I thought it might be interesting to write about the job of a county supervisor. In addition to two monthly Thursday evening meetings, I am the chair of the Public Protection and Judiciary Committee.

As a member of the Airport Commission, I also chair the Noise Abatement Committee. Recently we had a lively discussion about the possibility of the F-35 jets coming to Truax Field, which would add major economic development. There is concern about increased noise. Before the decision is made in Washington, there will be an environmental analysis that includes public hearings and data on noise impacts. Some information suggests the newer jets would be quieter.

The Black Tie Bingo event for the North/Eastside Senior Coalition was fun. My colleague at the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance, Charlie Daniel, won the last game, receiving a $100 prize, and I won a door prize. Our luck changed when Margo Dixon, owner of the UPS Store, took over calling numbers.

At the Hmong Gala Dinner, closing the achievement gap was a paramount topic of discussion. The Hmong high school graduation rate is just a tad under the district average and the attendance rate is actually higher than the district average. But, overall, only 42 percent of our students are meeting proficiency in reading and 46 percent in math. The amazing work of the Hmong Language and Culture Enrichment Program is actually using teaching about culture and history to close this gap. Keynote Speaker Dr. Xa Xiong artfully used the quote “giving opens the way for receiving” to tell his story.

I hope you will join us for the annual Dane County Alzheimer’s Walk at Warner Park Saturday, Sept. 23, at 9 am. As director of this fine organization, I can tell you that every dollar raised stays in Wisconsin. Visit www.alzwisc.org for details.