Pledger Responds to Criticism

Mr. Pledger,

I read with interest your article on "Koshkonong Group Stays Focused" but you should have checked Mr. Duesterbeck's statement as factual ("Thanks to mostly private donations, our members have rip-rapped five miles of the shoreline to fight wave erosion").

If you would have checked with Brian Christianson, Chairman of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District you would have learned that the district sponsored 9 wetland restoration grants and that the Rock River Koshkonong Association sponsored one for a total of 10- $10,000 grants for rip-rapping wetland shorelines, which constitutes the majority of wetland rip-rap.

Jim Folk

Response from D.S. Pledger --

Had I known Brian Christianson (or the existance of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District organization) I certainly could have checked it out, but I was going on information which I had no reason to feel was suspect.

I assume that when I interview someone they are giving me the facts, unless they tell me something that sounds fishy or sets off an alarm in some way, in which case I'll look into it further.

Sorry, but "Thanks to mostly private donations, our members have rip-rapped (lined with stone) five miles of the lake's shoreline to fight wave erosion, but it's an ongoing project." didn't ring any of those bells...

Reply from Jim Folk --

Didn't ring any bells? The RKLD has been in the news of the Janesville Gazette since 1999.

Response from D.S. Pledger --

I don't subscribe to the Janesville Gazette