by opposing opinions which basically consist of different beliefs,or religions, which include the religion of atheism, where you are god. 
Christianity has done nothing at all to help the world? He compares animal sex to humans which is only similar in biology, how males and females reproduce, but animals have no soul or moral compass.
Before Jesus came humans also had minimal, if any, morals and Emperors sexually and physically had people abused, especially women and children, plus wars against other nations.
Jesus, the real God, chose a certain people (Jews) to teach them about the real God, first known as” the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac”  They would be the first to learn about God’s laws from the “Ten Commandments” and received many prophecies about God’s Son, Jesus , which were written down.
Would a man-made god come down to earth as a human man, not rule with force and death, but to serve the world by being born humbly in a stable (Christmas)? Jesus taught the TRUTH and said” God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17.
Jesus said “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,even so must the Son of man be lifted up” John 3:14.
Jesus was crucified on a torturous cross for our sins and rose from the dead with hundreds of witnesses who saw Jesus after being 3 days in the tomb, and many since, to this day, myself included. Read a simple beautiful book(or DVD) Heaven is Real of a 4 yr old boy who saw Jesus. There are numerous testimonies of people who hear ,see and feel Jesus.
All you have to do is ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins (we all sin) and to come into your life and He will respond in some way.
Easter is the day Jesus rose from the dead and lives in all of us and waiting for us all to ask Him into our lives.

Rosemarie Mitchell
Duluth, Minnesota

Yet another blame game

The article by Phil Anderson in the March 14, 2024, issue of Reader, includes many important points to consider. I too, understand that if voters want even a shred of our democracy to remain, it’s absolutely imperative that Biden must be elected in 2024 instead of Trump. We are truly in the grip of an autocratic power addict who will do or say, (anything) to give voters the impression that only he is qualified to be our President. And unfortunately, that attitude includes falsely holding Biden responsible for any failed attempts to revive our economy!
Anderson’s claims about Biden include Biden’s supposed support for genocide in Gaza. But why doesn’t Anderson understand that Biden is actually extremely concerned about the suffering and deaths of innocent people? And If we are realists, why should any of us believe that Biden can merely snap his fingers and end the hostilities between Hamas, the Palestinians and Israel? Or for anyone else who works for peace in the Middle East? – which has always been a very hard row to hoe.
Recently people all around the world have advocated for the immediate end of hunger and deaths in ways that don’t destabilize the entire world. Yet if we must all rely on our leaders, we also need to understand that neither Biden nor any other President can immediately save the lives of countless innocents – simply because no President has power over such complex issues and the fact is that, no one person can bring peace overnight, simply because no one has ever had the power to control the many troubled areas of this world.
Currently, MAGA and complicit members of the former GOP, are lying their way into the White House, so it does absolutely no good, and is not even true, to claim that President Biden “supports genocide!” All our President’s hands are at least partially bound and controlled by the political realities of this world, including those of our allies and adversaries alike.
Yes. We must elect Biden even if we disagree with him or dislike some of the policies he endorses! He’s not perfect, but Trump has no decency or real understanding of constitutional principles! So perhaps we should ask Anderson not to throw stones at Biden, stones which are very likely undeserved! Right now it’s all we can do to fight off and dispel the many other undeserved actions and accusations hurled by our political rivals. Thus, Calling Biden incompetent and misguided is one thing, but claiming that he “supports genocide” is something entirely different, and is an accusation that he does not deserve!

Peter Johnson
Superior, Wisconsin