Pointe Blue update

isn't blue at all

Thursday, March 29, 2007 10:46 PM CDT

The update on Pointe Blue progress this week was enough to put a little smile on the city's face. Developer Scott Fergus said that financing arrangements have been agreed upon for both the site acquisition and the construction of the $185 million residential and retail property on the north side of the Root River. Final details could be announced by next month and that will open the door to construction work on the city's largest development complex - a combination of 434 residences, a marina, retail stores and restaurants, offices and apartments. Fergus said 24 percent of the housing units are already reserved and that was a plus for getting the financial package approved. The city will turn over a 9-acre brownfield site for the project and set up a TIF district for the site. When the TIF is repaid in about 13 years, Racine should see from $4 to $4.5 million in annual property taxes. The city will also get a share of the profits, which could net another $5 million.

Good works are their own reward,

but a little public recognition never hurts either. Congratulations and a tip of the hat to Doug Nicholson, owner of Ivanhoe Pub and Eatery, who was named Racine's Young Professional of the Year. Nicholson rehabbed a former rooming house into his pub and restaurant on Main Street and volunteered his time to chair the lively "Party on the Pavement" celebration Downtown for the past two years.

"To us, it is a no-brainer.

It costs less, it covers more and seniors are happier." Those were the words of Wisconsin Sen. Herb Kohl this week as he - and the rest of the state's congressional delegation � pressed the Bush administration to let Wisconsin keep its popular, simpler, (AND CHEAPER) SeniorCare program which provides about 105,000 state seniors with prescription drug. From the sounds of it, they face an uphill battle getting the Bush administration to go along with a Wisconsin waiver - the administration wants to push all states into the Medicare Part D plan, no exceptions or substitutions allowed. And you wonder why the federal deficit is rising? Send a postcard to the decider.

The "Best Rebounder Award"

for March goes to - no not that Ohio State basketball player or the one from Florida, either - but to the area Boy Scouts and their "Scouting for Food Drive." This year's annual "Thoughts for Food" food and fundraiser to benefit the Racine County Food Bank was off a bit this year, but the Boy Scouts followed up to the basket with their door-to-door collection last weekend and hauled down 19,060 pounds of food - a whopping 75 percent increase over last year. The Scouts earn a thumbs up, as do all the area residents who pitched in and filled those plastic bags with foodstuffs.

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