See a penny, pick it up… all day long, you’ll have good luck.
The old saw has never been more on point. If you pick up a penny, yes, you may have good luck, but that’s about all you’ll have. It seems pennies will soon no longer be a part of the retail experience. That shouldn’t be any big deal, since they’re almost worthless anyway.
And besides, with checkbooks and debit cards, cash… in any denomination, is no longer king.
Many stores have already stopped dealing in pennies. Kwik Trip and GFS, for example, are now rounding up or down to accommodate the new “no pennies please” practice. And though I thought the change was because pennies are just a hassle, it turns out a there’s a shortage of the little copper-toned coin.
Shortage? There’s no shortage. Sure, they stopped making them two days ago, and stores might not have many, but we still have plenty of pennies. They’re just not in circulation. They’re stashed away in old coffee cans and jam jars collecting dust in the basement.
A Pile of Pennies
It’s estimated there could be as many as 250 billion pennies out there. Most of them are squirreled away, to be used only in case of emergency. Fifty years ago, if you had enough of them, you could have turned them in to cover a bill or two as you approached the end of a lean month.
Today, not so much. Depending on the age of the pennies… since their weight changed over time, a pound of pennies would be worth about $1.75. So, if you’re still sitting on those 50 pounds you’ve been collecting since the last century, you’ve got $87.50! That probably won’t cover your heating bill, but you could score a couple bags of groceries.
What About Abe?
There are other factors to consider when ending production of our legal tender. It’s not just money. It’s an everlasting tribute to one of our nation’s leaders. The guy on the penny? That’s Abraham Lincoln! Granted, Lincoln will still grace our wallets on the $5 bill, but who knows how long that’ll be around? And the dollar bill? Soon enough, it won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on.
Here’s a thought. Rather than leave those pennies in the basement for the next homeowners to deal with, let’s have a Penny Drive and put them all together for some real coin! 250 billion pennies would boil down to 2.5 billion dollars. We could put that into the stock market and use the proceeds to start chipping away at our national debt.
If you have a better idea, a penny for your thoughts.
Leaf News
With a few inches of snow on the ground earlier this week, the city’s leaf pickup schedule was interrupted, causing the Department of Public Works to call an audible.
According to department director Scott Cambensy, they’ll pick up as much as they can today, then try to finish it up next week. “There isn’t a new schedule because the possibility of inclement weather, and a more limited set of resources, reduce the certainty. If residents choose to bag their leaves, we will continue to collect those as we are able to collect bags even if the weather turns (to an extent).”
UPDates
CAAM
The long-running saga of the employment status of Michelle Lajoie, Executive Director of Community Action Alger-Marquette (CAAM), seems to have come to a conclusion, of sorts.
Word on the Street has been following concerns about LaJoie’s leadership style since the last decade. Over that time, questions about her handling of administrative duties, as well as her professional relationships with associated agencies and peers, have been brought to the attention of the CAAM board. Comments at meetings, and letters… both signed and anonymous, as well as concerns from the county commission, finally prompted the board to determine a period of performance review would be in order.
Employment issues are sensitive subjects for all involved, so some specific details are often kept behind closed doors. But, what we do know is… LaJoie has retained her position, at least for now. Her contract was extended for a year.
According to Board Chairperson Karen Kovacs, “The entire board performed a review on the Executive Director. There were several sections/categories evaluated for a comprehensive review. The feedback was shared with the director. Performance will be monitored and discussed quarterly with the director and executive committee.”
So, in spite of what I thought was legitimate public protest, along with credible incriminating evidence, Michelle LaJoie has survived to work another day… or year. It’s entirely possible she convinced the board she’s been unfairly criticized. Or, she’s been fairly criticized and will make the changes necessary to keep her job. Either way… well played.
I would find no joy in seeing someone lose their job, but I’d find less joy in seeing such an important position be denied responsible leadership. We’ll be watching.
Lakeview Arena
Remember that meeting last April where the guys from Base Hospitality Group proposed they take over Lakeview Arena and run it as a nonprofit? What seemed like a great idea at the time, and still does, hasn’t seen much progress since it was first presented. At least, as far as I know.
Probably for good reason, Base seems to be keeping whatever plans they may have to themselves. The city, open to exploring the concept, hasn’t heard from them with any kind of second step. The hope here is that Base is working on the idea… you know, due diligence, and a more refined plan is forthcoming. I thought the nonprofit idea was an interesting idea, and certainly worth exploring.
If the city would decide to pass on a Base proposal, fine. But that means taxpayers will still be on the hook for an aging facility, with duct tape and glue holding it together. Apparently, the facilities two Zambonis are operating on a fingers-crossed basis, and in case you haven’t priced one lately, they ain’t cheap. A new electric model has been ordered, but won’t be here for another year yet.
The point is, it’s an expensive operation. But stop over there sometime and you’ll see how valuable it is to this community. We’re Hockeytown, remember?
So… Base Hospitality. The puck’s in your zone.