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."