Bret Michaels once said that every rose has its thorn … and the Chippewa Valley is no exception to this cliché. There’s no denying that the lack of affordable housing has had a major impact on many locals and continues to be a hot topic amongst the community. Yes, we want to see that Housing Opportunities Commission that was just proposed. If more than 40% of Eau Claire County and 30% of Chippewa County households are struggling to afford basic needs (according to the United Way), it’s about time we step up and do something. Next, we need to acknowledge our struggle to adequately plow the side streets during the snowy months. We appreciate plow drivers and their absurdly long shifts, but we would also like to be able to get to where we need to be without intentionally blowing through stop signs out of fear of getting stuck if we slow down. And we aren’t exactly setting wealth records with the lack of high-paying jobs around here (see statistics above). Yes, we survive, but it sure would be nice to stop dippin’ into savings (for those lucky enough to have any). – Samantha Kobs