Washington County should offer up its highest vote of gratitude to Annette Ziegler for her distinguished career as a Wisconsin judge.
Ziegler announced last week she would not seek reelection in 2027, which will mark the end of a 30 year career on the bench, including four years as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Ziegler got her start in private practice and as an assistant district attorney before becoming a Washington County judge in 2004. She ran successfully unopposed for a ten-year term on the high court and did it again for a second ten-year term.
She was always conservative on the court. What you saw and heard from her is what you got. In other words, there was a consistency to her reasoning and decisions.
Her 30-years on the bench were without blemish. The charge that she had a conflict of interest because her husband was on the board of a local savings and loan was a fabricated stretch by her opponents. It was political boloney. Ziegler had a praiseworthy career in a field ripe with potential mistakes.
She and her husband JJ have been staunch citizens in Washington County, right in line with the civic and charitable leadership of the Ziegler family across three generations.
Best of times for Justice Ziegler as she moves to a new chapter in her life.
West Bend lost one of its smartest and nicest citizens with the passing of Marilyn Holmquist last week at 93. She and her late husband, Bill, were always at the forefront of civic activities in the community.
A West Bend High School valedictorian, Marilyn played it forward as one of the founders of the COLUMNS Scholarship Foundation – West Bend for local high school graduates. That foundation has grown to more than $4 million in assets and gives out more than 150 scholarships every year to diligent high school graduates.
Let’s hope that some of them grow up and contribute as nicely to our community as did Marilyn Holmquist.
There is one positive side to the recent rash of bad weather in our part of the state. The rain and snowstorm coupled with lower temperatures and wind, shut down a lot of travel and outdoor activities starting Friday, coming just at a time when the daffodils and crocuses were popping up as a precursor to happy spring weather.
Photo by Kine Torinus
The positive was the frozen droplets of rain that hung decorously from the branches on trees in our woodlands.
The artistry provided by the weather gods would be hard to match by a human artist. Enjoy it while waiting for the spring flowers.
Applaud also the perhaps too early arrival of our feathered friends who are returning from their winter get-aways. Robins are back and so are the magnificent sandhill cranes and the soaring turkey vultures.
Hang in there, Wisconsinites. Sunny times are just around the corner.
And, finally, here’s a big thank you to the snow plow warriors who kept us and our economy moving during the tough weather.
You guys rule.
