Local News (archives)
Encouraging
enrollment news at school"School principal Jeff Gulan said enrollment had increased 18 students, as of around noon Thursday. Projections had called for 25 fewer students for the school year that starts Tuesday. "Actually, there are 50 students enrolled who weren't here last year," Gulan said, but noted those figures could change next week."
State
awards emergency dredging funds for Madeline Island Ferry Line route"Falling water levels in Lake Superior have made passage to the island difficult, jeopardizing residents' reliable access to goods and services. This much needed funding will assist the community in assuring channels are passable throughout the year" said State Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar).
Burning
ban still in place for Upper Peninsula"The U.P. is still experiencing many wildfire outbreaks, and crews are continuing to work to contain the 18,200-acre wildfire north of the community of Newberry. Any outdoor flame is considered a hazard in the U.P."
Less
holiday traffic likely"AAA is predicting that fewer folks will load up their cars and head out on highways this Labor Day holiday, with 0.4% fewer travelers in the Great Lakes region, which includes Wisconsin, compared with a year ago."
[The Journal also has a map showing current road construction for those traveling this weekend. - Bob]
"The state shut down a $9.2 million bridge two years after it opened after inspectors found concerns with the strength of the concrete in one of the pilings, transportation authorities said Friday. The four-lane McCleary Bridge over the Wisconsin River and Lake Wausau connects Wausau with the Town of Rib Mountain, which has a major retail area."
Doyle
says property taxes will go up without a state budget"In an attempt to help advance sluggish budget negotiations, Gov. Jim Doyle on Friday warned that not passing a new spending plan will raise property taxes $150 on a median-valued home in Wisconsin."
Bill
would expose corporate tax scams"Efforts by state regulators to collect some $18 million in back taxes from Wal-Mart Corp. have prompted legislation to make major corporate tax audits public. Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said today he is introducing a bill to force disclosure of any audit showing a corporation owes more than $100,000 in unpaid taxes. Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, has also signed on as a sponsor."
Detours
being posted for closed McCleary Bridge"The bridge, which connects Wausau with Rib Mountain, was ordered closed after inspectors found “unsound materials” in some bridge pilings during an inspection."
Ethanol
byproduct offers cheap livestock feed"Converting corn into ethanol produces a byproduct called distillers grains, which can be used as high-protein livestock feed. Most are dried so they can be shipped across the country and overseas, but cattle ranchers within 50 miles or so from an ethanol plant can save money by buying wet distillers grains."
"The impact varies depending on usage, but a typical residential customer could expect to pay about $2.40 more per month, according to the company. However, the amount could be higher or lower, depending on any judgment from the PSC."
While
rains fall to the south, Northwoods remains parched"Low water has meant useless docks, broken boat props and ruined weekends for some lake dwellers. Damage to the Northwoods has been more troubling as trees suited to a colder, wetter climate begin to die and new seedlings fail to survive. Grass and forest fires are attacking parched wetlands, burning below the ground."
Sen
R. Feingold"Members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation sent a letter today to FEMA Administrator David Paulison in support of full public assistance to help Wisconsin communities devastated by severe flooding. Full public assistance will be used to rebuild public infrastructure such as dams, roads, and bridges that are vital to the recovery effort."
No
pay hike for social workers"The Iron County Board voted 8-5 to deny an arbitration award filed March 26 by the Iron County Public Employees Local 728-D, AFSCME, AFL-CIO with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission."
School
ready for start of new year"A new school year starts Tuesday in Mercer with two new administrators, a new guidance counselor, three new teachers and the usual fresh-start enthusiasm."
Trio
of teachers, guidance counselor join staff "Three new teachers and a guidance counselor bring an appreciation for the north woods and eagerness to work in a small school to the 2007-08 year at Mercer K-12 School."
Burning
ban lifted across Northwoods ""We got a break with the recent rain and hope that this cycle continues," he said. "If not, we will still need the public's help in being careful with burning materials.""
Medicaid
spending cut sought"It will be up to Health and Family Services Secretary Kevin Hayden to determine what a 20% cut could mean and who would be affected. Hayden must deliver a plan by Sept. 7, but Morgan would not say how soon he felt the state would need to make any cuts."
Pipelines
in Wisconsin draw oil and controversy"In June, a Dane County Circuit Court judge ruled against a challenge by several environmental groups that claimed the state Department of Natural Resources' evaluation of the pipeline was sloppy and hastily done. The River Alliance of Wisconsin, the Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters and Wisconsin Wetlands Association said the pipeline, which trenches through and under 242 rivers, 68 miles of wetlands and 2000 acres of upland forest should not have been approved without more careful review."
"State wildlife experts estimate up to 1.8 million whitetail deer will roam the fields and woods this fall - 100,000 more than a year ago. "We have been up in this neighborhood before, but not very often," said Keith Warnke, a deer expert for the Department of Natural Resources in Madison."
Doyle's
right about guns"Responding to Doyle's proposal, Fendry argued that the gun show issue was "rather moot" because 97 percent of show sellers are federally licensed and thus required to perform background checks on buyers. Fendry argued that, according to studies he respects, firearms purchased at gun shows make up only a "small fraction" of the weapons used by criminals."
"A heart attack while dragging a 150-pound animal up a hill and 300 yards back to the truck after sitting on the couch and feeding on chips and beer in front of the tube since the Packers' opening day -- that's defined as natural causes around here."
Bills
seek to change the way DNR secretary is appointed "Allowing the Natural Resources Board to appoint the DNR secretary has widespread support among environmental and conservation groups, at least some members of the board itself, and Gov. Jim Doyle, who campaigned for NRB authority over the appointment before his first term."
Sen
H. Kohl"Leavenworth said she has about $200,000 available now for emergency measures. Leavenworth said money secured for dam maintenance in the past by Senator Herb Kohl was put to good use to make sure the structures were in good condition when they were called on the control flooding."
Gov.
Doyle
EXECUTIVE
ORDER # 215 "The Governor has ordered that flags be lowered to half-staff beginning at sunrise on September 3, 2007 and ending at sunset that same day as a Mark of Respect for Captain Derek Dobogai of the United States Army Who Lost His Life During Operation Iraqi Freedom"
City
to begin mandated comprehensive plan process "Iron County and its towns adopted a comprehensive plan two years ago, but Hurley and Montreal weren't included. That means Hurley must develop its own plan after conducting at least nine meetings in cooperation with its engineering firm, MSA Professional Services, of Rhinelander."
Mellen,
Wis.: Ashland County cancels most burning permits "Ashland joins Iron, Bayfield and Douglas counties in having burning permits canceled because of high fire danger brought on by drought conditions. "We got some rain in the last system, but we are going to need much more to bring fire danger levels back down," said DNR Forester-Ranger Tom Piikkila."
"But firefighters have strengthened fire lines and reduced hot spots since then, especially along the western edge. A water-handling system has pumped 1.3 million gallons of water out of nearby creeks and swamps into the area."
Lake
level to keep falling"Water officials from Canada and the U.S. said Tuesday that Lake Superior will probably continue its downward spiral in coming weeks to record low levels for late summer and fall, and they can do little about it."
Co-ops
join in recovery efforts"So when hundreds of organic farmers in southwest Wisconsin and neighboring Minnesota lost much or all of their crops in flooding along the Kickapoo River and its tributaries this month, co-ops in the region didn't just turn to other suppliers to stock their shelves. They asked how they could help their existing partners recover."
Critics
of Wis. ethanol plant try to force a vote"Critics say the plant would pollute the air, increase traffic and destroy the scenery of nearby parks and a golf course. Others say the plan might cost the city its largest employer, Century Foods International, a nearby dairy processor that claims the plant's fumes would contaminate its food products."
"U.S. Forest Service officials are looking to Krysiak to help reduce that threat. His company makes organic granules that bond to soil at the molecular level, forming a "net" that keeps seared soil in place."
"That wind speed (65-75 mph) would be considered tropical storm strength," Breunling said. "Hurricane winds start at 74 miles per hour."
Sen
R. Feingold
Gonzales'
replacement climbed the ladder under Ashcroft - St. Louis
Post-Dispatch"He has worked for conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, yet also has won plaudits from liberal Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. At the Justice Department, Clement defended before the Supreme Court the landmark campaign finance law that Feingold co-authored."
Gov.
Doyle
MSNBC Duped By Blog Parody Site - The Moderate Voice
"But rather than admit “we put that on the site without really checking the
website source as a whole — sorry!” or “we made a mistake in not looking at
the post a bit more carefully but mistakes do happen!” MSNBC’s website
writer called it a “hoax” which implies Newsgroper set up to trick people."
Bausch
named new highway commissioner "A Wisconsin State Patrol supervisor for 11 years from Grant County, Bausch begins his position immediately, and will work under the outgoing highway commissioner until he steps down."
Students
stand to benefit from community partnerships "A task force that studied Safe Routes to School recently received a $19,435 federal grant. And the Mercer Lake Association has offered an opportunity for students to participate in a two-year lake study funded by a $268,000 grant."
Doyle
uses schools as lever"Aiming to turn up the heat on legislators, Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday that while negotiations move slowly on a long-overdue state budget, schools across Wisconsin are facing tremendous uncertainty because they don't know how much money they will have to spend in the school year that is getting under way."
GOP
plan to cut funds for family planning clinics"The clinics, which do not provide abortions, provide more than 31,000 patients with birth control, cervical and breast cancer screening and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, Taylor said."
"We know that locally grown food is better for our environment, better economics, better tasting, better for our health and better for our relationships," the Lynches write on their blog, www.vidalocal.blogspot.com, through which they share their story without pushy proselytizing."
"Attention, Wal-Mart shoppers: The emu in the parking lot is not for sale. Employees of a Wal-Mart Supercenter used shopping carts to corral a wayward emu outside the store Monday at about 6 a.m., West Bend police said."
Obey
visits Sand Island homestead "Obey, a longtime supporter of the park, joined State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, and several top Apostle Islands employees Friday in visiting the former home of Westhagen, a longtime bachelor dubbed the "Sand Island hermit.""
Sen
H. Kohl"I am pleased that there will be an opportunity for new leadership at the Justice Department. Attorney General Gonzales has lost the confidence of people all across America and needs to be replaced."
Rep
D. Obey"U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and Congressman Dave Obey introduced legislation last week to help protect farmers and consumers of ginseng by requiring that ginseng be labeled to identify where it was harvested."
Bayfield
County awarded $600000 to open state's newest community health center
- BusinessNorth.com“News of the opening of this center could not come at a more critical time,” said State Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar). “Residents of northwestern Wisconsin – particularly those who are Medicaid eligible – are finding it increasingly difficult to access primary health services. This center should make great progress towards alleviating that need.”
Gov.
Doyle“As someone who has dedicated their career to protecting our forests and waterways, I know Preston will serve the state well on the DNR board.”
Colors
are Changing EarlyAlthough the weather seems no where near cool enough and the southern parts of Wisconsin seem to be suffering from springtime thunderstorms and flooding (See a collage of West Chicago), the colors on the range are already changing.
Chamber to restore old
look to office"It includes new, full storefront windows; a new door with transom windows on top; brick siding on the main floor and brick-colored aluminum-clad siding on the upper floor; installation of three windows on the upper level; new paint for original trim along the roof line and base of the building, and a non-retractable awning with the chamber name."
Town
looks to future of downtown"The group, a subcommittee of the Mercer Chamber of Commerce, was charged with helping to create a new look for the downtown, concurrent with the sewer project and U.S. 51 reconstruction scheduled to begin in 2010."
Budgeting
in the dark"School districts, meanwhile, have already begun their budget years with a key part of the equation - state aid figures - missing. The level of concern about the state delay varies, depending on how much money is at stake and what programs are on the table."
Wetlands
are nature's own hazard insurance"Two weeks ago, the parched earth in Wisconsin was practically begging for rain. Yet after being saturated by heavy rains last weekend, our soil has been rejecting the millions and millions of new drops that have been falling all week, turning them instantly into overland runoff. And while Wisconsinites love water, we likely all agree that too much of it in the wrong place brings intolerable economic losses and health and safety concerns."
Obama's
bold VFW speech"Though he stated the obvious -- especially when he said, "One reason to stop fighting the wrong war is so that we can fight the right war against terrorism and extremism" -- Obama earned only tepid applause for his war stance. So be it. The ability to speak the truth to an unsympathetic audience should be the first characteristic we look for in a president."
"Crews continued to work in the Eagle River, Three Lakes and St. Germain areas at 4:30 p.m. to restore power to 100 customers still out. WPS expected the power to be restored by nightfall."
Sen
R. Feingold“Attorney General Gonzales’ tenure was marked by unprecedented politicization of the Department of Justice, deception of Congress and the American people, and disrespect for the rule of law. He should never have been confirmed and should have resigned long ago. The first loyalty of the next attorney general must be to the law, not the president.”
Sen
H. Kohl"Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.): “Mr. Attorney General, the detention center at Guantanamo Bay continues to harm our image around the world. There’s growing consensus on this. ... So where are you on this? Do you think that we should close Guantanamo?”"
Rep
D. Obey"He describes himself as "a shy boy from a troubled family of modest means." That shy child became a respected force within the House Democratic caucus and has been known to use colorful language. "
Gov.
Doyle“These storms and floods have destroyed property, but Wisconsin communities have pulled together, ensured the safety of one another, and started the difficult road ahead. The Presidential declaration will allow many of our families and businesses to access the assistance they need to recover."
Wal-Mart
owes back taxes, state says"To reduce its taxes and costs, it sets up one subsidiary to run its stores and another subsidiary to own its real estate. The operating subsidiary pays rent to the real estate subsidiary and takes a tax deduction for the rent, even though that money eventually ends up in the corporation's own pocket."
"The assistance could include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster."
"We think every choice that people make can make a positive difference, " said Josie Pradella, coordinator of the Dane Buy Local Initiative and director of Wisconsin Partners for SustainAbility. People are asking "what 's the best and safest product I can buy? "
Raising
Hell for Justice: Obey book describes past as 'shy boy'"I have done my best to meet my responsibilities in a manner consistent with my own values -- values rooted in the Catholic social gospel and Wisconsin's La Follette Progressive traditions. I have made mistakes along the way, more than even my most vociferous political opponents know, but I've done my best,"
Sen
R. Feingold“It is in the security interest of these African nations, the United States and the international community as a whole that democracies and good governance take root in this critical region of Africa,”
Rep
D. Obey“I started as a shy boy from a troubled family of modest means. Sometimes, in spite of myself, I was taught by people, first the nuns and then the public school teachers, who at critical times salvaged me, inspired me, and opened my mind to the possibilities of life,”
"In short, a strict reading of the law means the contribution limits apply only to primaries and caucuses held in 2008. If a state moves its primary or caucus to 2007, it could mean a whole new cycle."
Schools,
13 union members reach deal"The contract for American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees at the K-12 school calls for a 3.8 percent salary increase the first year and a 3 percent increase the second year, depending on insurance costs."
Festivale
Italiano back home again"The event is a good activity for the busy holiday weekend and is another way for Hurley to show off aesthetic improvements on Silver Street even if the street's surface still needs to be finished (scheduled for September)."
Iron
County jobless rate up in July"Iron County was the only area northern Wisconsin county to post a higher unemployment rate in July than June, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development."
"The low ceiling and cloud cover delayed the flight of the two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters, but they were able to provide air assistance with water drops over portions of the fire near the end of the day."
Coast
Guard fires lasers in weapons exercises"The Coast Guard eventually backed off the live-fire training plans after a hostile response from people worried about boater safety and the potential environmental impact of lead dropping into the lakes from guns that can fire up to 600 bullets a minute."
""It's probably going to be quite nasty with mosquitoes for the next three to four weeks," said University of Wisconsin-Madison entomologist Phil Pellitteri."
A
fix for the broken budget"State Sens. Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, and Michael Ellis, R-Neenah, have urged the special panel of legislative leaders that is debating the two-year budget to eliminate policy proposals that range from regulating wine distribution to repealing a moratorium on nuclear power and setting standards for 4-year-old kindergarten."
""This is the first significant infestation that Marathon County has experienced," said Bill Duncanson, director of the Marathon County Parks, Recreation and Forestry department."
For those who are used to seeing postings from the Ashland paper here, it's absence is because there website appears not to have been updated since 20 Aug 2007. Sorry. When they start updating we will again have postings. - Bob
DNR:
Horse killed by wolves"A Department of Natural Resources wolf expert confirmed Wednesday that a horse found dead in Kimball earlier this month was killed by wolves."
Seniors,
health care, veterans dominate Obey visit "The roomful of people -- mostly seniors or veterans -- welcomed the congressman, and provided a congenial, informal atmosphere for Obey. Obey has family ties to the area; his grandmother was Pearl Kimball of Hurley."
Fliss
joins local realty firm"Thadius Fliss has joined the sales staff at RE/Max Action North Realty of Hurley and Mercer. He is licensed in Michigan and belongs to the Western Upper Peninsula MLS and Realtors Association."
Hearing
tonight on proposed rules to stop spread of fish disease "Under the proposal, emergency rules now in place for controlling and preventing the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, would become permanent."
Manitowish
Waters, Wis.: Climate change art on display through Aug. 31
"The exhibit is the culmination of over a year's work involving 20 artists, seven scientists, six educators and numerous partner organizations. The exhibit includes paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, poetry, prose and music. Scientific findings on climate change in the Northwoods accompany the artwork."
Lawmakers
still at odds on overdue budget"Robson countered the Republicans' plan by calling for a new tax code for businesses. She said it would force large companies now using sophisticated tax deductions to pay their fair share. If tax-code loopholes that favor the largest companies aren't closed, "we really are leaving millions of dollars on the table," Robson said."
"National Guard pumps were being used Thursday to relieve pressure on Vernon County 's Hidden Valley Dam, which was weakened by the weekend 's rains. Authorities also have kept an eye on several Vernon County dams under pressure from the near-constant rain. All have held so far, said Meg Galloway, chief of dams for the state Department of Natural Resources."
"According to a study released in 2004 by Carolina Katz Reid, a graduate student at the University of Washington, between 1977 and 1993, 36 percent of low-income home buyers returned to renting after just two years of home ownership. In five years that number rose to 53 percent."
"Tribal leaders billed the facility as a destination resort with 300,000 square feet of gaming, entertainment and conference space and a 150-room hotel. The new facility will have about 1,400 slot machines, 32 table games, two new restaurants and a large parking garage."
Sen
R. Feingold“It is in the security interest of these African nations, the United States and the international community as a whole that democracies and good governance take root in this critical region of Africa,”
Gov.
Doyle"Late this afternoon, Governor Jim Doyle sent a letter to President Bush requesting an expedited major disaster declaration request for Crawford, La Crosse, Richland, Vernon and Sauk Counties. The request was for disaster assistance for individuals and businesses."
"The Iron County Board of Supervisors will meet on Monday, August 27th, 2007 at 7:00 PM at the Mercer Community Center, Mercer, Wisconsin. The meeting is open to the public per Chapter 19, Sub Chapter V, Wisconsin Statutes."
School
board approves Web page design class "The class will allow students to design Web pages for people in the community. The students will also manage the Web sites."
Man
found safe after being reported missing "Melewski was reported missing at 8:17 p.m. Tuesday, near the Vilas County line. He had taken a walk with his two Labrador retrievers around 4:30 p.m. and hadn't been heard from since."
Lahti:
Wolf hunt may be warranted, reported moratorium just a rumor"Contrary to rumors, no five-year moratorium has been placed on a wolf hunt in Michigan, State Rep. Mike Lahti, D-Hancock, said recently. Lahti, in a visit to Ironwood, had a staff member check with the Department of Natural Resources after a reporter mentioned the rumored ban. Lahti said he, too, had heard about the rumor. His staff member determined there is no specific five-year ban on a hunt, however"
"Two competing bills sit before the Legislature. One would ban retailers from selling gift cards with expiration dates or that charge service fees. The other would require that retailers conspicuously disclose any expiration dates and fees."
Mortgage
market causing lay offs"When Clark finishes helping movers from the company 's Atlanta headquarters collect computers and other property, he 'll join the more than 24,000 workers nationwide who have lost jobs in the financial services industry since the beginning of the month -- with more than half coming since Friday. With few exceptions, the cuts are the direct result of woes in the nation 's housing market."
"FEMA teams began work Wednesday in southeast Minnesota a day after President Bush promised the area "a flood of help," including possible housing assistance and aid for small businesses. Flood waters receded faster in Minnesota, allowing FEMA to begin its work there sooner, said Lori Getter, a spokeswoman for Wisconsin Emergency Management."
"The bugs made running, biking and even speaking outside difficult, and the swarms might last up to 10 days, Pellitteri said. Swarms will be common in late mornings and afternoons on calm days from now until Sept. 15, Pellitteri said."
"An anonymous donor paid $790, and the Colorado Springs Utilities forgave the remainder of a nearly $1,200 water tab billed to a man whose toilet malfunctioned while he was away for two months."
Gov.
DoyleBednar-Clemens
sues county"The complaint notes Bednar-Clemens was hospitalized in April 2006 and received treatment for "severe medical, emotional and psychological conditions from which she suffered as a result of her employment.""
"Iron County has agreed to grant Edelstein a perpetual easement over the county-owned six acres on Fisher Lake. The county also agrees to maintain the six-acre parcel as forest crop. Because Iron County cannot reach its six-acre parcel by land unless it crosses over property owned by Edelstein, he agrees to grant "the county only" a perpetual easement over his parcel near the roadway."
Elementary,
high schools receive state honors "Both the Hurley elementary school and high school have been named "New Promise Schools of Recognition" for the 2007-08 school year by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster."
School
board shuts off cell phones"This will allow them to bring the phones in and have them, with the exception of those time periods," Gulan said. It will allow students to make calls before and after school hours, as may be necessary to arrange rides or other accommodations."
Obey
to visit Thursday "The Iron County Democratic Party is sponsoring a meeting with Seventh District U.S. Rep. Dave Obey Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the Hurley Senior Center."
New
clinic offers more lab services"Although the Mercer lab is limited in size and scope, some of the most common lab tests that can be done there, with a valid physician's order, include: complete blood count, routine urinalysis, Protime/INR, urine pregnancy testing, testing for infectious mononucleosis, influenza A & B, RSV (respiratory virus), strep throat, as well as testing for sodium, potassium and creatinine."
Doyle's
anti-crime plan targets guns"The move would prohibit people who are not federally licensed firearms dealers from selling weapons at gun shows, typically without a background check. It is one of five gun-related proposals Doyle announced Tuesday at the Milwaukee Police Department's District 3 headquarters on the city's west side."
"Gov. Jim Doyle's proposal to make affordable health insurance available to every child in the state should be able to survive a move by the Bush administration that will make it more difficult for states to expand coverage."
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin assessing flood damage in southwest Wisconsin on Tuesday, a key step in a possible federal disaster declaration, a state official said Wednesday."
U.S.
foreclosures rise sharply in July"Foreclosure filings rose 9 percent from June to July and surged 93 percent over the same period last year, with Nevada, Georgia and Michigan accounting for the highest foreclosure rates nationwide, a research firm said Tuesday."
Gov.
Doyle- " 1. Proclaim that a State of Emergency exists in the State of Wisconsin with regard to dams, including those located on private property; and
- 2. Order that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and its agents inspect any dam, including those located on private property, to insure the security of persons and property. The Department may undertake the inspection without prior consent of the owner, if necessary."
"The deep valleys in southwest Wisconsin are home for some of the state's most prolific organic produce farms. The crops were excellent this year until the floods came last weekend and washed away entire fields."
Attorneys
general urge federal crackdown on energy drink claims"In Wisconsin, where Milwaukee-based Miller is a political powerhouse, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen declined to sign the letter. His spokesman said it would be a waste of resources to lobby federal regulators on the issue."
Zweifel:
Guard readiness not a matter of politics"'By now it also is clearly established that the National Guard simply does not have the equipment here at home to deal with such emergencies as natural disasters, and it is imperative that the administration develop a real plan to address these troubling shortfalls.'"
Freeway
overhaul about 3/4 finished"The massive project, which will expand the freeway from its current four-lane divided highway configuration into a six-lane divided highway between the Highway 29 east and west interchanges, remains on budget and on schedule nearly three years after construction began in 2004, Bronson said."
Gov.
Doyle"The Milwaukee anti-crime legislative package will fight crime and get illegal guns off the street by closing loopholes, improving information sharing with law enforcement, and using advanced technology to improve crime tracking."
Application
process now open for home energy assistance "Wisconsin's Home Energy Assistance Program helps households with incomes below 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($30,975 a year for a family of four) pay for home energy costs."
House
candidates officially kick off unique joint campaign"Burkee and Walz also plan to sign a pledge - "A Pact with the People" - to refuse all political action committee and special interest money. They will not use negative or personal attack ads. If elected, they will not accept large lobbyist gifts, will stick to their budget pledge and limit themselves to no more than three terms in office."
Update:
State investigating dams after one fails, others leak"State and county officials evacuated residents and are rushing today to check dams in Vernon County following this weekend's flooding, including a failed earthen dam and three more that are seeping water and are under "significant stress," a state official said."
""If the sump pump can't keep up with the water, and water or sewage starts backing up as a result of the sump pump's failure, then damage from that would be covered," he said. But if water is coming through cracks in the floor due to saturated ground, or coming through window wells or down the sides of a foundation, those damages won't be covered at all."
"Chinese products would not be flooding the U.S. market unless U.S. politicians, led by former President Bill Clinton, had not fought to write special trade rules that opened the United States to those products and that encouraged U.S. manufacturers to shift operations from this country -- where baseline standards are maintained -- to a country where corporations can get away with murder."
"U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to sections of the Iron River (Bayfield County) to kill sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom. Applications will be conducted on or about August 21 through August 30 in accordance with state of Michigan permits."
Frank
and fish"Stewardship is a very important fund and we've got a very important fight going on in Madison right now," he said. "Governor Doyle has been a huge supporter of Stewardship and we've got to look at this not over one or two years, but over 30 years and 100 years. What legacy are we leaving for our kids and our grandkids?"
Sen
R. Feingold
Feingold
Demands Action to Address Low Water Levels in Great Lakes“Studies of water levels in the Great Lakes suggest that both man-made changes and abnormal weather conditions may be contributing to the falling levels,” Feingold said. “While further study is warranted, we also need immediate action."
Sen
H. KohlKohl
bill to make it easier for older citizens to work after ... -
BusinessNorth.com"It would provide some kind of a tax credit of some significance to employers who provide flexible work schedules and pension benefits and healthcare benefits and employment opportunities for people who are older than 65.”
Gov.
Doyle“We are using all of our capabilities to quickly respond to this emergency, and we will continue to do everything possible to make sure the people and communities affected get the help they need to make a quick recovery.”
Democrats
cash in after taking over Hill"Obey now has nearly $1 million socked away in his coffers - a strong deterrent to anyone interested in unseating the guy who has been in Congress since 1970. His office declined to comment on Obey's new fund-raising prowess."
Voter
system contractor says state owes it millions"McAvoy, the Accenture spokesman, said any speed problems were not Accenture's fault and the absentee ballot problem had been fixed. But municipal clerks in Madison and Green Bay said they were told by the Elections Board in recent elections not to use the absentee function of the system."
Report:
State hasn't met target for minority goods, services"Wisconsin's state government has not met a target in state law for buying 5 percent of its goods and services from minority-owned businesses since it was put into effect in 1984, according to a newspaper's review of state records. The Wisconsin State Journal said in its Sunday edition that the number of minority-owned businesses in the state has grown rapidly in recent years, but the state is actually buying less from those companies than it did just a few years ago."
UW:
Course cuts will hurt quality""(As curricula are trimmed), everybody will be teaching standard courses because big publishers will make it easy for you to teach organic chemistry this way or that. It 's a very slippery slope. " In 1975, UW-Madison offered 16,467 differently named courses. Since then, about 6,600 of those classes have been dropped and 1,390 have been added. Today, there are about 11,200 courses offered -- more than 4,000 fewer than in 1975."
Kohl's
right on farm bill"If the Senate makes the right choices -- by establishing protections for working farmers while cutting what amounts to corporate welfare for millionaire hobbyists and industrial agriculture -- that would set up a clash with the House bill. It would be in the process of reconciling the two bills that genuine reforms might be achieved."
"Today Ian Shackleford, a botanist and member of the Northwoods Native Plant Society, led a tour of Peterson Falls and Interstate Falls. The property around Interstate Falls is for sale and Ian has been leading an effort to preserve public access to this beautiful area."
Daughters
of Isabella join Mass"The Traveling Daughters of Isabella will join the Celebration of Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley Saturday, Aug. 18 at 4 p.m."
Town
board approves land sale for biofuel plant "Stenberg, coordinator of the Mercer Business Park, said Friday that people attending the board meeting asked whether there would be odors or fumes from the plant and about its needs for water. "We have more than enough water," he said. In addition, Evergreen proposes to use solids from the town's sanitary plant in its process to break down the wood fiber."
"St. Isaac Jogues and Companions Church in Mercer will hold a polka Mass on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 9 a.m. followed by a picnic with food, music and bingo."
"Ken Clement, of Saxon, Wis., has been farming for 40 years and he can't recall a dryer summer. "I remember 1976 was pretty bad, but the corn came through. This year, the corn is bad. I've been feeding my cows hay for a month.""
"Annual precipitation in northern Wisconsin has dropped from 36 inches in 2001 to 31 inches in 2005 to 22 inches a year ago, according to the state climatologist's office."
Thompson
bid never gained traction"Too many of the 2,300 tickets, purchased by his campaign for voters in the Iowa GOP straw poll, apparently found their way to another candidate. The tickets, at $35 a piece, cost him $80,500."
"About 27 percent of dairy farmers in Wisconsin plan to discontinue milking operations within the next five years and another 3 percent will downsize their operations, according to a recent survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistical Service."
"The cost of ammunition for police guns is up 20 percent in some cases. More planning takes place so stockpiles of bullets aren't depleted. And there are worries about diminished training."
Michigan
Wolf Management Plan released"The 94-page plan incorporates public input, scientific literature, consultation with wolf experts, the results of an extensive public attitude study conducted by Michigan State University and recommendations of the Michigan Wolf Management Roundtable — a 20-member committee convened by the DNR to represent the diverse range of wolf-related interests across the state."
The
President's Budget - Impact on Wisconsin - National
Priorities Project"For a breakdown of the cost of the Iraq War by congressional district and state along with what that money could buy in local services instead, go to: NPP Database Tradeoffs Page"
Carlson,
Sorrels honored by Senior Citizens Association "The Iron County Senior Citizens Association presented Certificates of Appreciation to Dora Carlson, of Saxon, and Cy Sorrels, of Gurney at its annual banquet."
Area
native Alleva building The Old School to help kids with self-esteem issues"The facility, which will be available to the public, is geared toward building self-esteem, Alleva said. Because of its proximity to nordic and downhill ski areas, it will also be an athletic training facility, and will be set up for academics in various areas of educational instruction."
Plan:
Michigan farmers could kill wolves caught attacking livestock"The state Department of Natural Resources' draft proposal also suggests a permitting process so livestock producers could handle wolves on their property after earlier attacks on livestock have been verified. More specific frameworks for when wolves can be killed will be developed once a final plan is adopted."
"A year later, the couple was able to put their sustainable beliefs into practice. They gather between 200 to 300 gallons of used cooking oil each month from local restaurants to create biodiesel for use in their non-commercial vehicles. The Rowleys chose to make the fuel to reduce harmful air emissions and be competitive with other septic companies."
"The law requires saltwater ships to obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Quality before calling at the state's ports. The permit would certify the ship would not discharge ballast water there, or has onboard technology to kill organisms in its ballast water before releasing it."
Ship
ballast law posts victory"Invasive species have already caused horrendous damage to Michigan's ecology, as well as our economy, and we must make every effort to stop these invaders before more reach our waters."
State
gives all-clear to 15 bridges"State inspectors wrapped up examinations of 15 bridges in Wisconsin that share the deck truss design used in the failed I-35 span in Minneapolis and found no cause to reduce load limits or initiate immediate repairs, state transportation officials said Thursday."
County:
Impeach Bush, Cheney"About a third of the board members left the meeting before the impeachment vote was taken shortly before 2 a.m. The measure passed with 24 in favor, three against, two abstaining and the remaining 12 absent."
AARP:
Health care 'status quo' won't cut it"The group handed out information packets and asked people to pledge to vote for candidates who will work to reform health care. The issue transcends all age, gender and racial groups, said Wally Reek of Marshfield, an AARP volunteer."
"A 35-year-old Canadian woman has given birth to rare identical quadruplets, officials at a Great Falls hospital said Thursday. The four girls were breathing without ventilators and listed in good condition Thursday, she said."
Doyle
dedicates natural area, canoes down the Brule River"The dedication ceremony took place south of Iron River near the shores of Hildur Lake, which, along with Inch Lake to the north, became part of the 578-acre Inch Lake State Natural Area. A State Natural Area still allows recreational activity but prevents development."
Rep
D. Obey
Dental
Center becomes a safety net for public - Chippewa Herald -
Chippewa Falls,WI"Many times, people who can’t afford dental care have used hospital emergency rooms as their safety net, Myers said. What they really needed, he explained, is a “dental home,” a place where patients can get care on a regular basis, instead of an emergency. Myers said many others worked on the project, including Obey, the Chippewa County Board, the county’s Department of Public Health and Chippewa 2010, an community advocacy group."
Ironwood
woman charged with bringing contraband into Iron County Jail"A 25-year-old Hurley woman was recently arrested and incarcerated in the Iron County Jail for delivering cigarettes and matches to her jailed husband, as he kept a dental appointment at a local office."
Official:
No unsafe bridges on state, federal highways in U.P. "We have 464 bridges and culverts spanning more than 10 feet in the Upper Peninsula on our state trunklines (includes M, US and I routes)," Lake said. "None are unsafe, and roughly 95 percent are rated good. The rest are rated fair or 'structurally deficient.'
"Our office does not do that. We assess all cases. We put in the effort to deal with the cases. Some of those cases are handled with ordinances."
Squeeze
on security"Most UW security forces have not been hit so hard. The UW-Madison police force hovers around 120 employees, including 65 sworn officers. The administration has gone out of its way to preserve its funding, Assistant Chief Dale Burke said. Still, he said, if additional cuts must be made, he is aware that can last only so long."
Wisconsin's
silent springs: Demand is reducing water levels"Part of the problem, Macholl said, is that comprehensive data on springs, including such basic information as the number and size of springs in the state, was not available to the authors of the law. But at least, he added, the law made provisions for updating the data and making necessary changes."
Wisconsin
lawmakers approve tuition reciprocity deal"Their pact means that Wisconsin students attending higher-priced University of Minnesota schools will see a bigger number than they do now on their bills -- but the state will kick in the difference in the form of a "tuition reciprocity supplement.""
Kohl's
right on farm bill"There's a lot that needs to be done to stabilize the rural areas of our state and of our country, and it's an area where government investment can make a difference,"
"Eventually, the man gave up and had the nun drop him off on Madison’s south side. She then drove to the Catholic school where she works and called police."
DNR
Board tackles wide range of issues"Meeting in the Northwoods for the first time in a year, the state Natural Resources Board on Wednesday sent an herbicide regulation back to the Legislature, set 2007 standards for migratory bird hunting and held off on establishing technology requirements for state power plants."
WEAUEau Claire
Mold
- The Main Focus of New Research Lab"Participants used golden shovels to symbolically break ground yesterday for a second building and four new labs. Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl says consumers, as well as businesses, will see benefits from the research."
Gov.
Doyle"At the May 2005 Natural Resources Board meeting the Board accepted a donation of 333 acres of land – the Inch Lake parcel – from Jerry and Jill Martin. At the December 2006 Natural Resources Board meeting, the Board accepted a donation of the 245-acre Hildur Lake parcel, which abuts the Inch Lake parcel, from the West Wisconsin Land Trust."
The folks over at About Ironwood have posted videos of this drum and bugle corps at You Tube... a list can be found at the above link.
Silver
Street to be repaved Sept. 10 "Silver Street was reconstructed last summer and the final street surface was scheduled to be laid before Memorial Day, but the project was delayed when testing was ordered to determine why the street surface didn't hold up well over the winter."
Class
holds 65th reunion "The 65th and last class reunion of the old Hurley High School Class of 1942 was held at the Hurley Inn. It was a perfect ending to those long ago happy high school days, according to Eugene Taccolini."
Interior
work under way at new Montreal city hall"With substantial completion of the new building set for Aug. 31, Koski said general contractor Wayne Nasi Construction of Hurley "is right on schedule.""
Meeting
set to discuss future of downtown "In three to four years, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will do a major reconstruction of U.S. 51 in downtown Mercer. Planners see this as an opportunity to create a new look for public spaces in the downtown."
"Entrepreneurs want to buy four lots in the Mercer Business Park for a pilot plant to convert wood to fuel. A proposal to the Mercer Town Board says the plant could be the first cellulosic biofuel plant in the world."
"Although there were many runners from Ironwood who crossed the finish line in Saturday's Paavo Nurmi Marathon, Colassaco was the only hometown runner to complete the 26-mile, 385-yard run. He finished in an impressive time of 3:49:31.9."
County,
union reach agreement over grievance"Although the finance committee was advised by clerk Mike Saari that the Iron County Public Employees Local 728-D would file a grievance, committee members, in July, agreed to change the deputy clerk of courts position from union to non-union because they said it is a position of confidentiality."
"A Monday Iron County Court pre-trial conference for Scott M. Silanpa, who had been charged with six felony counts of homicide in the Aug. 20 deaths of an elderly Canadian couple on U.S. 51, resulted in Silanpa pleading guilty to the two counts."
2
Great Lakes losing water quickly"Two years ago, the Georgian Bay Association released a study that claimed a 1962 Army Corps dredging project accidentally created an ever-increasing erosion problem on the bottom of the St Clair River, the main outflow for Lakes Michigan and Huron."
Thompson
reports $4.6 million income"Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who left the presidential campaign trail Sunday, will be returning to a life of consulting fees, board meetings and speeches that last year netted him about $4.6 million."
DNR
worries budget cuts will keep state from buying hunting land"DNR officials railed against the plan Tuesday, sending a memo to both outgoing agency Secretary Scott Hassett and incoming Secretary Matt Frank that says it would mean "hundreds of thousands" of fewer acres purchased for public hunting, camping, hiking and fishing."
"Thieves sell the wire to scrap dealers, Levendoske said. When metal prices increase -- the current price of copper is $3.49 a pound -- so do the thefts of scrap metal. Although any thefts concern authorities, the recent ground wire thefts carry increased concern. Although power companies replace the wires once they learn they are missing, the thefts aren't always discovered right away. "It's a public safety issue," Levendoske said."
"Annually, through a competitive process, the WCMP awards approximately $1.5 million for projects related to coastal land acquisition, coastal wetland protection and habitat restoration, non-point-source pollution control, coastal resources and community planning, Great Lakes education, public access and historic preservation."
Sen
R. Feingold"The Feingold - Johnson Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007 aspires to achieve many goals, the primary among them being the wresting of binding arbitration out of the hands of credit card companies."
Gov.
DoyleAnalysis
Highlights Importance of Stewardship“The Stewardship program represents one of Wisconsin’s most basic values: protecting our natural resources even in tight budget times,” Governor Doyle said. “The Assembly’s budget is a direct assault on those values, and sets Wisconsin land conservation back two whole decades.”
"You're trying not to disturb the area, but at times there is so much pressure coming down, it's a pretty natural thing to have the ground moving and cave-ins."
Mercer:
Town gets grant to encourage students to walk, bicycle to school
"The DOT is funding planning efforts for bicycle and pedestrian trails, traffic "calming," education programs and other projects to improve the ability of Wisconsin children, especially in grades kindergarten through eight, to walk and bike to school."
Housing
survey yields mixed results"Hurley residents prefer to receive information from local officials via direct mail (77 percent) or newspaper articles (70 percent). The rate for receiving information from newspapers was the highest of all the municipalities questioned by the SRC within the last three years, Trechter said."
""The combination of increased raids with the increased use of the no-match Social Security letters will see business in Wisconsin severely impacted and people will be fired," said Enrique Figueroa, the head of the Working Group on Latino Immigrants in Rural Wisconsin,..."
Dredging
causes huge Great Lakes water loss, report says"Sponsored by the Georgian Bay Association, the report acknowledges that drought, evaporation and other factors have contributed to a steep dropoff in water levels on the three upper Great Lakes - Huron, Michigan and Superior - since the late 1990s. Huron and Michigan, considered hydrologically the same lake, are 21 inches below normal and Superior could hit a record low this fall."
Assembly
GOP vs. public safety"Rather than investing in public safety services, the Assembly chose to make significant cuts to the funding necessary for our law enforcement community to effectively meet its service demands. These cuts will result in fewer officers and more crime."
Obey
sounds off on Rove, war, Gonzales“He’s one sneaky, lying S.O.B., to put it bluntly. He’s the most authoritarian attorney general in the history of the republic. He’s the most dangerous. I never thought I’d long for the days of John Ashcroft.
"An off-duty Elko County sheriff’s deputy was arrested on charges of drunk driving after her husband, a fellow deputy, pulled her over."
"One of the main next steps is to actually go out on the boats and locate with GPS (Global Positioning Satellite technology) the actual location of whatever they can find and then to map it, so then they can start a game plan as to how and when they'll move toward removal," said Melonee Montano, Red Cliff's environmental programs director."
Sen
R. Feingold“There was an intentional manipulation of the facts to get this legislation through,” said Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, a Democrat on the Intelligence Committee who voted against the plan. ..."
Gov.
Doyle"Governor Doyle has asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to declare 52 drought-stricken counties disaster areas as farmers feel the affects of lack of rain and hot temperatures in recent weeks and officials reported low soil moisture. "
Wisconsin
legislator wants to trim state from 72 counties to 18"State Rep. Frank Lasee, R-Green Bay, wants to cut the number of counties in Wisconsin from 72 to 18. State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, does not consider it a serious proposal."
"Once the fire is fully controlled, firefighters will begin the long, unpredictable process of making sure it is extinguished, Takacs said. That is particularly challenging in boggy areas, where combustible underground material can burn for days, weeks or months."
Falling
behind"In all, the state Department of Natural Resources has not inspected at least 230 state-regulated dams - including 67 that are considered a "high or significant hazard" - since August 1997, despite a state law that requires inspections at least once every 10 years. The dams that haven't been inspected make up one-quarter of the 926 state-regulated dams."
Gas
company settles over post-Katrina pricing"The settlement is the last of seven agreements the Justice Department has reached with gas suppliers, including Bulk Petroleum Corp., Lang Oil, Inc., and SuperAmerica LLC, over 24-hour rule violations in the days after Katrina, agency spokesman Kevin St. John said."
Thompson
failed to carve out distinct identity"By the time the governor had gotten into the race, many of the top Republican fundraisers were already signed on with other campaigns, and that became a real challenge for us," he said. "The biggest mistake we made was not getting the fundraising in place early on."
Obey:
Impeachment would be wasted effort"Do I think they have committed impeachable offenses? You're damn right, I do," Obey said. "They have lied like hell to the country." He was particularly harsh in his criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, whom he called incompetent and a liar who was chiefly to blame for the torture of enemy combatants detained by U.S. forces."
Sen
R. Feingold“NCLB has hamstrung state and local decision-making by establishing a federal system that measures and punishes our students and our schools based on, among other things, annual high-stakes standardized testing,”
"During an event at the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, Feingold was presented with the award by the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE), a coalition of more than 20 conservation, sporting and scientific organizations that range from the Defenders of Wildlife to the National Rifle Association."
Sen
H. KohlWFBF
Seeks Changes in Commodity Programs in Farm Bill - Wisconsin
Ag Connection - Marshfield,W"Meeting with Senator Herb Kohl in a farm bill roundtable in Madison on Thursday, Bruins suggested that the Senate farm bill create a commission to determine transitions from the current system of direct payments to one that enables farmers to utilize more risk management tools."
Gov.
Doyle“This is another benchmark that shows our efforts to grow Wisconsin’s economy with high paying jobs, clean environment and a strong education system are really paying off,”
"The Northwoods have been one of our state’s greatest assets throughout Wisconsin’s history, and with these efforts, it will continue to drive our economy in the future.”
"The nine businesses will invest more than $80 million to install equipment providing broadband service. The projects will reach 261 communities in 63 counties."
"... do hereby declare the present drought condition to be a natural disaster and proclaim the State of Wisconsin to be in a state of emergency for 30 days, unless extended by joint resolution of the Legislature;"
"The bird, known by the bright yellow chest plumage displayed by males, winters in the Bahamas and nests in just a few counties in Michigan's northern Lower and Upper peninsulas, Wisconsin and Ontario. It nests in the shrubs and grasses found beneath five- to 20-year-old jack pines, a forest species adapted to sandy soils."
Proposals
won't close book on gifted kids"There are amazing gifted programs in some school districts and none in others," Villa-Grimsby said. "There are amazing identification procedures and tests and programming in some school districts and not in others."
Tommy
Thompson officially ends presidential bid"His campaign has released a statement saying the Republican is leaving the campaign trail. Thompson says he'll take some time off before returning to the private sector and his nonprofit work."
A
budget feature: Buy now, pay later"Now, however, with state finances around the country expected to tighten, experts said the proposals leave the state vulnerable. If an economic downturn slows tax growth too sharply, the state could be plunged into a fiscal crisis that could affect everyone from property taxpayers to university students and public employees."
Buyers'
market: But home sellers here better off than elsewhere"The way to measure home sales is to look at how many houses are available in each price range or part of town and how many are selling each month and therefore how much inventory is out there, Kessler said."
"Wisconsin enacted a mandatory helmet law for all riders in 1968, but lobby groups effectively fought for its repeal in the 1970s. ABATE, or A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments, is vigilant in making sure the helmet law does not change, said Greg Rodd, ABATE of Wisconsin's executive director."
Sen
R. Feingold"After a decade of government and independent reports about problems with the Corps, and the tragic failures of New Orleans' levees during Hurricane Katrina, the American people deserve meaningful reforms. "We have compromised enough over the years. We can no longer afford a system that favors wasteful projects over the needs of the American people."
Sen
H. Kohl"Kohl says his priorities for the farm bill renewal include extending the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and increasing investments in renewable energy. The Wisconsin Democrat says rural investment is a main part of the farm bill and it important to protect."
"In recent months several newspapers have published articles describing how financial institutions have been freezing and assessing fees on accounts in which Social Security and Veterans' benefits are electronically deposited," the letter read. "Sadly, the majority of the individuals to whom this is occurring are those who can least afford it."
"Kohl told reporters federal agriculture money should be spent more wisely. And that means “not making very wealthy corporations even more wealthy.”"
Hometown
Heroes of the BADGER STATE- 3 MOH Recipients Currently Live In Wisconsin
- 49 Medals of Honor are Accredited to Wisconsin
''That's the scary part: when they get out of the Army and realize they're not who they used to be,'' he said. ''It seems easier to disappear in the woods and live that way."
- BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS – 6:00 P.M
- POLICE, FIRE & LICENSE COMMITTEE
- FINANCE COMMITTEE
- CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 6:30 P.M.
Agreement
on tuition cap stalls""Students are waiting" to learn whether they will qualify for financial aid they need to attend UW System classes that start soon, Robson said. She asked Republicans to increase funds for state-backed scholarships and loans. Sen. Russ Decker (D-Schofield) said all but $6 million of the $62 million increase in UW aid backed by Republicans would pay off bonds and pay higher utility bills, leaving little for other needs."
Iowa
will settle it for Tommy""If I can't win or place," by coming in first or second, "there's no chance I can go to the next level," Thompson said in a phone interview this week. The next stops would be the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire presidential primary next year."
"Though the meteor shower lasts about two weeks, the peak viewing time will begin about 11 p.m. Sunday and last until dawn. At its height, the shower could send as many as 60 visible meteors an hour toward Earth."
Dane
County Board to vote on impeachment of Bush, Cheney"The board's Executive Committee voted Thursday night to endorse impeachment on the grounds that Bush and Cheney violated the Constitution and the Geneva Convention in the war on terror and the Iraq war. The vote passed 5-1 with two abstentions and three members absent."
"The long-range plan - which has not reached the stage of approved construction projects - involves improved intersections with new turning lanes, the elimination of many business driveways along Hwy. 51, and the construction of new town roads to provide rear access to those businesses and local alternatives to using the main highway."
All
county bridges found to be structurally safe "There are 26 bridges throughout Iron County, and all have been found to be structurally safe, said Iron County Highway Commissioner Bob Peterson. Bridges are inspected every two years as federally required, Peterson said."
Register
cars at Copps"The process takes a minute to complete and requires a $5 processing fee. This in-store option affords vehicle owners a convenient and simple alternative to the traditional license plate renewal process."
"The Iron County Fair Association released results from the Aug. 2-5 fair held in Saxon."
Barbeque
set for Aug. 18"The Mercer Lions and Lioness will co-sponsor a pork-beef barbeque on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the W.S. Carow Park Pavilion located on County J in Mercer."
Discovery
Center announces August schedule"North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters has announced its August educational programs."
"An Aug. 29 pre-trial conference has been scheduled in Iron County Court for a 60-year-old Iron Belt, Wis., man who faces two felony counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child."
Tourism
department unveils two new guides"The Wisconsin Department of Tourism has unveiled two new travel planning guides, the 2007 Fall and Winter Calendar of Events Guide and the 2007 Fall Sampler. Both are available for free by visiting TravelWisconsin.com, calling the Department of Tourism toll free number (800) 432-TRIP/8747 or stopping at one of the 10 Wisconsin welcome centers."
Doyle
starts Northern Tour Sunday"Gov. James Doyle will visit northern Wisconsin for eight days beginning Sunday for his fifth Northern Tour."
Thompson
sees home-state media, money as road bumps"He said that "negative stories" the Journal Sentinel has carried about his presidential quest have "dried up the money" in Wisconsin. "I expected to come out of Wisconsin with the media behind me," he said, "raising the dollars so I could get through Iowa.""
"In his lawsuit, Herrera says protesters have blocked the parking lot entrance and shouted so loudly that some potential customers were scared away and others on an outside patio couldn't enjoy their meals."
"Ten million bucks to build 40 miles of rail to augment an already highly successful commuter line -- from downtown to the airport, the Mall of America and southern suburbs -- doesn't sound like it's a misplaced priority, as some of the highway builders maintain."
"The family that found the image on its garage floor sold it for $1,525.69 on eBay Wednesday, more than a week after the slab of concrete was put on sale."
"A police officer ticketed the vehicle and radioed for a tow truck, but the car’s driver and passenger returned before the truck arrived. “The situation was resolved without the use of ketchup, which in Chicago is a big thing,” said Matt Smith of the city’s Streets and Sanitation Department."
[How did this one not get the "Odd" label?-Bob]
""We're going to have to transition into plantations for energy production, whether that's switchgrass or trees or other sources, and that's going to be dependent on the technology that each individual company utilizes," said Dave Donovan, manager of regulatory policy for Xcel Energy."
Land,
water office to open"Gingras's annual salary will be $44,300, the finance committee earlier agreed. Iron County, however, will be reimbursed for the entire amount through the Department of Agriculture,"
CenturyTel
wants county
contract back "CenturyTel is proposing to give the county a new rate, county clerk Mike Saari told the finance committee on Tuesday. The county currently pays $2,125 per month for 64 lines."
DeRosso
pushes for federal money for Saxon Harbor "Speaking at a listening session conducted by U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Janesville, at the Iron County Courthouse in Hurley, DeRosso said Iron County had to spend money this spring out of the county budget to dredge the federal harbor of refuge."
Housing
survey to be presented Monday "City officials said the survey is part of a Wisconsin Department of Commerce Comprehensive Communities grant. Hurley was named a pilot program city under the DOC program."
Officials
probe death of horse"The Iron County Sheriff's Department received a Saturday report that a missing horse had been found dead in a pasture on property on River Road, and it appeared that wolves or coyotes were responsible."
"The Hurley Class of 1957 held their 50th class reunion on July 20 through 22 at the Hurley Inn. Events started on July 20 with an informal gathering of classmates and spouses."
"We have the opportunity to find out more about the citizens," Lipske said, "And we have more of an opportunity to work out fair dispositions of cases, given all the circumstances."
"Crews helped by a slight break in the weather continued their assault Wednesday on one of the largest fires in Michigan's recorded history, which raged out of control in eastern Upper Peninsula marsh country... The fire's size, reported as 19,200 acres earlier in the day, was adjusted to 18,150 acres or 28 square miles after a helicopter traced the perimeter.
"More important, Sensenbrenner still has nearly $500,000 in his campaign account. That's a huge head start on any opponent, including the two Concordia University professors who announced that they are planning to challenge to the 15-term congressman. So, despite this year's anemic fund raising, there's no need to hold a tag day for the guy."
[See also JS Online: Campaigning across the aisle which deals with the most interesting facet of this particular primary. - Bob]
Electric
car: No gas, no emissions and a top speed of 25 mph"These NEVs, street-legal electric cars that in some cases resemble souped-up golf carts, have been approved on Stoughton streets since January. Fifteen Wisconsin communities, including Monona, Mount Horeb, Stoughton and Sun Prairie in Dane County, have passed similar laws allowing electric cars and the Zweeps hope to be a part of the growing "green" lifestyle."
Stalemate
over budget continues with debate over university"Democrats accused Republicans of wanting to "gut and crush" the university with a budget proposal that was "gobbledygook" and designed to target specific spending at UW that individual lawmakers objected to. Republicans said they were looking for accountability from a university system that they said has wasted taxpayer money."
"“We have been pursuing this transition with ERCO for years,” he said. “This source of mercury pollution, over 1,000 pounds a year, is the largest in the state and over one-fourth of all the mercury pollution emitted in the state.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set a December deadline for ERCO to cut mercury emissions by 30 to 40 pounds a year."
"Where the rice has grown and set seed, the water level is so shallow that the harvest pressure put upon the accessible rice plants will be so great that the (tribal) council, the Natural Resources Department and its Wild Rice Committee decided to close it," she said. "Everybody's going to be headed for the same areas, and would over-rice it, and it's that fringe of the ecosystem or vegetative community that will be setting the seed to come up for next year."
Sen
R. Feingold"Suleiman Jamous, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) humanitarian coordinator, has been virtually imprisoned for 13 months in the South Kordofan region bordering Darfur. Khartoum has branded him a terrorist. Senator Feingold in a letter to US special envoy Andrew Natsios described Jamous as "uniquely qualified qualified to serve as a bridge between all parties to the negotiations"."
Sen
H. Kohl"The Senate is expected to begin debate on the legislation, which has wide-ranging jurisdiction over commodity, conservation, research and food programs, when it reconvenes in September. The current Farm Bill expires this year."
Rep
D. Obey- HOUSE APPROVES DEFENSE FUNDS TO HELP AMERICAN PLASTICS DEVELOP SAFER MILITARY RATION PACKAGING
- HOUSE APPROVES DEFENSE FUNDING FOR CHIPPEWA VALLEY HIGH-TECH FIRMS
- HOUSE APPROVES FUNDS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RUGGED CYLINDERS FOR THE ARMY BY WAUSAU BASED CLOVER INDUSTRIES
- Several others
"All of it is causing heartburn for Representative David R. Obey of Wisconsin, who recently complained that lawmakers increasingly saw themselves as “A.T.M. machines for our districts” and spent less time on genuine policy issues."
"Olver's committee chairman, David Obey of Wisconsin, has pledged to cut earmarks in half this year, so they will constitute just 1 percent of the federal budget. And in an interview Tuesday, Pelosi insisted most earmarks are not "the corroding kind of giveaway." If they are, she adds, "the world will know because now they are transparent.""
Gov.
Doyle"Our schools are the envy of the nation, and when students are here getting a first-rate education, they and their parents should have confidence in their school’s ability to handle an emergency.”
Feingold
pulls no punches in criticism of president "At one of his listening sessions throughout the state, Feingold answered questions at the Iron County Courthouse at Hurley Monday morning. Feingold recently introduced two censure resolutions condemning Bush and his administration for "misconduct relating to the war in Iraq and for their repeated assaults on the rule of law." "
Changing faces at
Chamber of Commerce "As you walk through the front door of the chamber office on Silver Street, Sarah Robinson, who took over the secretarial duties at the chamber office in late June, greets you with a smile. Susan Moore, who took over as executive director of the chamber on Monday, is being trained into her new position by outgoing executive director Ricky Kelly,..."
"We're going to carry wine, cheeses, meats, olive oils, everything you can think of," Pecotte said. Gift baskets will also be available, she said."
"Individuals thinking about starting a business can get expert help at a seminar offered by the University of Wisconsin-Superior Small Business Development Center, and co-sponsored by Counselors to America's Small Business."
"A shared love of music and Hurley High School's show choir, Silver Express, brought five musicians together this summer as the Jallah Richards Band."
"In addition, swimmers can check whether Lake Superior beaches are safe by clicking on to www.wibeaches.us, which is part of Wisconsin's Great Lakes Beach Monitoring program."
Lake
lot proposals doused"For seven years now, the state Department of Natural Resources has worked on the emotional issue of updating regulations that dictate the placement of homes and other structures along shorelines. Waterfront property owners are largely suspicious of what they say is a state bureaucracy meddling into their property rights."
Democrats
propose 4 percent tuition cap for UW"The cap and the restoration of $127 million to the UW System budget were proposed at Wednesday's meeting of at a bipartisan committee of lawmakers working on a state budget compromise."
Doyle
signs bill closing property tax loophole"The ruling said the property tax exemption could apply to all land, buildings and equipment at manufacturing sites where waste treatment is performed. Historically, the break was limited to property used to treat waste that had no value, such as wastewater treatment facilities."
Press Gazette
"Saturday: Paavo Nurmi Marathon, 7:30 a.m. Begins in Upson, concludes in Hurley. Register at www.hurleywi.com and click on Paavo. Ricky Kelly, (866) 340-4334."
Sen
R. Feingold
"There, the young Feingold was greeted with a big picture of John F. Kennedy, recorded excerpts of JFK speeches and Frank Sinatra on the phonograph, singing Kennedy's campaign theme song, "High Hopes." "All of this was immediately thrilling, and on the spot Feingold remembers announcing, 'I'm for Kennedy!" Horwitt wrote."
Sen
H. Kohl"Kohl says a pilot program put in place three years ago in seven states, including Wisconsin, has proved that the checks make a big difference. “We uncovered 5,000 people in just those seven states who wanted employment but were denied because of our background check system that uncovered criminal activity in their background."
Rep
D. Obey"The House bill, passed Wednesday night, would authorize a $50 billion increase over five years for SCHIP... The eight-member Wisconsin delegation divided along by party on the vote. Democrats Tammy Baldwin, Steve Kagen, Ron Kind, Gwen Moore and David Obey voted for the bill. Republicans Tom Petri, Paul Ryan and James Sensenbrenner voted against it. "
Gov.
Doyle“I applaud the Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature for working in a bi-partisan way to get this important measure passed. I ask that they use this same cooperative spirit to get a budget passed and sent to my desk immediately.”
As
lakes dry up, concern swells"The eagles and ospreys that frequented the 67-+Washer County lake where Butch Bredow and his wife bought a cottage 25 years ago are gone. So are the loons and bullfrogs. Ditto the killdeer and night herons."
"But how Rehm managed to break free from the state mental institution that was supposed to protect him remains off limits to public scrutiny, because state law continues to guard his privacy interests even after death."
"The sensors, called accelerometers, detect movement 24 hours a day and will feed information to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Any unusual or unexpected movement in the bridges would be investigated immediately, Doyle said in a statement."
"If the federal limits were not applied with an eye toward denying needed infrastructure funding to states, if the federal government accepted its responsibility to maintain the bridges, roads, levies and sewers of the United States, the death and destruction that come from neglect might well have been avoided."
"The teen, from Gainesville, Ga., hit other balconies on his way down and slammed onto a slanted rooftop, then slid into bushes... After landing in the bushes, he got up and started walking back to his room. But paramedics strapped him to a board and flew him to a hospital, where tests shoed he was fine."
Kohl
notes voter discontent “People voted for Democrats in 2006 looking for change,” Kohl said, noting that change hasn’t come fast enough for many. “Not that Democrats haven’t tried, but because (President) Bush has resisted change.” In addition, Kohl said a deeply divided country has left the two major political parties extremely polarized creating an atmosphere where it is difficult to accomplish change."
"Some homeowners can get $2,000 a week through rentals. "As taxes increase, and people get pinched, it's going to happen more and more," said Ted Cushing, Hazelhurst town chairman and a member of the county planning and zoning committee. Complaints come in when short-term renters - who are not always concerned about neighbors' feelings - crowd lawns and driveways with recreational watercraft, hold large, raucous parties, litter and trespass on private property."
Gov.
Doyle“While we must learn the cause of the Minnesota tragedy, I want the state to take extra measures immediately to ensure our bridges are sound. In Wisconsin we are using the best, newest technology available on our roads and bridges to ensure the safety of people in Wisconsin."
"We've had 4,000 visitors through Saturday," Schutz said. "We'll definitely break 5,000 before it's over. Easy. "The livestock barn is very full."
Medicaid-paid
births on rise"The state Department of Health and Family Services attributes the rise to an economic downturn that led to an increase in women of childbearing age whose incomes qualified them for state health care programs. Eligibility requirements haven't changed in recent years, nor does the state believe undocumented immigrants have contributed to the increase."
""It's horrible," said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), a member of the House Ways and Means subcommittee that oversees the Social Security Administration. "No doubt about it, this is a crisis." The agency's administrative budget has not kept up with its needs for many years, resulting in fewer staff members and administrative judges to deal with the rising number of disabled baby boomers, Ryan and others said."
Feingold
introduces resolutions censuring Bush, others"Sen. Russ Feingold has introduced resolutions that would censure President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for what Feingold calls the Bush administration's misleading the nation into war, and undermining the rule of law. In the House, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., introduced companion resolutions."
Doyle,
autistic children to rally for insurance coverage"Most insurance companies don't cover autism because it is classified as an emotional disorder rather than a neurological medical condition. As a result, many people now wait more than a year for state services that treat delayed speech and other social and motor skill problems characteristic of autism."
"No one knows for sure how much damage the virus could cause in smaller, inland waters. But the Lake Winnebago system is a gateway to hundreds of miles of trout streams and lakes, and some anglers fear Wisconsin's prized game fish -- and the state's reputation as a national fishing destination -- could be in jeopardy."
"Thai police officers who break rules will be forced to wear hot pink armbands featuring “Hello Kitty,” the Japanese icon of cute, as a mark of shame, a senior officer said Monday."
"The sleepy, rolling hills of central Ashland County aren't what might be expected as the locale for a world-class sporting event. However this weekend, the forested knolls around Highbridge are humming with the sounds of Frisbee-like disks sizzling through the air during the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) World Championships."
Sen
R. Feingold“These censure resolutions will let future generations know that Congress stood up to the destructive policies of this administration that have weakened our national security, cost more than 3,600 American lives, and undermined the principles on which our country was founded."
Gov.
DoyleFirefighters
battle U.P. wildfire"It is located in a remote section of state land, with inaccessible swampland burning. Tractors and other heavy equipment normally used in fire suppression had to be withdrawn because they were getting stuck in the boggy wetlands."
One
county at a time for Thompson"I've got to do well at the straw poll," said Thompson, looking up from the morning paper. "If I do that and get some money coming in, I don't think there is any doubt in my mind I could win the nomination." Outside the camper, though, that view is much harder to come by."
Health
plan is market driven"Proponents of health savings accounts acknowledge that they will do little to make health insurance more affordable for low-wage workers and people with pre-existing medical conditions. "HSAs do not solve all the problems in the health care system," said Michael Tanner, director of health and welfare studies at the Cato Institute, a research organization that backs market-based reforms. "HSAs are a tool, but they are not the magic bullet.""
Fishing
industry copes with virus"Wisconsin wildlife officials are downplaying the virus' impact, stressing that it remains isolated in the Lake Winnebago system - at least for now. "Is it going to wipe out fishing? No," said Mike Staggs, Wisconsin DNR's fisheries management director. "But this is a threat. A significant threat.""
"As carbon dioxide levels have increased, so has the weed's ability to grow, according to findings published in the July edition of Weed Science. With that could come more of the oil that produces that painful, itchy rash."
Sen
R. Feingold"The Wisconsin Democrat says he's very disappointed that the resolution's co-sponsors succumbed to pressure from the Sudanese government. The passed resolution removed the threat of sanctions, and Feingold said it didn't go far enough."
Sen
H. Kohl"The Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007, which is supported by the American Health Care Association, would allow nursing homes to screen out applicants with a history of abuse or criminal actiivites from other states using a centralized database."
More
On the Liberty Bell Chalet Expansion - Jim Albert"The new addition will house an Italian market and will feature specialty foods, meats, cheeses, and several of the Bell's own favorites. This will be a nice addition to the Bell and to the City of Hurley."
[The above link only works if you are a member and signed in... but you can view an elevations by clicking HERE. - Bob]
"The educational part of the Trailblazers' trips involved Global Positioning System training. They collected coordinates for Iron County along the trails and worked on GPS with Department of Natural Resources forest ranger Tim Fitzgerald in the area of the MECCA ski trail."
Calling
all loons"Gina Duff of Newman Lake was named overall grand champion trophy winner in the Mercer Loon Call Contest, a highlight of Loon Day that fills the street."
"The inspectors will look at the 16 deck-truss bridges over the next month. When more information about the Minneapolis bridge collapse is available, they likely will have to revisit them, said Beth Cannestra, director of the Transportation Department's Bureau of Structures. "If we have to inspect it 10 times as they keep coming up with more information, we will do that," she said."
"Major infrastructure challenges, such as maintaining bridges over our mightiest rivers and modernizing levies, should never be the sole or even the major responsibility of cash-strapped state and local governments. That is a recipe for disaster -- deadly, injurious and damaging disaster of a sort that plays out not just in headline events like a bridge collapse but in hundreds of below-the-radar infrastructure failures each year."
Agency:
GOP benefit cuts problematic"We believe the 10 percent mandate will end the tiering structure and will eliminate our ability to effectively control cost increases," Stella wrote. "In fact, if we are correct premium costs for the state will increase rapidly and, if significant enough, render any savings from this proposal illusory."
"At the July 24 hearing, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) asked Gonzales whether any of "the leadership of the Department of Justice" had participated in political briefings, pointing to examples involving employees from the State Department, Peace Corps and U.S. Agency for International Development. "Not that I'm aware of. . . . I don't believe so, sir," Gonzales said."
"The fairgrounds were quiet at midday, with livestock entry actually scheduled for early evening and other entries set to begin this morning. A few young riders walked horses outside the horse barn."
"In the restaurant, we had overheard comments about some problems on the Interstate, but we didn't think too much about it," Lane said Thursday morning. "But it took a phone call from my sister in Hurley before we knew exactly what happened."
Timber
Wolf Alliance program Aug. 17-19"The workshop will consist of morning classroom sessions that include a historic overview of wolves and their current population status. Researchers and biologists from Wisconsin and Michigan wolf monitoring teams will explain the natural history, biology, physiology and social structure of wolves in the Great Lakes Region."
Plan
would raise UW tuition"Under Reilly's plan, tuition would rise $330 at UW-Madison, to $6,330; $323 at UW-Milwaukee, to $6,191; and $251 at the 11 other four-year campuses, to $4,819. Tuition would remain at $4,268 at the state's 13 two-year colleges."
"State officials said inspections will start next week on the so-called deck truss bridges, a design no longer used in state bridge projects in which the trusses of the bridge run beneath the roadway they support. The announcement came as federal officials called on states to review hundreds of similar bridges around the country in the wake of Wednesday's disaster."
Yearly
Kos convention draws skeptical eye"He cautions, however, that the presence of many of the presidential candidates at the conference, as well as the growing influence within the Democratic Party of "A-list" bloggers like Moulitsas and others, may belie the notion that the Internet will lead to a more grassroots-based, bottom-up party."
"A 2006 decision by the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals means that Native Americans living on lands within certain Indian Reservations in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are not subject to local and state property taxes."
Feingold,
Kohl, Obey Work to Protect Ginseng Farmers and Consumers"We must protect the superior quality of ginseng Wisconsin farmers produce from counterfeit labels and ginseng smugglers," Feingold said. "Consumers looking for a high quality ginseng product -- such as Wisconsin-grown ginseng – should be able to have confidence that they are getting the real thing and not a knock-off."
"Over 27 years, the one-day, mid-week art show has sprawled out to include craft, food and informational booths along both sides of U.S. 51 downtown. More than 200 artists, crafters and vendors of food and other merchandise vie for space at Loon Day,..."
Climate
change art show opens at Discovery Center "The exhibit is the culmination of over a year's work involving 20 artists, seven scientists, six educators and numerous partner organizations. The exhibit includes paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, poetry, prose and music. Scientific findings on climate change in the Northwoods accompany the artwork."
"Sue Vittone, a local artist from Hurley, Wis., will teach a clock carving class. Some woodburning accents will be added to the finished carving."
"Leaders also agreed on tax deductions for health insurance premiums and child care expenses; spending for DNA analysts for the State Crime Laboratory; GPS tracking for the most dangerous child-sex offenders; and funding for the state's SeniorCare prescription drug program for low-income residents 65 and older."
"For example, I might have had the misfortune of working for East Point, Ga., auto dealer Rolandas Milinavicius. He is in the news this week because, after two of his employees repeatedly pestered him for a raise, he pulled out a gun and shot them dead, police said."
""This isn't a pay freeze," said Travis, whose district includes many state and UW employees. "It's a massive pay cut." Travis estimated that the cuts in insurance premiums would cost the average employee about $593 annually and that the change in the pension payments would cost an employee about $2,700 a year."
Kohl
protects food safety"And as chairman of the Senate subcommittee dealing with agricultural appropriations -- which has jurisdiction over the FDA and the USDA, the two federal agencies responsible for keeping the food supply safe -- he is uniquely positioned to address food safety issues. To his immense credit, Kohl has responded appropriately."
“In Wisconsin, we have very good bridges and we have 16 percent that are classified as functionally obsolete or structurally deficient,” said Finn Hubbard, the state DOT bridge engineer. “Every bridge has to be inspected every two years and some more often if they found any issues in the past.”
Fire
danger high""For this we were again below average in precipitation," he said. "We are pretty much in a moderate to severe drought right now. A lot of people, myself included are seeing a lot of indicators that it is dryer out than we have ever seen.""
Sen
R. Feingold"I come home every weekend…and I do these meetings, and I talk to people and I go to the store, to the health club, and I get the feeling that I'm NOT completely crazy," Feingold said. "Unless we ALL are. "And I don't think we are."
"The www.wibeaches.us Web site is part of Wisconsin's Great Lakes Beach Monitoring program, which regularly tests for bacteria to inform swimmers about water quality conditions. The Web page also has links to water quality conditions at more than 100 inland beaches, and allows people to sign up to receive a personal water quality forecast through an e-mail notification."
History
comes alive during Silver Street walking tour "More than 75 people walked the length of the region's most famous street for the event, in which area historian Gene Cisewski lectured about Hurley's past and present."
Iron
County Heritage Festival Schedule"The Iron County Heritage Festival continues now until Aug. 12, with activities in several communities through the county. For more information about the Heritage Festival in general, including the unique geocache contest, visit www.ironcountywi.com/festival.htm."
"Although a 57-year-old Chico, Texas, man committed suicide before he faced sexual assault charges of a minor in both Oneida and Iron counties, there may be some unknown victims that need assistance."
State
Guard short of equipment"The Wisconsin National Guard is short more than 6,000 pieces of dual-use equipment - used both for wars overseas and emergencies at home - but still has about 90% of the equipment it needs to deal with state matters, the new adjutant general said Tuesday."
Budget
negotiators agree to fund SeniorCare, health care tax cut"Budget negotiators agreed Wednesday to hundreds of noncontroversial items in the state budget, ranging from increased funding for prescription drugs for seniors to tax breaks for child care expenses and health insurance premiums."
Governor
cleared in nuclear power plant sale"Donations from utility executives to Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's re-election campaign didn't influence state regulators' approval of the sale of a nuclear power plant, the state attorney general said Tuesday."
"Wall Street experts, of course, will remind Main Street investors to sit tight, stay diversified and ride out the ups and downs of the latest market gyrations. But somehow I get the feeling the experts already have cashed out, collected their fees and commissions, leaving little guys taking it in the shorts as they usually do."
Sen
R. FeingoldOn
the President's Threat to Veto WRDA"We need meaningful Corps reform, including real independent review of corps projects and prioritization of projects, so we can make sure that Americans’ tax dollars are spent on the most important priorities, not just on members’ pet projects.”
Proposed
FISA Legislation"... the administration’s overly broad proposal goes far beyond that and would leave critical decisions related to surveillance involving Americans entirely up to the Attorney General."
"Last June, I introduced legislation mandating a Pentagon study on the feasibility and desirability of establishing an Africa Command and asked the Defense Department to report to Congress on the potential pros and cons of such a command and to provide an estimate of the resources it would require."
"Mr. President, the United Nations Security Council is currently considering a resolution expected to authorize a robust peacekeeping mission to protect the innocent people of Darfur. This is of course a welcome, and overdue, effort."
Sen
H. Kohl"In this week’s letter, the Senators reiterated their call for an independent review of USDA’s actions before and after the problem was discovered and also if any compensation is planned. Co-signing the letter were Senators Herb Kohl of Wisconsin,..."
Rep
D. Obey"The Honorable David Obey (U.S. House of Representatives, D-Wisconsin) will receive the Hubert H. Humphrey Award in recognition of notable public service by a political scientist."
Gov.
DoyleFlags
to Half StaffThe Governor has ordered that flags be lowered to half-staff beginning at sunrise on August 3, 2007 and ending at sunset that same day as a Mark of Respect for Corporal Matthew Zindars of the United States Marines Who Lost His Life During Operation Iraqi Freedom
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