Calling out the CAFO culprits, and how losing can lead to a new job
The water crisis of ‘14 has faded from memory and we all turn on the taps with nary a care about microcystin, until usually late July or August. But what have we done about this misfortune? How have we, as a community, balanced the scary prospect of being cozied up next to the largest supply of fresh water on the planet with the prospect of being unable to drink the water piped into our homes? The answer, we have attended a few conferences, made some bold statements, allowed the issue to be pervasive in local politics (see the most recent Mayoral election as an example) yet sparsely little has been accomplished.
Interesting, we are the focus of the denizens of the Great Lakes watershed, yet there is no legislation on the horizon, no mandates from State (or Federal but, then, Secretary Pruitt is another matter altogether) lawmakers, no real plans for dealing with this impending disaster of unusable water.
Wade in the water
But wait, a beacon in the darkness. Shining through the algae clouded water that is our Great Lake. Calling animal effluent what it is, and identifying the culprit of our water woes. Concentrated animal feeding operations, CAFOs, are causing runoff of vast amounts of phosphorous and other contaminants into our waters. Where PHH refused to tread, not demanding that Lake Erie be deemed “impaired”, Hizzoner, Wade K, made a bold proclamation at last week’s regional water conference of area leaders—“We live in a state where our legislature is a wholly owned subsidiary of the farm bureau,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. “I’m sorry, but it’s true.”
Sorry indeedy. Now that it has been said, that this animal effluent is the cause of these perennial algal blooms, maybe we can collectively work, and (using what has become a bad word these days) regulate the feed operations to save ol’ Erie. Hats off to Wade for laying it on the line and advocating more clear talk to lead to more clear water. We’re with Hizzoner, what’s been done so far on this issue “is just not good enough.”
Losing, the new winning in City Politics?
By the time you read this, one more incumbent pol will be out of a publicly funded job. As we go to press, the primary election looms. With it comes the end for one of two long-time feeders at the public trough. The only question is, what comes next? One of two incumbent Democratic state reps, Michael Ashford and Teresa Fedor, will have won the D primary on May 8 for state senate. Given the district, whoever has won the primary will face smooth sailing in November. The loser will be out of a job.
Ashford has worked in social service agencies as recently as a few years ago. Fedor, on the other hand, was a teacher, a job she hasn’t done in decades.
Right now, one of the two has their seat in Columbus for a scant few more months. They’ll be spending much of that time begging, pleading, and cajoling for a job. Given the recent track record of appointments of also rans (see our columns on Sarantou and Byers), they’ll probably get one.
If we’re paying for it, let’s at least hope it’s a position they’re qualified for.
