Looking on the Bright Side

 

Walmart to close four stores in Wisconsin.
What does that mean to Lake Geneva and the surrounding areas? Nothing because none of the closures are close by. But it might have. Although Walmart has grown to over twelve thousand stores, and there is another Walmart in Delavan, it would be devastating if the Lake Geneva store was to close. And this concern, this ‘dodging a bullet,’ kind of thinking is what occurs having big box stores come in and replace the small stores that used to sell products in all the areas pervasively and protectively covered by Walmart.

What happens when the big box store that ran everyone else out of town runs out of town itself?

What happens can be easily predicted simply by looking back in time at the fate of so many small vibrant towns across the United States when the railroads stopped stopping in their towns. When the great Interstate freeway system was finished and all the towns living off of the traffic flow along Route 66 dried up like tumbleweeds but never moved an inch. Communities must begin becoming much more involved in what businesses are opening and how they are planning to do their business. It’s not just about the money. It’s about life itself and how representative government can assure that small towns and villages not only survive but also thrive.

Clarice at Wal-Mart

Clarice. At Walmart. Greeter. Here she is at -2 degrees working outside the store. When asked what she was doing out there she said, “I like helping the old people.” When asked how old she was she replied, “eighty-one.” When asked when she might retire she said “never.” Clarice is a bit of warmth in this cold winter and no matter what the complaints Walmart is doing some things well. Like Clarice.

 

The intensity of wind driven sub-zero temperatures. What can you do to warm up when the walls of your home pass the cold on through even when the thermostat is raised? You can eat something really fattening, like a stick of butter. Seriously, your stomach will convert the butter very quickly to sugar and the sugar will suffuse itself through your system to fight the cold. It takes much more energy to endure the cold than most people think. When people freeze to death they generally die because they lost all their energy. The cold slows everything down and you need energy to bring yourself back up to speed.

Dress really warm in layers, not because you plan on being out in the cold. Today’s buildings and cars are remarkably well equipped to fend off the cold. Dress warmly because you never know when you might be stuck out in the elements when you didn’t plan to be (like car accidents and mechanical failure). Don’t be afraid to wave people down or ask for help if you are cold and stuck somewhere or beginning to slow down so much you can’t make it to where you are going. Wisconsin people are amazingly helpful and very generous with their time. In Wisconsin everyone knows we are all in this together. Don’t worry about gaining weight in the most vicious part of a Wisconsin winter. Worry about getting through alive! You can worry about your looks later.

Sitting on Bench lake Geneva Winter

And so the sun came out to dilute the discomfort of subzero temperatures. This woman decided to use part of the bend not normally used for sitting purposes to take advantage of that warming sun. Main Street. A neat place to hang out in Lake Geneva, even when it’s cold.

Really Looking at the Bright Side

Fire on Elm Street Lake Geneva

The 4-plex at 1195 Elm St. in Lake Geneva burned beyond recognition at 12:30pm on Tuesday. The fireman fought hard and long with ice eventually covering the yards and streets but to no avail. Nobody was hurt, which was the only blessing.

Fire On Elm Street Lake Geneva

From The City Lake Geneva Police Department Facebook page: FIRE DESTROYS MULTI-UNIT RESIDENCE IN CITY, BABY THROWN FROM ROOF Lake Geneva Police Chief, Michael S. Rasmussen, reports: On Tuesday, January 19th at approximately 11:41a.m., Officers responded to the 1100 block of Elm Street for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, officers observed that the structure was engulfed in flames and two adults and an infant were trapped on the roof in the rear of the residence. As smoke was starting to overcome the trapped residents, the mother of the infant was able to throw the infant from the roof to an officer waiting on the ground who was able to catch the infant unharmed. The mother jumped from the roof and sustained minor injuries. A citizen provided additional officers with a small ladder in an attempt to help the last adult female off of the roof. As officers were doing this, the ladder broke and the female fell uninjured onto the officers. One officer was injured and treated at Lakeland Medical Center. That officer was released from the hospital. Four additional residents were able to escape from the first floor of the residence. Of the seven residents in the structure at the time of the fire, three were kept overnight for treatment and observation and are expected to make a full recovery. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The City of Lake Geneva Police Department was assisted by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Linn Police Department and the Walworth County Fire Investigation Task Force.

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