Local News
""This is the county in which the crime took place, the county in which the victim resides," Nielsen said. "There are thousands of people in Iron County. Exposure of this case has not been excessive or prejudicial," Nielsen said."
"Defense attorney David Malban of Duluth, Minn., said he spoke with Lipske last week about possibly adding a misdemeanor count to the current homicide charge. "I am not necessarily opposed to that because I certainly do not think the felony intentional homicide is at all appropriate and I am sure my client is not guilty of the felony," Malban said Tuesday."
"The Interior Department announced it would remove about 4,000 wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin from the endangered and threatened species list in about a month. Then the federal government turns over the responsibility for keeping wolf numbers at healthy levels to state and tribal governments."
"In his "state of the state" address, Doyle called the bill "a model for what can happen when people in both parties set aside differences, compromise when they have to, and do what's right." The bill puts oversight of the state's ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws into the hands of one agency, which reformers have been clamoring for because ethics and campaign finance violations often overlap."
Doyle
offers agenda for health care, UW System"In his first annual address since winning re-election in November, the Democratic governor outlined a wish list that included an overhaul and expansion of the state's health-care programs for the poor, a large increase in spending on public universities and a broad effort to stamp out cigarette smoking in Wisconsin."
'Thank
you, Sen. Feingold!'"On Democratic Underground, a 100,000-member-strong Web site, members posted alerts about the meeting's progress, and the widely read liberal blog Daily Kos ran the story on its front page, sparking hundreds of comments from its readers, many of whom lauded what they regard as the Wisconsin Democrat's courage and conviction."
Ethics
reform policy passes"The bill combines the state Ethics and Elections Boards into a Government Accountability Board with unlimited resources to investigate ethics, lobbying and campaign-finance violations. The nonpartisan board would be composed of six former judges."
"U.S. Bank of Wausau has donated $20,000 to The Neighbors’ Place, 745 Scott St., to help fund a joint program that provides Hispanic residents with English-language classes and job training to help them learn computer and math skills and financial literacy."
"Energy Services Inc., which administers the state energy assistance program, reports a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in clients this heating season, many of whom had never applied for assistance in the past... Bruer said utility costs are up 107 percent in the last three years for Energy Services clients."
"Consolidation — a process in which the two school districts would become one, requiring specific legal steps — is not being considered for next school year, said Glidden's District Administrator Mark Luoma Monday. Rather, the cooperative scenarios under consideration offer steps toward possible consolidation in the 2008-09 school year."
Sen
R. Feingold"Feingold’s legislation allows for specific operations to continue in Iraq beyond six months, including counter-terrorism efforts, protection of U.S. personnel and infrastructure, and training of Iraqi security forces. The six-month timeframe provides the President with adequate time to safely redeploy the troops from Iraq."
“The Administration and Congress have a responsibility to address the recent startling increase in violent crime, and we must work together in order to fight it,” Feingold said. “I was disappointed that in his recent State of the Union address the president failed to discuss this important issue.”
Sen
H. Kohl"Last year got off to a rocky start as many low-income seniors were denied the drugs they needed at the pharmacy," Kohl said. "While some of those problems were resolved, serious issues remain that are preventing low-income seniors from getting the low-income subsidy."
"Congressman Dave Obey, along with Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold say the changes proposed by the National Milk Producers' Federation would significantly alter classified pricing formulas by increasing prices paid to dairy farmers who produce milk for the fluid milk market, while undercutting those who's milk goes to make cheese."
Rep
D. Obey"Obey declined Tuesday to discuss the earmarks issue but was eager to rebut suggestions by Republicans that there won’t be an opportunity for open debate. He added that Republicans “may not like the choices we made, but at least we made them, which is more than they can say. And we have finished more work on appropriations bills in one month than they did in nine last year.”"
"“Within the constraints of what the House and Senate leadership and the appropriators were facing, what they were able to do is heroic,” said Pat White, director of federal relations at the Association of American Universities. “With so many other competing priorities, for them to take the longer view and make investments in research and education is, to me, really inspiring.”"
"The legislation does fulfill the new majority party’s pledge to enact a yearlong moratorium on thousands of special projects — commonly referred to as earmarks — requested by individual lawmakers."
Gov.
Doyle“The November election was a decisive victory for stem cell champions and a clear signal that government dictate where science should take us. The President has proven to be out of touch on this issue and Democrats have a responsibility to lead and a mandate for action.”
Workers
of America
"It’s time for that to change—and you can play a part. The Communications Workers of America union has launched a campaign to advocate for high-speed networks. Testing your own speed, even if you are currently using a dial-up connection, will help make the new Speed Matters project a success."
"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commission announced Monday that it was removing the gray wolf from the federal list of threatened and endangered species for the western Great Lakes region, including Wisconsin."
"Manuelidis, whose work appears today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said the same slow-acting viruses most likely also cause chronic wasting disease, the fatal brain disease that has infected the wild deer herd in Wisconsin and other states."
"Public health officials have been fighting the threat of lead poisoning for years, but the hazard is still present in as many as 466,000 homes across Wisconsin, according to state figures."
Squeezing
Schools Day 3: For schools, an increased sense of urgency"With measures of idealism, angst, politics and analysis, Wisconsin is moving into the most intense examination in more than a decade of how it pays for its $10 billion system of public schools.
There's fresh impetus for change, as increasing numbers of the state's 425 school districts report deepening financial problems ..."
"Wisconsin wildlife officials praised the decision and said the move will allow them to manage the state's wolves on their own and better control problem animals in the state's growing population, now pegged at more than 500 after a 30-year recovery effort."
"I think it's good news for the Wisconsin DNR, for the state of Wisconsin and for Wisconsin residents, that the wolf population has recovered to the point that they no longer need to be listed as endangered," he said. "We can now start applying a more flexible management system to deal with problem wolves, and that should improve public acceptance of wolves."
"It shows the character of the kids after a tough week," said Hurley coach Gary Giancola. "We took South Shore and Butternut to the wire, and the kids responded against Mercer. It was a great game. There was a playoff atmosphere, and it was really good for us to get over the hump."
Sen
R. Feingold"These are direct quotes from the Constitution of the United States. Yet to hear some in the Administration talk, it is as if these provisions were written in invisible ink. They were not. These powers are a clear and direct statement from the founders of our republic that Congress has authority to declare, to define, and ultimately, to end a war."
“The American people do not want to see a return to the pre-Watergate days of unlimited spending on presidential elections and candidates entirely beholden to private donors. We must act now to ensure the fairness of our elections and the confidence of our citizens in the process by repairing the cornerstone of the Watergate reforms.”
"The HOME program provides formula grants to state and local jurisdictions to produce, rehabilitate, and preserve affordable housing for low income families, and this bill would target the additional funding to families most in need."
Sen
H. Kohl"Issues to be examined will be merger enforcement, the government's pursuit of civil non-merger cases, such as monopolization and unilateral anti-competitive practices, and criminal antitrust enforcement. The Justice Department's implementation of the 2004 Tunney Act amendments designed to ensure meaningful judicial review of antitrust settlements will also be scrutinized."
Rep
D. Obey" House Republicans slammed plans to advance the $463.5 billion measure without giving Republicans or rank-and-file Democrats a chance to offer changes in an Appropriations Committee session or on the House floor. But Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin had little sympathy, saying Republicans wouldn't make tough budget choices before the election or during the lame-duck session that came after it."
Gov.
Doyle“Middle class and hardworking families of this state have issued a mandate, not for any party, but for action. I will ask Democrats and Republicans to pledge to work together to seize the opportunities before us.”
"Steve Schurtter of Montreal, Wis., called the Daily Globe to say albino squirrels are not rare in "The City Beautiful." "We've got so many of them," Schurtter said Thursday. He thinks some are denned up in his side yard. There is one fewer albino squirrel in Montreal than last winter, Schurtter said, because one was too slow crossing Wisconsin 77."
"A recent study that compared the economic conditions of states showed that from 2000 to 2005, Wisconsin lost almost 5% of its cropland. Only seven other places - California, Georgia, Vermont, Nevada, Massachusetts, Hawaii and Delaware, none in the Midwest - lost a greater percentage of cropland in that period,"
"... the state must consider tightening income criteria in ways that would knock some poor families off the program. The cuts could also raise parents' co-payments, cut rates paid to providers and start a waiting list for parents needing child care, she said."
Squeezing Schools Part 2: UW-Madison professor has a vision for school
funding"Odden is lead author of a new state report pushing a radical idea: Wisconsin schools should get enough money to adequately educate all children, including those with special needs, to actually meet the state's own education standards. In the process, he said, the state could significantly increase the numbers of students attaining proficient and advanced ratings on standardized tests."
"Air America Radio, a liberal talk radio network, said Monday that it had reached a tentative agreement to be sold to the founder of a New York area real estate company. The network also said that Al Franken, its longtime headline personality, would depart next month."
"We have removed the non-severability clause to allow this important legislation a chance to succeed," Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said in a statement this morning. "I sincerely hope the opponents do not view its removal as an invitation to dismantle these historic reforms."
Feingold to chair hearing on ending Iraq war"Law school professors from Harvard, Duke University and the University of Virginia, along with a historian from the Library of Congress, will testify beginning at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time. Historical precedents include a 1973 spending bill that cut off funding for combat operations in Vietnam as of August of that year and more recent actions in the 1990s to limit military operations in Somalia and Bosnia."
"In September, the department [the tribe's Recycling/Solid Waste Department] received a 2006 Honoring Nations Award from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government for providing services far beyond curbside recycling, including burn barrel education programs, hazardous waste collection and annual spring cleanup."
Sen
R. Feingold"With Democrats now in control, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) made it clear the issue will be a priority for him. ''Many law-abiding African Americans, Arab Americans, Latino Americans and others live with the fear of being racially profiled as they go about their everyday lives,'' Feingold said. "
Gov.
Doyle“With new technology, and a commitment to renewable fuels, Wisconsin can lead the way – reducing global warming and helping this nation kick its addiction to foreign oil.”
“Right now, Wisconsin has a cabinet level department devoted to prisoners, but not one devoted exclusively to children and their families. By streamlining these services, we will ensure that children are getting the support they need and enable families to easily navigate the services that are available.”
"Air America CEO Scott Elberg confirmed the sale. "This is a great thing, for our affiliates, the company, the audience and every employee in our organization." .... When Franken leaves the network in a few weeks, he'll be replaced by Thom Hartmann, who already has a syndicated show on the network's lineup."
"A Canadian Commission on the extraordinary rendition case of Maher Arar has recommended that the RCMP withold information from countries with "questionable human rights records" -- with, appears to me, to be a direct slap across the face with regards to current American foreign policy."
Doyle
seeks more biofuels, less emissions"Building on energy policies enacted in his first term, Gov. Jim Doyle will push the state to invest more in wind power, ethanol and other sources of renewable energy and explore ways to reduce Wisconsin's global warming emissions."
"Protesters held signs with the names of the nearly 70 Wisconsin service members killed in Iraq since the war began. The crowd filed into the Capitol and gathered around a plaque where volunteers read the names of service members killed in the war and recited a dedication to each one."
"If Wilcox is replaced by Ziegler - a self-declared conservative - the court's balance would be roughly the same. But election of Clifford, a political liberal, or Sommers, who describes his approach in populist terms, could change the tenor of the court, where justices serve 10-year terms and are rarely defeated for re-election."
Financial
crunch takes its toll; lauded program loses ground"The number of schools in the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program has fallen 17 percent in six years, and many of the 480 remaining SAGE schools are struggling to retain the program because state payments have failed to keep pace with rising costs, a Wisconsin State Journal review shows."
"Wannabe office holders singled out the four, all of whom happen to be Republican, in making their introductions Friday night at a campaign training workshop hosted by Wellstone Action! and the Progressive Majority, which helps elect left-of-center candidates to office."
Wal-Mart
given fourth extension - Spooner Advocate"Wal-Mart’s legal counsel and a senior manager said the reason why the corporation could not complete the land sale agreement now is outstanding issues concerning traffic designs and pending lawsuits. Wal-Mart’s counsel said the lawsuit against Spooner Board of Approval (BOA) that granted the development an access variance less than than the 1,500 feet from an intersection, as prescribed by the city’s ordinance, could, drastically affect the development if the court finds in favor of those suing the BOA"
"But opponents of the FCC's action say the new rules amount to a "federalization" of the cable franchising process. They contend the change will mean a loss of local oversight, fewer dollars for public and government access channels and the possibility of "cherry picking" by companies that choose to serve only the richest neighborhoods."
"One proposed corridor is simply being identified as the Iron County Loop. If approved in its present study form, it would run about 18 miles across mainly state-owned lands, connecting on both ends with existing Iron County trails."
"The sheriff's department is proposing its road patrol go to a combination of shifts, 10-hour days during the week, with 12-hour shifts on weekends... Those on road patrol want shifts similar to the dispatchers, said county clerk Mike Saari."
"Classes are competing to raise the money for their choice of charity ... The winner will donate all money raised by all classes to their choice of charity."
"St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hurley, will hold their service at 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. The usual 10:45 a.m. service will return the following Sunday, Feb. 4. For information call 561-3242."
Wal-Mart,
Ironwood closing in on deal for city services "Negotiations between City of Ironwood officials and Wal-Mart are centering on sanitary sewer connections and fire protection. Although the 165,000-square-foot Super Center will be built in Ironwood Township, the city is also involved in the project."
"The mute swan, a non-native bird, has made southeastern Wisconsin home for the past 50 years. Some experts say the mute swans are aggressive birds that over the years have driven out other native species, such as the trumpeter swan, and are considered by some to be harmful to the environment."
"When the survey was last completed in 1994, snowshoeing wasn't even a blip on the winter sports radar. Now, thanks to improved technology and more availability of both gear and trails, 8 percent of Wisconsin residents say they are snowshoers."
Wineke:
Stand up and be counted on Iraq"I'm not at all sure where Hillary Rodham Clinton stands, or where Harry Reid stands or where our other Wisconsin senator, Herb Kohl, stands. Kohl is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. I know they don't like the war but I don't know if they are actually willing to stand up to the president and say "yes" or "no.""
"Hybrid car sales have climbed steadily, in Madison and across the country, as customers embrace the high-mileage, low-emissions concept of cars powered by gasoline and electricity. Attracted in part by a federal tax credit that once topped $3,000, Americans bought a quarter-million hybrids last year, an increase of about 23 percent over 2005."
"Under a contract filed with the state, the telemarketing service gets 80 percent of the money it raises. Dane County Deputy Sheriff's Association President Jim Brigham said Encore earns the Cops for Kids program about $35,000 a year, which means the company pulls in about $140,000."
"Supporters of a mandate say it makes sense to provide the vaccine as a way to fight a cancer that kills 3,700 American women every year. But opponents say states should not push a vaccine on the assumption that young girls are or about to be sexually active."
"Hot-button social issues such as legalizing concealed weapons and reinstating the death penalty are not on state Assembly Republicans' agenda for the next two years. Instead, party leaders said Thursday they want to focus on issues they say are important to Wisconsin families -- cutting taxes, making health care more affordable and improving the economy."
Sen
R. Feingold"Feingold, a fierce war critic, will force Democrats to consider an option many consider politically suicidal: cutting off funds for the military campaign in Iraq. Democratic leaders have privately called on members to restrain from seeking any funding restrictions and focus instead on congressional resolutions condemning the Bush policy. The resolutions are nonbinding and therefore symbolic."
"This is not a time for legislative nuancing. This is not a time for trying to forge a compromise that everybody can be a part of. This is a time to stop the needless deaths of American troops in Iraq. "We have a moral responsibility, as well as a responsibility to the lives of the American people, to start doing it now."
Sen
H. Kohl"Irrespective of whether the offer by US Airways results in a proposed merger that is formally reviewed by the department, we do feel it appropriate to underscore our firm expectation that the department will investigate this or any other merger among airlines of all sizes with all due care and vigor,"
"A practice that has long aggravated many senior citizens, struggling to pay for the prescription drugs they need, may soon come to an end. A bill to "explicitly" prohibit brand-name drug manufacturers from using pay-off agreements to keep less expensive generic equivalents off the market was announced in the senate by the new chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, Herb Kohl (D-WI)."
Rep
D. Obey"I totally agree with that," said Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau. "Our problem is that the president keeps talking about the need to work with the government of (President Nouri) al-Malaki, in fact, Malaki has no intention of running an evenhanded government."
"Deciding which programs get exempted from the money freeze has prompted several weeks of arduous negotiations led by Obey, D-Wisconsin, and his Senate counterpart, Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Virginia. They announced last month that they will abide by a GOP-set funding cap for all agency budgets passed at lawmakers' discretion, and they promised to keep the bill clean of congressional pet projects."
"But its readership dwindled as rival newspapers appeared, confining PoIT primarily to the publication of announcements from publicly listed companies, and financial and legal institutions by the 1900s. While the paper has not covered news stories for more than 100 years, the World Association of Newspapers recognises PoIT as the world's oldest still in publication."
"Sharpshooters are killing white-tailed deer in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest after the discovery of as many as nine cases of chronic wasting disease on Waukesha County's border. It's the first time professional shooters are being used in the forest to stop the spread of the fatal brain disease to healthy herds that roam within 30 miles of Milwaukee County."
"The central issue in the case was whether the software bought by Menasha Corp. was "off the shelf," which is subject to the sales tax, or "modified" or customized, which is not taxable. Other Wisconsin businesses have eagerly watched the case unfold for three years. Many have filed their own refund claims, ..."
"A proposal by Gov. Jim Doyle to spend $30 million to help fund electronic medical records systems is just a "drop in the bucket" of what it would take to enable all of the state's health-care providers to access patients' histories at the push of a button, medical experts said."
"Veterans who receive care through the Department of Veterans Affairs are invited to submit their artwork for the first phase of the National Veterans Creative Arts competition. "
"According to H Window spokesman Knute Pedersen, the purchase of the building from absentee owner Frank Berzon of Florida, will enable H Window to hire up to nine new additional workers for the new product line. "Our hope would be to be able to replace all the jobs that left there," he said."
Sen
R. Feingold"Under current law, volunteers who use their cars for charitable purposes may be reimbursed up to 14 cents per mile for their donated services without triggering a tax consequence for either the organization or the volunteers. The legislation would raise the level of allowable mileage reimbursement for volunteers to 40.5 cents per mile, making it equal to the reimbursement rate of businesses, and simplify the tax code both for non-profit groups and the volunteers themselves."
A cedar log destined to become part of a stairway gets its first cut at Nikula's Cedar Mill, formerly Randall's Cedar Mill about 1.5 miles north of Ironwood.
"The lack of snow throughout Wisconsin this winter has resulted in a sharp decline in the number of fatal snowmobile accidents. A check with the Department of Natural Resources showed three fatal accidents recorded through Tuesday, compared to eight a year ago."
"A student and teacher at Mercer K-12 School won top awards from VFW District 10, which includes 26 high schools across northern Wisconsin. Senior Amanda Thomson and teacher Kay Krans were honored at a surprise assembly Wednesday morning at the school."
"An assisted-living facility with a view of Lake Gogebic would bring 15 to 20 jobs, 45 residents and a place to go for those with higher incomes."
"In most cases, the department will use the new account numbers in correspondence with taxpayers, Deputy Revenue Secretary Laura Engan said. Taxpayers will still have to write their Social Security numbers on tax forms, and in limited cases the department will have to use Social Security numbers in correspondence, Engan said."
"Doyle said the $30 million would be a mix from general budget funds and the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, which gets its money from fees collected from doctors and health care providers and pays malpractice awards. "I hope and I think everybody would agree this is an appropriate use of a very small portion of that fund to improve medical quality," Doyle said."
"The powerful Tavern League of Wisconsin, the lobbying arm for the state's taverns, wants an exemption for small mom and pop establishments. The league's lobbyist, Scott Stenger, did not define what size tavern would fit that description. He also questioned whether people would follow it. "When you go to a small tavern in northern Wisconsin, if they're smoking there, people wouldn't be shocked," Stenger said. "I just don't think you're going to have a law that's adhered to."
"Fear of the aggressive, wood-eating emerald ash borer has led university officials to order the gradual removal of most ash trees, which are known for their straight trunk, diamond-shaped bark, compound leaves and oblong crown. The plan is an attempt to stay ahead of the beetle, which has invaded several states but has not yet been found in Wisconsin."
"Gov. Jim Doyle's proposal to ban smoking in all public places, including bars, is likely to reignite a longstanding feud between local tavern owners and casinos owned by American Indian tribes. The casinos would be exempt from the proposed ban because they are located on tribal lands not subject to state or local laws."
“Even though the Hmong have been in Wisconsin for the last 30 years, there are still people who have not had much exposure to the Hmong people and don’t know much about the history, culture or reasons why we came to live in Wisconsin,” he said. “This will definitely be helpful to all people.”
"Three men are in custody following a law enforcement search of a residence about five miles east of Hayward Tuesday... Executing the search were officers of the Sawyer and Washburn Sheriff's Departments and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation's Narcotics Bureau.
Sen
R. Feingold“This hearing will help inform my colleagues and the public about Congress’s power to end a war and how that power has been used in the past. I will soon be introducing legislation to use the power of the purse to end what is clearly one of the greatest mistakes in the history of our nation’s foreign policy.”
Gov.
Doyle“Care providers still often rely on paper charts written by hand to record the treatment of patients,” Governor Doyle said. “With better use of information technology, we can transform our health care system to improve the safety and quality of health care.”
"The segment in question–”Battle for Haifa Street”–is a piece of first-rate journalism but one that only appears on the CBS News website–and has never been broadcast. It is a gritty, realistic look at life on the very mean streets of Baghdad, and includes interviews with civilians who complain that the US military presence is only making their lives worse and the situation more deadly."
"A virtual school with tough penalties for truancy and small rural schools that offer Internet foreign language classes provide a glimpse of the possibilities for cyber-education."
"Lowering the water in the reservoir may lead to unstable ice conditions," said Pat Fulsher, of UPPCO. "We urge the public to exercise caution if they're using the area around Bond flowage for recreational activities."
Doyle
to ask for bans on smoking"Gov. Jim Doyle will announce today his support for an increase in the cigarette tax of more than $1 a pack and call for legislation banning smoking statewide in workplaces and public places, including taverns and restaurants."
Doyle
seeks deal on ethics bill"Legislative leaders "have just got to figure out a way to get it together," Doyle said. "You know, 98 percent of this bill, if not more, everybody agrees with.""
Doyle
to seek $1.25 increase to cigarette tax"The measures will include a $1.25 per pack increase in the state cigarette tax, a statewide ban on smoking in public places such as bars and restaurants, and a significant increase in state money going to efforts to help smokers quit the habit, the source said."
"But telemarketers who phone people signed up for the state's no-call list were still the biggest source of gripes received by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection last year."
"Under the current agreement, Wisconsin residents now pay less tuition at public Minnesota colleges than Minnesota residents — a situation some Minnesota higher education officials want changed."
"Personal hygiene also consumes a lot of attention, with 19 percent of us fixing our hair, 12 percent putting on makeup and 2 percent shaving while at the wheel. We trust they all want to be well-groomed corpses when they run red lights and cross in front of buses."
"It was a solitary existence for the patient sentinels, alone with their thoughts and a hand-cranked telephone, or later a radio at hand, ready to report a blaze. But their presence was crucial; being able to spot a fire at its earliest stages could mean the difference between an easily controlled spot fire and an all-consuming conflagration."
Sen
R. Feingold“With the President continuing to defend a failed strategy for Iraq, Congress must use its power of the purse to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq so that we can refocus on the global terrorist threats that are not being adequately addressed right now."
"Senators Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin have proposed a Balanced Trade Restoration Act that would dramatically restrict the amount of foreign goods being bought by issuing a limited number of import certificates. They claim it would end the current $800 billion trade deficit in five years flat."
Sen
H. Kohl"Year after year, we see a concerted effort by this Administration to end the COPS program and gut funding for juvenile justice and prevention programs. Virtually everyone in the law enforcement community will agree that this has been a major contributing factor to the rise in violent crime. We are not giving our states and localities the help they need,"
Rep
D. Obey"Bush also needs to get tougher with the Iraqi government, according to Laird. "I totally agree with that," said Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, referring to Laird's suggestion. "Our problem is that the president keeps talking about the need to work with the government of (prime minister Nouri) al-Maliki, in fact, al-Maliki has no intention of running an evenhanded government." "
"The Wisconsin Democrat was sitting in the House chamber on the night of Jan. 30, 1974, when President Richard Nixon, besieged by the Watergate investigation, walked in to deliver what would turn out to be his final State of the Union speech. Some Democrats refuse to stand What I remember is that when Nixon walked in, about half the Democrats refused to stand,” Obey told me in an interview just off the House floor, a few yards from where Nixon spoke. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is going to look terrible on television.’ Then I discovered the House members weren’t shown on television” and the TV network anchormen didn’t comment on the Democrats’ snub of the president."
Gov.
Doyle“Despite our progress over the last few years, too many of our kids are still lighting up, too many lives are being cut short, and the cost of treating tobacco related illnesses in Wisconsin alone has swelled into the billions. Today we are launching a statewide initiative that employs proven strategies to reduce smoking and save lives.”
"An early morning fire Saturday destroyed the contents of the Paw Shop, a resale and craft store operated by students at Mercer School."
"Bus service from Ironwood throughout the Upper Peninsula will change hands from Greyhound to Indian Trails in February, but no bus line has picked up service for northern Wisconsin."
"The ethics-reform package moving through the Legislature cleared its first hurdle Monday with approval from an Assembly committee, but the inclusion of controversial elements in the bill puts the package's future in question."
"The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which holds three patents covering virtually all embryonic stem-cell research in the country, announced two policy changes and a "clarification." WARF is trying to make it easier for university scientists to conduct stem-cell research, spokesman Andy Cohn said."
"The "U.S.A." some of the students were chanting stands for a three-word insult, an unsporting acronym the first letter of which stands for "You.""
"It's important because it's a recognition that the current system is not working," Madison School District lobbyist Joe Quick said after the final meeting of the panel, which endorsed four proposals intended to improve the state's system of paying for public schools."
"Park your car in a structure at the transfer point. Grab a cup of coffee from the shop in the complex. Jump on the bus and check your e-mail on your laptop as you make the commute to work, maybe even getting paid a portion of your hourly rate for the ride because you are working."
"Across the country, ethanol plants powered by methane instead of costly natural gas or coal are on the drawing board -- a movement that could be a win-win situation for the environment and the industry. "We'll produce ethanol much more efficiently and do it in an environmentally friendly way," said Dennis Langley, CEO of Kansas-based E3 BioFuels."
"Around 11:45 a.m., district employees discovered a bomb threat note, and the building was evacuated, Mayor Larry MacDonald said. By 12:20 p.m., members of the Bayfield Police Department, Fire Department and EMS had responded to the scene, as well as representatives from the Red Cliff Police Department, Bayfield County Sheriff's Department and Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. A two-hour search of the building revealed no danger, MacDonald said, and the building reopened at about 2:10 p.m."
"After a verbal tilt with the Department of Natural Resources over the use of all-terrain vehicles on town roads for this past weekend's Kitty Kat races, town chairman Joe Handrick said he will ask the Minocqua board of supervisors to consider a special event ATV ordinance."
SenFeingold
We should not be reducing our forces in Afghanistan. Instead, we should be strengthening our efforts to defeat a resurgent Taliban – the same movement that harbored and supported the terrorist elements that attacked our country on 9/11.”
Rep
D. Obey"Last November, the American people made clear their desire for a new direction for the country. They voted for the restoration of checks and balances, greater integrity in Washington, a Congress that addresses the concerns of working families – like healthcare and education – and an economy that works for all Americans, not just the privileged few."
“The law that created the Medicare Rx drug program includes a provision, sought by the big drug companies, that prohibits Medicare from negotiating with drug companies for lower drug prices,” said Obey. “The bill we passed today would repeal that gift to the big drug companies and allow Medicare to conduct cost-saving negotiations.”
“Make no mistake. Our troops won the war. And Congress is never going to shortchange them in terms of funding or support. But the Administration’s misguided policies have lost the peace. "
Gov.
Doyle"The Community Education office of the Hurley K-12 School has scheduled eve ment classes for all area adults, regardless of residency."
"St. Isaac Jogues Church, 2611 W. Garnet St., Mercer, will host its annual pizza and bingo party on Saturday, Feb. 3, in the church parish hall at 5 p.m."
Thompson
likes his prospects"During an interview in which he described his team, strategy and stand on issues, the former Wisconsin governor and Bush cabinet secretary was, by and large, enthusiastic about his progress in the month since he formed a presidential exploratory committee."
"The state Department of Transportation is asking the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to make the DOT the "exclusive designee" to use the 511 dialing code to provide travel-related information statewide. All or parts of at least 25 states, including Minnesota and Iowa, already offer the service, since the 511 number was authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in 2000..."
"The DOT monitors frost depths under the state highways using 33 frost tubes scattered around the state and temperature probes at 58 weather stations. When the frost depth is projected to be in the 16- to 18-inch range within the next week, roads are regarded as frozen..."
"The non-partisan League of Women Voters of Wisconsin announced this morning it was withdrawing its support and Common Cause in Wisconsin urged that the measure be taken off the "fast track and repaired." "It has become clear that the bill has serious flaws which make it unacceptable despite multiple redrafts,""
"Critics contend that the limits have been particularly punitive for districts that are either losing students or whose property tax base is losing value. Supporters respond that the limits help control property tax increases and rein in state educational costs. The state spends about $5 billion annually on general aids to local school districts statewide."
"The cities of Ashland, Washburn and Bayfield, along with the Village of Butternut and Town of Drummond, were awarded matching grants for tree management plans, educational awareness and other initiatives related to trees within their respective municipalities.
Sen
H. Kohl
"Senator Kohl (D-Mke) says the Bush Administration has slashed federal funding for crime prevention and law enforcement programs and shifted those resources to fight terrorism."
Rep
D. Obey”I totally agree with that,” said Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, referring to Laird’s suggestion that Bush get tougher with the Iraqi government. “Our problem is that the president keeps talking about the need to work with the government of (President Nouri) al-Malaki, in fact, Malaki has no intention of running an evenhanded government.”
Gov.
Doyle"Arlyn Ackley doesn't sport the type of resume typical of most successful politicians: a few drunken-driving arrests and two stints in prison - once for drugs and once for stealing more than $38,000 from his tribe, the Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Chippewa. Toss in being booted out as chairman back when the feds seized control of the tribe's casino in 1998, and you might think Ackley's career as a tribal pol would be kaput. Guess again."
"If you're a Wisconsin driver, outdoor enthusiast or voter, chances are state government has sold your name, address or other potentially sensitive personal information about you."
"According to a 2004 report by the National Center for Education Statistics, 28 percent of incoming freshmen nationwide enrolled in at least one remedial reading, writing or mathematics course at postsecondary institutions in 2000. At public two-year colleges, the figure jumps to 42 percent."
"Congress must bring an end to what has been one of the greatest foreign policy mistakes in the history of our nation," Feingold said in a statement shortly after the president's Jan. 10 address. "It is time to bring our troops out of Iraq and refocus on defeating the global terrorist networks that threaten this country."
Sen
R. Feingold"At the presidential level, the existing public financing program is woefully outdated and, unless fixed, will likely be bypassed by the major party candidates in 2008. Reps. Christopher Shays (Conn.) and Martin Meehan (Mass.) and Senator Russ Feingold (Wis.) have introduced the Presidential Funding Act of 2006, which would modernize the previously successful 30-year old program."
"What ought to infuriate the chatterers -- and the rest of us -- is the way that Rice evaded, obfuscated and acted mystified when Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., pressed her on whether we're more secure for having invaded Iraq:"
Sen
H. Kohl"The MILC program replaced a system of regional dairy cartels that penalized Wisconsin dairy farmers for being the best in the business. MILC is not a subsidy check that pads a farmer's income. MILC pays out only when prices drop precipitously low, it targets only small and mid- sized farms, and replaces only a percentage of the struggling farmers' lost income."
Rep
D. Obey"Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, voted yes on five of the measures because he took a sick day during the vote to reduce interest rates on student loans. However, he was a co-sponsor of the bill."
"The First Presbyterian Church in Hurley will hold its worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday. The annual congregational meeting and potluck dinner will follow the service. "
"Republicans, who control the Assembly, insisted that the clause must remain in the bill if they're to support it. "When bits and pieces get taken out, it guts the intent of the law," said Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem)."
"The state Natural Resources Board is holding a meeting Wednesday to decide whether the DNR will be permitted to continue eradicating mute swans in southeastern Wisconsin to make way for the native trumpeter swan."