Tell Me Something Good

Like a light dusting of snow that dramatically shifts to a heavy blizzard, sometimes the commentary that erupts via our immediate, local news takes us by surprise.

Here in Shorewood, we have more local news than ever before. We have detailed, dedicated local coverage from a number of sources.

We have an engaged group of people in Shorewood who pay attention to it.

And, we have a very focused, robust group of people from here, there, and everywhere, who regularly comment on stories, whether under their real names or anonymously, using a pseudonym created just for Patch contributions.

There is a silver lining to the otherwise painful comments that can overshadow the stories about our community.

As Shorewood Patch reader Kris Cahill wisely told me, "The communication we are learning to have this way, helps us to learn to let go, forgive and weed out that which does not serve."

More news is good news

We are more informed than ever about our community. Shorewood Patch and ShorewoodNOW, specifically targeted to Shorewood news, offer a myriad of news stories available for public consumption. But, are these media covering the Shorewood we want to read about?

The Shorewood Patch has a good, hardworking, attends-every-meeting, (I am unbiased, though technically, he is my boss) editor.  In addition, there are two writers - a journalist and a columnist, who are both Shorewood High School graduates and dedicated to local issues.

I feel lucky to dedicate my writing and research to the Village of Shorewood.

Patch has access to the police blotter, School Board meetings, Village Board meetings, sports events, school events, business news and events and other local interest issues. It is owned by AOL, and is part of a national hyper-local news service. Locally, though, everyone knows Adam McCoy; his picture and email are up there at the top of the site, and he's usually at , or .

As far as comments go, readers set up an account with 'The Patch' and can comment, whether it be anonymously or under their real name. 

ShorewoodNow is a print and online publication. General stories about the North Shore come from one editor and a few writers who cover a considerable bit of geographic territory. It provides basic and special interest information for all Milwaukee North Shore suburbs. Obituaries, marriage and birth notices are available (some fee for service). NOW is owned by Journal Communication, and for most of the communities, is only available in paper version through an insert in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

NOW, along with its parent paper's online version JSOnline, has recently changed its commenting system, which seems set up to limit the amount of pseudonym or anonymous posting, and encourages users to link to their actual identities via Facebook, and add a photograph. 

“Please notify us if you see personal insults or other irresponsible comments. We reserve the right to eliminate any comments and block any commenter who is not civil and respectful of others," the website says.

Shorewood Ripples is the high school's newspaper. The publication used to have a print and online version but currently appears only available via print. High school students write it with the target audience of high school students. Traditionally, Ripples has been the paper of record in Shorewood, WI. 

Shorewood Today — This quarterly magazine features business advertisements, village news, school updates, deeper stories about Shorewood businesses and profiles, high quality paper and photographs. The Shorewood Village Marketing Group, in partnership with the Business Improvement District and others, manage it locally.

We have engaged community members who read and comment

Sometimes, the comments take on a life of their own. People have referred to the Patch, to me, as a blog. This has confused me, but my own husband explained it this way.

“The stories are the starter," he said. "The comments turn it into a blog, with a few regular commenters going back and forth on an issue like other blogs do.”

Some comments seem to arrive within seconds of the stories themselves. And we have non-community members who seem to enjoy, and comment anonymously and often on, Shorewood stories.

Very few stories that are online and allow comments go without comment.

The down side of engaged readers — commentary can be very disturbing, overshadowing in some cases the very stories themselves. Anonymity can help get good information, or it can encourage non-productive discussion.

One Shorewood resident who wished to remain anonymous said, “I think you can get a lot of insight when someone who can’t easily disclose his or her identity because of their position in this small village would like to inform the discussion.”

On the other hand, one village parent told me with a sheepish grin, “We will have people that will want to post anonymously, and that is OK. What seems unfortunate is how challenged some individuals are when they write. They just seem incapable of turning things into productive sentiments or ideas, instead of just being completely negative and intentionally riling things up.”

Some find it a problem that drives them away from such sources of information altogether.

“I’m just surprised that a few people spend way too much time commenting," said Shorewood native Jennifer Kringel. "The narcissism is disturbing."

So, with that said, should the Patch attempt to limit anonymous postings? Should it request that members reveal their whereabouts; and, finally, should the Patch edit the comment section when it is slanderous or not contributing to the community dialogue on issues?

Please take our poll below to let your voice be heard on these issues. Anonymously, of course.