Local News (archives)
Wal-Mart
project moves forward"As the 156,000 square-foot Wal-Mart Super Center takes shape, contractors continue to work on their tight schedule before the snow flies. On Friday, Ken Parker, who is project manager for the building, said the project will be completed by the end of January."
"People are sick of 'crossfire' politics," Stanton said. "They want thoughtful but spirited engagement." Corvino agrees, adding that "one of the most important things we do is to help set a tone of civility, even while presenting two very different views. We try to show by example how to talk about contentious issues in a productive, respective manner."
"Some of my fellow carnivores, who have shared their thoughts with me on this, suggested what the board really meant was he should find some other beef. Or eat crow... Dave, for his part, denies telling the kids to keep secrets, and says he was trying to teach them to speak for themselves instead of parroting him."
"A mother stunned to find a number of expensive electronic devices in her son's room called police, who later arrested the teen on theft charges. According to a police report, the mother checked with the friends whom the 16-year-old claimed gave him the items. The friends knew nothing about the devices."
Lawmakers,
finish the job"When they failed to get a deal by Friday, they put property taxpayers at risk of an increase that could total $199 for an average home. A property tax increase can still be avoided. But as of today, it is an imminent threat. All because lawmakers continue to put partisan interests above the public interest, further delaying agreement."
Sen
H. Kohl
"No one concerned with antitrust policy should stand idly by if industry consolidation jeopardizes the vital privacy interests of our citizens so essential to our democracy," said Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), chairman of the antitrust subcommittee."
Rep
D. Obey
Obey
Encouraged by USDA Action Against Fish Killing Virus -
Wisconsin Ag Connection"Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey says he welcomes the U.S. Department of Agriculture's announcement that it is making $1.5 million in contingency funding available to help states control the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, an Ebola-like virus that is killing fish of all types in the Great Lakes."
This link takes you to video of the Goldenaires rendition of "Touch Me Babe" featuring the bass drums. Note that to the right you will see a list of other Goldenaire videos. This is a large download and people on dialup connections will want to go to a friend's house to view it.
Retiring
Iron County highway commissioner reversed department budget deficit"Iron County Highway Commissioner Bob Peterson is officially retiring today and assistant highway commissioner Mike Bausch is taking over the top spot at an annual salary of $53,000. Bausch was appointed one month ago. He has been training under Peterson since then."
Saxon
Harbor panel to disband at year's end"Talking about the 43 percent increase in the 2008 harbor budget, Challis noted there'll be a $20,000 line item to be used for dredging at the mouth of Oronto Creek and dock replacement on the north lagoon."
Hurley
area walking, biking trail no longer just a dream"Construction of the $29,000 path began this week under the direction of Iron Belt contractor Angelo Luppino Inc. The paved path will extend a mile from Hurley to the Cary Park, where outdoor enthusiasts can walk a path around the park, as well."
Community
education adds tai chi"Following tai chi, Wisla will teach a meditation sampler class on techniques of meditating from various cultures and traditions. This will apply to mental focusing, stress management, self improvement and utilizing meditation in daily living."
Leaders
yield on budget items"Lawmakers dickering over the state budget said Thursday that they were making concessions that would raise the cigarette tax but eliminate proposals to create a new tax on hospitals and double a fee on people who sell their homes."
"Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel said someone has stolen toilet paper repeatedly from the men's public bathrooms throughout the Fond du Lac City County Government Center since around June."
Builder
had several bridge deals in region"The builder of the McCleary Bridge was awarded more than $45 million in state contracts in the last five years, though records show the contract for the 1,572-foot bridge connecting Wausau and Rib Mountain was by far the largest."
Forest
Service to harvest 55 acres near Washburn "The salvage harvest of the 55 acres is labeled the "Valhalla View” project, but is part of the Forest Service's "Sunken Moose" project. The intent with both is to shift the area from one that is predominantly oak to more of a mix of oak and white pine, which was one of the first species to go during the heyday of logging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries."
Sen
R. Feingold
"I am disappointed that we are about to begin the 2008 fiscal year without having enacted any of the appropriations bills for that year. I am even more disappointed that we voted on a continuing resolution that provides tens of billions of dollars to continue the misguided war in Iraq but does not include any language to bring that war to a close."
Sen
H. Kohl"No one concerned with antitrust policy should stand idly by if industry consolidation jeopardizes the vital privacy interests of our citizens so essential to our democracy," said Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), chairman of the antitrust subcommittee."
Gov.
Doyle"I’m pleased to see the innovation of Wisconsin agri-businesses is leveraging federal dollars that will help meet the demands of our economy – from advancing economic development and creating new jobs, to taking steps toward energy independence."
"How dare Rush Limbaugh label anyone who has served in the military as a quote, 'phony soldier,' unquote? How dare he say that his views on Iraq formed in the comfort of his radio studio are legitimate while the views of those whose opinions were forged on the battlefield are not?"
"The point here is that for Limbaugh, Boehner and other war supporters, the lives of the troops simply aren't part of the equation in any meaningful sense, and once in a while, this dirty secret slips out."
County
gearing up for fifth annual Pumpkin Run"Highlighting this year's Pumpkin Run will once again be the ATV parade through downtown Hurley that's scheduled for Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. The line up route will be available at registration, chamber officials said."
Food
pantry open Monday"The pantry is stocked with warm clothing and shoes for adults, as well as a good selection of food. Donated clothing will be given away to help area residents keep warm this winter."
Traverse
City: State, tribes reach deal on Indian fishing, hunting rights
"Avoiding such nastiness was a primary motive as five tribes negotiated a tentative agreement with the state to regulate how their members hunt, fish and gather plants on lands and waters making up about 37 percent of Michigan."
Panel
seeks more data on Ziegler finances"The panel is reviewing what punishment, if any, Ziegler should receive for handling cases as a Washington County circuit judge involving West Bend Savings Bank, where her husband is a bank director."
Republicans
agree to cigarette tax hike, budget talks continue"Cigarette taxes would go up, but new taxes on hospitals and a doubling of a fee paid be sellers of homes would be dropped, under proposals Republicans and Democrats are considering to help break a 12-week budget logjam."
Secret
budget negotiations entering third day draw criticism"But when agreement couldn't be reached, Doyle called top lawmakers to work it out behind the closed doors of the governor's residence in Maple Bluff. Those involved have agreed not to divulge what is being talked about, what agreements are in the works, or what issues have been resolved."
Sen
H. Kohl"The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has thanked Senator Herb Kohl for supporting Senate passage of legislation that would improve locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers--which is essential to the transportation of farm products."
Rep
D. Obey"The President is asking us to spend about $200 billion - every dollar of that borrowed - in order to finance the supplemental for the war in Iraq, and yet he's objecting to the fact that in the House passed bills we tried to take about one-tenth of that amount and use it for crucial investments in our country's future."
"At a time when we should be looking for ways to resolve our differences, it serves no one's interest, least of all the country's," added Obey, "for the president to try to manufacture a disagreement when there is none."
I have rigged a page on which to present brief, unedited statements from the candidates in the contested Ironwood City Council election. Those running are invited to contact me at 715-561-2559 or by email at lemon@wegoweb.net. Friends of candidates are invited to pass this invitation along. It would be nice to have them all together where they can be compared.
"The Bush Administration had not planned to win in Iraq, but simply to keep a war running so Bush could run around and play “war president.” That is as devastating a criticism as any general has made of a president since the days of Douglas MacArthur."
Public
nuisance ordinance to streamline clean-up process"Town and city officials have been plagued with junk cars and dilapidated buildings, as well as many other nuisance issues throughout the county for some time."
"An accident must be reported immediately if there's damage of $1,000 or more to any one person's property, anyone was injured or killed, if there's damage of $200 or more to government property (signs, guard rails, etc.), or there's damage of $1,000 or more to a government vehicle," Bruneau said.
Mercer:
Library fund-raiser Oct. 5"Local cooks will share their best hors d'oeuvres from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The festivities include more than 40 silent auction items and raffle book baskets. Auction items include a turned wood bowl, bear table, cottage and snowmobile rentals, golf, cedar chest and paintings."
Reading
gap is nation's worst"The average reading ability for fourth- and eighth-grade black students in Wisconsin is the lowest of any state, and the reading achievement gap between black students and white students in Wisconsin continues to be the worst in the nation."
Panel
will expand probe of state Supreme Court judge"They said they will examine loans she and her husband received from the bank, and dozens of additional cases involving the financial institution where her husband serves on the board of directors."
UW
says it's not crying wolf, major cuts could be on the way"The result could be thousands of classes cut in the spring semester and forced layoffs of staff members. Cuts could also mean capping enrollment in some majors, including the top five majors at UW-Madison, political science, biology, English, history and psychology."
"The University of Wisconsin remained on high alert late Tuesday night as police continued to search for an armed man on campus who said he wished to commit suicide or be killed by police."
"Merrill is at about 55 percent of its color change and should reach its peak in two weeks, according to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism... For a complete fall color report, visit www.travelwisconsin.com.
"Doug Sauter, who coaches the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League, was at the fair Saturday attending the Centennial Expo’s Draft Horse Show when he saw a Belgian horse break free from its reins. That caused a chain reaction that spooked other horses, he said Monday. He bit the ear of one of the spooked horses to stop it from stampeding."
Sen
R. Feingold
"We are a richer nation in every sense because of those contributions, and because of what they represent – a country that draws strength from its great diversity."
Rep
D. Obey
FIGHT
OVER CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE PROGRAM SHOWS PRESIDENT’S WARPED BUDGET
PRIORITIES"The same President who wants to borrow $50 billion to give another round of tax cuts to folks who make over a million bucks a year, the same President who wants to spend another $150 billion on Iraq, is saying now that we can’t afford to invest less than one fifth that amount to provide decent health care for ten million American kids."
"When you strip away the fog, all the President has proposed is a blueprint to get us back, six months from now, to the same place we were in Iraq six months ago as far as troop levels are concerned,"
Wolf
woes: Woman encouraged by support from state, federal officials"Three people installed flags surrounding the entire pasture, Georgia Piilola said. "Three guys spent two hours flagging the pasture," she said. She said the plan is to install strobe lights and motion sensor lights to try to protect the horses at night."
Calls
about ACT in northern Wisconsin not legitimate"The caller claims to represent the ACT organization, indicating that without the credit card numbers, the students in the household will not be able to register for the ACT and related scholarships."
GM
strike hits Janesville"The job action - which some observers speculate will be brief - idled GM's sprawling factory in Janesville, which employs about 2,600 hourly and 200 salaried workers. It also put this city on watch, because the high-paying plant is a key cog in the local economy."
"We urge you to continue pressing the Thai government to provide better living conditions for these detainees, and to ultimately bring about a swift resolution to this ongoing problem."
"I'm going to give those back because I truly feel that I did not defend my nation and I did not help with the Global War on Terrorism," said Gaines, who lives in Madison. "If anything, this conflict has bred more terrorism in the Middle East."
News
Digest
"According to Healthy Waters, Strong Economy: The Benefits of Restoring the Great Lakes Ecosystem (16 pages, PDF), efforts to improve the health of the Great Lakes will produce economic gains that are worth almost twice as much as the cost of those efforts."
Sen
R. Feingold"The senators want the State Department to continue seeking protection and assistance for the detainees in Nong Khai."
Response
to NSL Abuses"We all agree that going after suspected terrorists needs to be a top priority, but we shouldn’t violate the privacy of law-abiding Americans. The FBI's abuse of its national security letter authorities uncovered by the Department of Justice Inspector General was disappointing and disturbing."
Gov.
DoyleMarcel Marceau, the famous French mime, recently died at age 84. Instead of a minute of silence, celebrate his life by watching this clip of his performance in Mel Brooks' film, "Silent Movie."
"Trust us, after following crazies like Frank Lasee, you can be a state lawmaker when you grow up. At least you'll likely outdo Lasee by being a rational, thinking being."
Salolampi
attendees share experiences at Little Finland"A Finnish language village near Bemidji, Minn., Salolampi "immerses" its students in the language for one- and two-week sessions during the summer. Students have to spend almost the entire session speaking only Finnish while at the village."
Volunteers
restoring legacy of the ice oval"The three-day Snowmobile Olympus scheduled to return to the Gogebic County Fairgrounds Jan. 4-6, along with Pro-Vintage Sno Pro Series racing, is the kick-off to a 10-day Sled Fest event that will include events throughout the Gogebic Range."
Jauch
not confident Wisconsin budget stalemate will end soon"Today's Assembly political sideshow is nothing more than a waste of time and an unfortunate distraction to sincere efforts to find real compromise in the state budget."
Midgets
finish off Range sweep"Hurley is now the mythical champions of the Gogebic Range. They have defeated Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco-Watersmeet, a feat they've accomplished three times out of the last five years."
Pretty
powerful in pink"I think that's just wrong," Goessner, of Oconomowoc, half-joked about the five pink guns now on display in the store. But he said pink is OK with him - if not for him - as long as the guns aren't treated like toys. "I want them interested in it," Goessner said of his daughters and hunting "but it's got to be the right way."
Doyle,
legislative leaders begin budget talks"The key players said at the beginning of the meeting that they were optimistic a deal could be done by the end of the week."
Janesville
GM workers walk out at strike deadline (with photos)"I just want it to be short," Hamilton said. "We want a contract. Nobody wants to be on strike." Hamilton said it was his first strike in seven years at the plant, but his father had walked the picket line many times during his 30-year career with GM."
An
unhealthy budget process"Thus, whenever something needs to be done, legislators attempt to wedge a response into the biennial budget. As a result, the process of developing the budget becomes unwieldy and frequently dysfunctional -- as has happened this year."
State
drops health plan“We offer a proposal that is not everything we want, [and] we realize the need to build consensus and reduce conflict,” Jauch said in a statement Friday. “In an effort to do our job … and address critical needs in health care, compromise is necessary.”
"We have ways of locating where there is an issue on the line, and they finally isolated it in a swampy area. They saw a beaver lodge and found out that a beaver had cut the cable," said CenturyTel representative Kim Valiquette. "They were joking that the beaver was trying to install his own phone line and wanted high speed Internet. It's sort of funny, but it really isn't because we don't want our customers’ service interrupted."
Sen
R. Feingold
"But now it appears that the Senator from Nevada has actually identified himself as the objector of the bill so we know what is going on here. I believe that the new provision under the new law is the reason that this individual identified himself."
"After a decade of government and independent reports calling for reforming the Corps, and pointing out stunning flaws in Corps projects and project studies, and after the tragic failures of New Orleans’ levees during Hurricane Katrina, the American people deserve meaningful reforms to ensure that the projects the Corps builds are safe, appropriate, environmentally responsible, and fiscally sound."
Sen
H. Kohl
"But Kohl, who chairs the Senate Special Committee on Aging, is concerned that the effort is not sufficiently coordinated and that some seniors could wake up in February 2009 without access to critical weather and emergency information."
Rep
D. Obey"After the 2006 elections, Representative David Obey, Democrat of Wisconsin and the House Appropriations Committee chairman, vowed to cut earmarks by half in the House draft of this year's budget bills. That has mostly happened, say budget analysts: There are thousands fewer in the House bills than there were under the Republicans."
Gov.
Doyle“Last month we were put to the test by the tragic floods that hit southern Wisconsin. Fortunately, Wisconsin’s response showed that we are ready when emergency strikes. Our first responders performed exceptionally, acting courageously and swiftly to aid citizens across the state.”
City
Refuses Our Group, Hearing Impaired, Clear Audio -
About_Ironwood"They are required to provide media with clean audio-- direct from the City's feed -- if it is available. If they refuse they are in further violation of the OMA. This charge will be added to the existing complaint already submitted to the Attorney General's office and the Michigan State Police post in Wakefield."
Before
MoveOn's "General Betray Us," there was Limbaugh's "Senator Betrayus"
- Media Matters"By the way, we had a caller call, couldn't stay on the air, got a new name for Senator Hagel in Nebraska, we got General Petraeus and we got Senator Betrayus, new name for Senator Hagel."
"On "Grand Dreams," Patritto sings 10 original songs, accompanying herself on piano or keyboard. The CD includes a cover of Willie Nelson's "Crazy," with Dave Morehouse on acoustic guitar and Patritto on keys/synthesizer."
Doyle,
top lawmakers to meet to resolve budget impasse"Doyle wouldn't give specifics, but he reiterated that he would only support a budget that includes his health care insurance plan to cover 98 percent of the state's residents -- including all children -- does not cut higher education and has a strong medical assistance program."
Woman
charged with endangering baby released on signature bond "The charges stem from a Sept. 15 incident in Hurley in which Hurley Police Officer Dan Thomas found Herman inside a Silver Street tavern with her baby. According to the complaint, Herman was "seated at the bar, with her head on the bar." The bartender was holding "a very small baby" in her arms, the complaint said."
"According to the report, HPD Sgt. Chris Colassaco observed the two as they pulled the garbage cans from a pole at the Silver Street-Second Avenue intersection. Colassaco then made the arrests. Persons' preliminary breath test registered .17 and Benson, .19, the report said."
"The two-vehicle mishap occurred on Cloverland Drive, about 400 feet from the Lake Street intersection. William Peter Hansen Jr., 48, of Sunset Road, Ironwood, took his eyes off the highway, watching a skunk with a jar on its head on the side of the roadway."
Pall
of hypocrisy hangs over Lasee"Brown County court records show that Lasee, a strict social and fiscal conservative, had an out-of-wedlock child a few years ago and waged a legal battle with the mother over child support."
Democrats
offer to drop health plan"First, Senate Democrats offered to drop their universal health care plan if Assembly Republicans go along with tax increases on cigarettes and hospitals, and transfer $175 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund to expand health care coverage."
"But each day that legislators delay implementing a responsible budget, they make it harder for local government to plan, collect and allocate resources and deliver essential services over the long term."
State
initiatives aim to help uninsured patients with HIV"The estimated $1.4 million in savings could then be invested to provide HIV-positive patients with medical, dental and mental health care, said Cheryl Thiede, the agency's associate director of social services in northern and western Wisconsin."
DNR
details plans for disposing of dredged material "After opposition was raised to dumping the material at a sand and gravel pit on Sanborn Avenue, DNR and other officials decided to dispose of the material at the city's now-closed demolition landfill at the end of Woodbury Lane."
Sen
R. Feingold"But I was pleased that the amendment included a binding start and end date to the redeployment of our troops from Iraq, something I first proposed over a year ago. It is disappointing that the Senate once again failed to act on the will of the American people and end the President’s disastrous Iraq policy."
Proctor
Dixon Hile Robison M.D."Proctor grew up in Indiana, was a graduate of Indiana University School of Law and worked as a lawyer for 34 years. He was veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam."
[Good bye, friend. - Bob]
School
officials assessing damaged windows "When the roof was replaced recently, eaves were added to the building, but for nearly 15 years there were no eaves. That resulted in moisture running down the side of the building, causing infiltration problems, including the damaged windows."
High-school
testing scam reported"The man said he received a phone call from an Asian female asking for either a credit card or bank account number, the report said. The woman said the information was necessary if the man's son plans to receive any scholarships."
Three
Northwoods school districts to receive federal funds to improve math,
science skills"Grants were directed to partnerships that include high-need school districts based on mathematics and science achievement on statewide tests, poverty and population density. School districts that have a school or schools identified for improvement under federal requirements and districts with small student populations that partner together to serve a minimum of 1,800 to 2,500 students received priority."
"The cheese was sold under the name "Queso Cincho de Guerrero" in multiple stores in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Texas, according to importer MCP Inc., which has its headquarters in Monroe, Wis."
State
superintendent says Sept. 28 deadline for budget is 'real'"Burmaster said Thursday that the Sept. 28 deadline is "real." That is the latest that new figures for aid to schools can be received by the state Department of Public Instruction in order for them to be analyzed and prepared for certification."
Hundreds
of students protest Halliburton recruiters at UW-Madison"University rules said protesters could not chant or shout, so they sang instead. "I said, 'From high to low, Halliburton's got to go,'" the crowd sang over and over. Protesters accused Halliburton, whose former subsidiary is a major military contractor, of making billions of dollars off the Iraq war."
Senate
rejects Feingold troop-withdrawal plan"Our top national security priority should be going after al-Qaida and its affiliates. They are waging a global campaign. The war in Iraq is not making us safer. It is making us more vulnerable. It is playing into the hands of our enemies," Feingold said.
Hearing
on area code draws no public interest "There was no citizen participation at a hearing near Ashland Wednesday organized by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning upcoming changes in the 715 telephone area code."
"According to police, a 23-year-old man wearing a Batgirl costume was driving the car when officers pulled it over for not having the headlights on last Thursday night."
[Although usually I get these from the Wassau paper, this one resulted from an Olberman item. - Bob]
Sen
R. Feingold
"A vote against Feingold-Reid was a vote to continue the President’s disastrous Iraq policy. Every day that the Congress fails to act, our brave troops remain in harm’s way, and our national security continues to be undermined.”
Sen
H. Kohl""Little is being done to address the unique needs of seniors," Kohl said today at a Senate hearing on the transition. The senator added that some electronics retailers are practicing "misleading sales tactics" by telling consumers they must get an expensive new Digital TV to continue watching television on the transition date."
Gov.
Doyle“I am pleased that we are able to build upon the success of the WISER Choice program and continue to improve access to recovery, treatment and prevention of substance abuse services.”
Wake
Up Walmart issues TV Ad"Amid the rampant recalls of unsafe Chinese exports, WakeUpWalMart.com released a new report and a new ad exposing Wal-Mart's cozy relationship with China."
Resident
leads push for walking-biking trail to school"School district administrator Chris Patritto said a walking trail to the school had been considered six or seven years ago, but the project never advanced beyond the talking stage. He said a trail could be built along Range View Drive, noting there are many students who walk to school and many adults who walk for exercise."
Jauch
not confident Wisconsin budget stalemate will end soon"Today's Assembly political sideshow is nothing more than a waste of time and an unfortunate distraction to sincere efforts to find real compromise in the state budget. While the Assembly proposal is a marked improvement from their original education budget, it nonetheless demonstrates a defiance of a legislative process that requires cooperation from both parties,"
Assembly
breaks up budget"In a sign that legislators have grown restless waiting for a new state budget, the Assembly on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would fund two of the most expensive programs - public schools and local governments."
Doyle
talks with leaders as state budget stalemate continues"After meeting separately with the Republican leader of the Assembly and the Democratic leader of the Senate, Doyle said "there's still some very, very big differences" between the two parties. "Now it's time for the compromises to be made," Doyle said."
Evoking
Vietnam clash, UW-Madison students to protest Halliburton visit"On Thursday, students plan to carry signs reading "Curly, off campus!" as they protest a recruiting visit by a company they see as a villain in the war in Iraq: Halliburton Co. Protesters plan to disrupt the company's visit to an engineering career fair by discouraging students from talking to its representatives."
"The stop is the first in a tour of the eleven schools in the Big Ten Conference to find models for Playboy’s “Girls of the Big 10” pictorial, which will appear in the May 2008 issue."
"Frank told Moscow police he was driving near downtown early Saturday while a man and woman were having sex in the rear of the vehicle. According to a probable cause affidavit, he said the movement caused the SUV to become “tippy” and he lost control of it."
Assembly
passes spending bills, but Senate balks "I'm extremely disappointed that they would waste time issuing political ultimatums rather than spending the day working with Senate conferees to identify solutions," Jauch, a member of the Joint Committee on Finance, said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday."
Sen
R. Feingold"Congress must fix the Protect America Act to address the fundamental flaws in that new law: the lack of meaningful court involvement, the lack of privacy protections for the communications of law-abiding Americans, and inadequate congressional and administrative oversight."
on
Republicans Blocking the Restoration of Habeas Corpus“It is deeply disappointing that a minority of the Senate once again blocked efforts to restore the writ of Habeas Corpus."
Feingold
Continues to Push Congress to Use its Power to End the Open-Ended Mission in
Iraq“Now, the President, and some members here in Congress, still want to keep a large number of our brave troops bogged down in Iraq indefinitely, while al Qaeda continues to strengthen and regenerate itself in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. The American people are as determined as ever to end this disastrous war. If Congress fails to end this mistake, it won’t be because we don’t have the power -- it will be because we don’t have the will.”
Gov.
DoyleSchool
board still in dark over state funding"About a month away from the school district's annual meeting, the Hurley School Board has no idea how much aid the state legislature will budget for education. "I suggest people get in touch with our legislators and urge them to pass the state budget," school board president Joe Simonich said Monday."
DNR
gives green light to tentative agreement involving Fisher Lake parcel""It's A-OK with the department, as long as the six-acre Fisher Lake parcel remains in forest crop," Jeff Barkley from the DNR's Division of Forest Management told the Daily Globe. The agreement allows for reciprocal easements to and over a six-acre parcel on Fisher Lake, along with a $110,000 payment to Edelstein."
Hurley
mayor honored "Most mayors have the goal of improving their community when they take office, but few have the opportunity to make dramatic improvements that will transform their community for decades to come. Such is the case with Hurley Mayor Joe Pinardi, who is working with the city council and staff on a four-year project to improve the sewer and water system and provide road construction for a 60-block area," the MSA tribute to the mayor said."
Three
join Coldwell Banker-Larson Realty"Larson Realty is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and has offices in Park Falls, Phillips and Mercer, in addition to its Hurley location."
Fewer
bridges in state deficient"Auditors reported Monday that since their initial report, the number of structurally defi cient bridges in the state has dropped. In 2002, 7.6% of the roughly 4,900 state-owned bridges were considered structurally deficient. In 2006, that rate had dropped to 4.3%, they said."
Public
commenting on proposed ATV trails"Some see the trails as a loud nuisance that could harm the environment; others see them as an economic boon that would fill the void left by snowmobilers whose machines have remained in sheds during the last few warm winters."
Assembly
OKs school, local aids; Senate unlikely to take them up"Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, wants to negotiate the entire budget so the whole package can pass at the same time and be signed into law by Doyle. The budget was due July 1. But in Wisconsin, state government continues operating at the same level of funding as the previous year until a new spending plan is enacted."
"The original measure passed the Demcoratic-controlled Senate in May on a 26-7 vote. It would require a hospital to give rape victims information about emergency contraception, tell them they have the option of using it and give it to them upon request."
"Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said after this morning's 6-4 vote that an amendment tacked on to the bill by Gundrum "guts and nullifies the legislation, allowing rape victims to be further traumatized at the emergency room by not receiving appropriate health care and resulting in more unintended pregnancies which could result in abortions.""
"It seemed like a good idea at first, and we actually looked and found a home large enough for the three of us. Still, when it came to a final decision, we realized that although our personalities were compatible, our goals and expectations were not."
"Animal expert Jack Hanna and an 11-month-old flamingo became trapped while trying to squeeze through an airport security turnstile. It took firefighters to get the flamingo out."
"Puppies should come with a health guarantee," says local dog trainer Carol Lofquist, who frequently encounters dogs from mills in her work, particularly when they develop signs of fear or aggression. "Their eyes and hips should be certified, for example, if those are recognized problems with that breed. You should be able to take the dog back if there are health issues and, if they say no, that's a big red flag."
Sen
R. Feingold
Feingold
Seeks to Bring Teachers to the Table During Debate on the NCLB
Reauthorization“Since NCLB’s enactment five years ago, I have received invaluable feedback from Wisconsin’s educators, administrators, and parents regarding the effect NCLB is having in Wisconsin’s classrooms,” Feingold said. “This advisory committee will provide nationwide feedback and will allow Congress to hear about NCLB directly from those who deal with the law and its consequences on a daily basis.”
Gov.
Doyle- Because of interest in the Ironwood City Council election, I will be putting together a single page with statements by the candidates. If you know anyone running in that race, please have them send me something at lemon@wegoweb.net.
- In response to people who get their national news elsewhere, I will tend toward listing press releases only from Feingold, Kohl, and Obey... resorting to, at most, a single article from out-of-state newspapers when nothing else is available.
Keystone
Bridge gets more noticeable"Visitors having trouble finding the Keystone Bridge will receive a little help. It's now one of 23 stops on the Western Upper Peninsula's Heritage Trail. "
County
to hold public hearing on proposed nuisance ordinance "Under the proposed ordinance, town and city officials will be responsible for noting possible violations within their respective municipalities. The Iron County Sheriff's Department will be in charge of enforcing the ordinance, including issuing and serving of notices and citations."
Welcome
center bins for travelers only"Iron County residents should use the Iron County Recycling Site on Bernard Street in Hurley. Hours are between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday."
Weeklong
library celebration "Mercer Public Library's 10th Year Anniversary Celebration will begin Monday, Oct. 1 and continue through Friday, Oct. 5 with the following events at the library:"
"Wisconsin has the highest rates in the nation for high school student and underage drinking. Forty-nine percent of high school students drink, while 39 percent of those under 21 do. About 2,100 Wisconsin residents die annually from accidents or diseases related to alcohol or drug use, and almost $190 million in public funds are spent on related hospitalizations and treatment."
"Wisconsin has a very serious set of problems related to alcohol use," said Paul Moberg, a senior scientist in population health sciences at UW-Madison and the lead researcher for the report. "And this has been going on for a long time."
Software
slowdown"Instead, to save energy and reduce heat, they 're putting multiple cores on the same chip -- the equivalent of several computers on the same slice of silicon. The cores run slower but are more energy-efficient, and are designed to break up big chores and work on the separate pieces simultaneously."
"Frankly, heavier trucks have been the main culprit in tearing up the concrete and blacktop that is put down at a million-plus dollars a mile and cracking those bridge beds that need be rebuilt for tens of millions more. According to a U.S. government study, one 40-ton truck does as much damage to a road as 9,600 cars. Trucks that are permitted to carry loads of up to 50 tons cause even more."
Sen
R. FeingoldFeingold,
Leahy Introduce Bill to Reform NCLB"“The federal government’s one-size-fits-all education policy under No Child Left Behind is the wrong approach,” said Feingold, who is seeking changes to the education law based on the feedback he has received from educators,"
On
Michael Mukasey's Nomination to be the Next Attorney General“To that end, Judge Mukasey must demonstrate that his first loyalty will be to the rule of law, not to the President. In particular I will be interested in his views on executive power and the need to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans while fighting al Qaeda and its affiliates aggressively."
Sen
H. Kohl"During this process, it is essential that he show that he can be independent of the White House and that he will be able to restore credibility to the Justice Department."
on
the President's Address on the Petraeus Report"The draw down will, in effect, bring us back to where we started. The American people, myself included, are frustrated with the lack of political progress in Iraq and want to see the Administration begin to end our commitment there."
Gov.
DoyleJudge
prods attorneys to move forward in vehicular homicide case"Alan Michael Simmons, 20, who has been in jail since April on 10 felonies stemming from the March 22 vehicular death of Cody Southwell, 18, of Ironwood, will have to wait 60 days longer to find out what direction his case will take."
Public
encouraged to observe Wolf Awareness Week"Each year in honor of Wolf Awareness Week, Oct. 14 through 20, Timber Wolf Alliance distributes national and regional wolf posters to schools, libraries, nature centers and individuals. These posters celebrate the return of this native species to some of its historical habitat."
Mandatory
arbitration not always fair fight"They filed a complaint with the state's consumer protection office but couldn't appeal the association's decision because it was decided under binding arbitration."
"Dairy farmer Troy DeRosier realized four years ago that, with a disabled son, he needed a more reliable source of income. Rather than get out of the business - where volatile prices are as much a way of life as getting up early to milk the cows - he diversified."
Education
budget proposals traded"State budget negotiators reached agreement on how much general state aid should be sent to schools over the next two years, but continued to trade proposals Friday on the rest of the education budget without reaching consensus. Both sides tried to spin the action to their benefit."
Wireless
Internet access percolates throughout area"At least 17 restaurants, coffee shops and book stores in the Wausau, Mosinee and Merrill areas offer the service. The Marathon County Public Library in Wausau offers wireless access, and the county's smaller branch libraries are expected to have wireless capabilities next year"
Sen
R. FeingoldSen.
Feingold tells Petraeus, Crocker that Iraq diverts attention
- Appleton Post Crescent"Feingold, D-Wis., pressed the two men on “our extreme focus on Iraq” and whether the United States should focus more on al-Qaida hideouts such as North Africa or in safe havens along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border."
"The cleverness of Bush's strategy was apparent when Senator Russ Feingold asked Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker a very important question: Which should have the higher priority in the war against al-Qaeda, Iraq or the rebuilt al-Qaeda leadership and terrorist camps, festering on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border? Feingold had forced Crocker, the elusive former ambassador to Pakistan, into a corner and then, inexplicably, let him off the hook and turned to Petraeus, who rightly claimed a lack of knowledge or authority to answer that question."
"Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat and fierce critic of the Iraq war, says the U.S. should have focused on Afghanistan in its fight against al-Qaida. He says the question isn't whether the U.S. is winning in Iraq - but rather whether the war is helping or hurting efforts to defeat al-Qaida."
Sen
H. Kohl"Kohl is asking Barnett to devote sufficient resources to complete the agency's review within the mandatory 30-day waiting period to resolve uncertainty about the transaction for employees and customers of Midwest Airlines."
"Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) last week introduced legislation that would require drug and device companies to disclose the amount of money they give to doctors through payments, gifts, honoraria, travel and other means, reports the Sept. 10, 2007 issue of Rx Compliance Report-- http://www.RxComplianceReport.com."
President
Bush Addresses Nation - WDIO-TV - Duluth,MN"Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl said in a written statement, "I'm disappointed that the president's strategy for Iraq appears to continue down the same dead-end road. The draw down will, in effect, bring us back to where we started.""
Rep
D. Obey"Bush is so embattled over Iraq that he "is trying to reclaim the mantle of fiscal responsibility" by threatening to veto much of the 2008 budget a new Democratic majority is trying to fashion, said Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee."
Major
compromise offered by Republicans, but with a catch "Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, spurred the momentum by offering a $235 million increase in funding for K-12 schools, which is the same level that Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle proposed and the Senate passed. That is $85 million more than the Republican-led Assembly passed in its budget."
Lightening
Earth's load"Though many once doubted the problem, the public is more attuned to the link between the use of fossil fuels and climate change. As a response, they are looking for ways to use less gasoline and other fuels."
Red
Cross gives nearly $1 million to Wis., Minn. flood victims"The Red Cross has given flood victims more than $954,000 in direct support, she said. It has served 56,000 meals and distributed 125,000 snacks and bottles of water. To help with the cleanup, Red Cross workers gave out 661 comfort kits, nearly 6,000 cleanup kits, and more than 28,000 items such as shovels, rubber gloves and boots.:"
Obey
wrong on impeachment"The Wisconsin way is to stand on principle, as "Fighting Bob" La Follette did. And the principled position is the one taken by U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who has signed on as a proud co-sponsor of impeachment resolutions that have been proposed in the House."
“Seems like another opportunity for those who oppose abortion rights to get out and speak about it,” Hintz said.
Harley's
dominance wanes at Fall Ride"But for the most part, riding a motorcycle -- any motorcycle -- allows admittance to a sacred club of sorts. "If you're on two wheels, you can ride with me," Mohr said. "I don't care what you ride, as long as it doesn't break down.""
Wisconsin's
sights are set on Earth-friendly tourism"It's a conundrum: People are drawn to the state's natural beauty, but they interact with it in an unsympathetic way. The challenge is to connect the dots."
GOP
Leader Boehner: If We Defeat Al Qaeda, "We" Will Have Paid "A Small Price"
In Iraq"We need to continue our effort here because, Wolf, long term, the investment that we’re making today will be a small price if we’re able to stop al Qaeda here, if we’re able to stabilize the Middle East, it’s not only going to be a small price for the near future, but think about the future for our kids and their kids."
Public
hearings set to discuss new area code for northern Wisconsin
"The 715 area code covers a huge area, roughly the northern half of the state from the rural Northwoods to the western Wisconsin portion of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Superior and Wausau are also in the 715."
Sewer
work due to be done in five weeks "All underground piping for sanitary sewer, watermains and storm sewers has been constructed on the east side of the city on First Avenue and the adjacent side streets. Similar work has also been completed on the north side of U.S. 51."
ATV
trail designation a statewide issue "And so town and city officials must establish and properly mark designated ATV routes to be used as access routes in their respective municipalities, Mike Lutz, from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources legal services of Madison, said."
"Action
Floor makes floor systems -- which include a subfloor and the maple boards
that are installed on top of the subfloor. The company makes many different
subfloors with varying degrees of resiliency, Stephenson said.""Loon Watch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College, is accepting proposals for the 2008 Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award. The award is named for biologist Sigurd T. Olson, whose 1952 paper with co-author William H. Marshall, "The Common Loon in Minnesota," continues to be cited as one of the premier baseline reports on the species."
Enormous
agate found along Lake Superior"On Saturday, Debbie Musielak, of Paradise, and a friend went agate hunting west of Vermilion. Musielak found a whopper of an agate weighing in at 3.84 pounds."
Doyle
staff pushing college plan in area"Doyle and his staff have been aggressively promoting the Wisconsin Covenant concept since the start of the new school year, even as state budget negotiators remained deadlocked over funding for the program. Under the proposal announced by Doyle last year, the state would guarantee college admission and financial aid to any student who gets good grades and stays out trouble during high school."
Lawmakers
trade proposals on education funding"State budget negotiators reached agreement on how much general state aid should be sent to schools over the next two years, but continued to trade proposals Friday on the rest of the education budget without reaching consensus."
Sen
R. Feingold
Landmark
Lobbying and Ethics Reform Bill"The public is well aware that Washington lobbyists have too much influence in Congress. By banning gifts from lobbyists, ending the use of corporate jets, strengthening revolving door restrictions, and requiring disclosure of lobbyists’ political contributions and bundling, this bill will provide significant protection against the kinds of abuses that brought us the Abramoff scandal"
“While many Democrats and Republicans have acknowledged the President’s strategy is the wrong approach, Congress has so far failed to take strong action to end it."
Test
well not producing as expected"It seems likely that the three wells together could provide from 150 to 250 gpm. The high end of that range would be sufficient to provide (all the water the city needs)," Martin said. The last round of test pumping will provide information needed for the sizing and design of a water treatment plant."
Adult
education offerings announced "Hurley Community Education and Wisconin Indianhead Technical College have scheduled the following adult education classes for the Fall 2007 semester."
After-school
program seeks mentors, tutors, teachers"The Hurley School program is being offered Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3-5 p.m. at the Hurley K-12 School and from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Saxon Community Center."
What
about autumn? Snow possible on Friday ""I wouldn't be worried about seeing too much," said Jon Banitt. "Oftentimes with early-season snow, it's that groppel, sleet-looking kind of stuff." Groppel snow is light, hail-like snow."
"Concessions were made by both sides on the technical colleges, but legislators disagreed on how much state aid the colleges should receive and whether the annual statewide limit on their tax levies should be 2.6% or 4.25%."
Executive
pleads guilty to making illegal campaign contributions"Erickson, the former director of government affairs for the Kenosha trucking firm ATC Leasing, pleaded guilty to controlling a cash fund that was illegally used to reimburse campaign contributions to more than 20 candidates, according to the statement... No candidate or officeholder has been charged with wrongdoing."
Petition
drive asks council to reconsider impeachment vote"Veterans for Peace and the Impeachment Coalition of Dane County are mounting a petition drive in the city to request Alder Mark Clear of district 19 to ask the council to reconsider its vote from Sept. 4, when the council fell three votes short of the necessary 11 votes to pass the impeachment resolution."
City
faces ATV trail dilemma"If the DNR were to strictly enforce the law, right now there would be no way for an ATV owner to get from his house to a trail, unless he lived on the trail. There's a $186 forfeiture for riding an ATV on highways. If the city adopts ATV trail routes, the council will be able to approve a 10 mph speed limit."
Complaint
pending against school district "Ms. Bessen is in a protected category because of her gender and age (55). Ms. Bessen was more qualified than a similarly situated male counterpart, and denied this position because of her sex and/or age," the complaint says.
Montreal:
Council approves financing for new city hall "The Montreal City Council Tuesday authorized borrowing $562,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development to finance a portion of the new $1.027 million city hall/fire station."
Wisconsin
Central says it no longer plans Ashland museum"Officials of the Wisconsin Central Limited railroad say they no longer plan to pursue a proposal by the Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation to convert the Soo Line Oredock into a museum."
'Irritable
Mom' to tell tales from the domestic trenches "She will speak Thursday at 7 p.m. at Range Community Bible Church, offering hope for overwhelmed moms. Her appearance is sponsored by the Hurley chapter of MOPS International (they're Mothers of Preschoolers)."
State
to add new area codes"Next week, the state Public Service Commission will begin hearings to gather information and answer questions about "relief" plans for the 715 area code, which covers a large swath of northern and western Wisconsin. In the 715 area, all the prefixes - the first three digits of a phone number - are expected to be exhausted in late 2009."
Almost
10,000 ninth graders commit to Wisconsin Covenant"A spokesman for Gov. Jim Doyle's office said that the Democratic governor's new program is succeeding in getting thousands of students to start thinking early about college. But Republican lawmakers aren't happy that thousands of students have now signed up for a supposed guarantee that hasn't been approved by, or even introduced in, the Legislature"
State
hoping for no more money left behind"According to the National Education Association, Wisconsin has received $593 million less than what was promised to them by the federal government. Nationwide, the NEA reports the federal government has not given over $56 billion in promised funds."
"Rouland Steppert, 80, crashed his Lincoln Aviator this afternoon into the restaurant at 300 N. Sixth St. The SUV ran over two curbs, a handicapped parking sign and then into the building... Steppert crashed into the same Burger King on Oct. 15, 2005."
[I guess WDH did not label this one "odd" because it was local. - Bob]
DOT
decides on roundabout for 'T' intersection "A roundabout directs traffic in a circular motion around a center island, where vehicles entering the circle must yield to those inside the circle already ... "There is already confusion at that intersection as it is," said Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar. "I think a roundabout will create a way to manage that confusion.""
Demand
for building permits falls sharply in Oneida County"The race to build or buy in the Northwoods has slowed to a crawl. In Oneida County, new home construction is down 25 percent compared with the first eight months of 2006, and new home construction in 2006 had already dropped 20 percent from the previous year."
""We're trying to bring it back to the same as it was," Davis said. "It may not be exactly the same, but it has a similar appearance." The business, last owned and operated by Steve and Leigh Miresse, burned to the ground in November 2005."
Cedar
back on U.S. 2 road signs"At a brief ceremony Monday morning, State Rep. Gary Sherman, D-Port Wing, rededicated two signs along U.S. 2 that announce Cedar to motorists. "Somehow bureaucrats decided that Cedar didn't exist," Sherman said, "but the local residents knew better." "
Manitowish
Waters, Wis.: Annual Cranberry Colorama to be held Sept. 29
"It includes a cranberry cooking contest, art and craft booths, fsamples of cranberry juice and sweetened dried cranberries, cranberry marsh shuttle bus tours, raffles, live music by Head Over Heels, Taste of Harvest, Lioness bake sale and self-guided fall color tours of the area."
"Supporters say the mine would boost the economy and create jobs, while opponents fear it would pollute waters and disturb the serenity of the Yellow Dog Plains area."
Heavier
trucks punish infrastructure"In 2000, Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge collapsed when steel girders cracked. Several factors were blamed for the collapse, including a significant number of heavy trucks, some over the normal weight limit, that routinely traveled over the bridge. The weight limit for nearly all interstate highways is 40 tons. According to a government study, one 40-ton truck does as much damage to the road as 9,600 cars."
Medicaid
payments may be cut"Health and Family Services Secretary Kevin Hayden wrote a plan that also would cut Medicaid payments to nursing homes by 15% if lawmakers cannot settle their budget differences by year's end."
At
Senate hearing, Feingold calls Iraq a diversion"It is simply tragic that six years to the day after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, our attention is so focused on what has been the greatest mistake in the fight against al-Qaida, and that's the Iraq war,"
Doyle:
No to split budget"They're not even being serious. There's no way you can decide how much money you're going to put into K-12 education without knowing what the effect of that will be on higher education or with respect to health care."
Mike
Ivey: On housing slump, the worst is yet to come""Normally these bust periods last about four years and we're only one year into this one," he says. Unfortunately, says Davis, things will likely get a lot worse before they get any better. That means prices will keeping falling, new construction will slow to a crawl and more people are going to lose their homes -- and their jobs."
Sen
R. Feingold"But, Mr. Chairman, it is simply tragic that six years to the day after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, our attention is so focused on what has been the greatest mistake in the fight against Al Qaida, and that's the Iraq war. Both yesterday at the House hearings and today there has been virtually no reference by either the members of Congress or the witnesses to the broader context outside of Iraq."
"Today, we honor the memory of those whose lives were taken so tragically on September 11, 2001. The legacy of September 11 is not about a horrific act of terror, but about the great acts of courage we saw on that day, and the great strength of this nation as we work together to ensure the security and freedom of the American people."
Sen
H. KohlDrug-related
deaths, injuries reported to FDA surged between 1998 ... -
Chicago Tribune"Under fiscal 2008 appropriations bill being pushed by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), the chairman of a Senate appropriations subcommittee that oversees FDA funding, more money would be allocated "to provide access to databases for drug safety analysis, to hire scientists and other drug safety experts," the senator's staff said in a statement to the Tribune."
Gov.
Doyle
“Because of real fiscal responsibility, Wisconsin now has a growing economy and a healthy rainy day fund,” Governor Doyle said. “We are heading in the right direction, but the Legislature’s failure to pass a budget will have disastrous fiscal affects on our state."
"You have to see it as a joke, that should be the first thing—you have to recognize the humor of the situation, plus you need to perceive the irony of why it’s funny. Liberals see the irony, but they’re too self-righteous to laugh about it. They’d rather remain serious about it because they prefer tragedy to humor."
Women's
wellness series kicks off Wednesday"A women's wellness series featuring four different topics and speakers will begin Wednesday at The Hurley Coffee Company."
"Local growers ... are reporting dismal yields for tomatoes, green beans, peppers and squash. Many roadside stands and farmers markets also have fewer cantaloupes, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage to offer, as many of those plants suffered a mushy death in sodden fields."
Officials
mapping trails in forest"Worried about unmanaged recreation in the nation's forests, the U.S. Forest Service decreed several years ago that maps be drawn of every forest, with each road and trail clearly marked. If a trail or road isn't on the map, vehicles won't be allowed and law enforcement officers may hand out tickets."
No
consensus on Great Lakes water use legislation"Wisconsin remains the only state in which a bill to approve the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact has not been introduced. Some states, including Minnesota and Illinois, have already approved the management plan."
Wisconsin
Democrats see little progress in Iraq"Time's up - we must responsibly end our open-ended commitment in Iraq now," said Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis. "The surge has failed to produce significant improvement in Iraq."
Get
campaign cash out of budget fight"Under Wasserman's proposal, the members of the Assembly and Senate who are serving on the Joint Finance Committee and the legislative Conference Committee could not collect campaign cash until they have completed their official duties."
Sheehan
at Bob Fest: We must impeach"The country's best-known anti-war activist, Cindy Sheehan, made her first trip to the Madison area Saturday, headlining the sixth annual Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo and calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush."
Reciprocity
stalls amid protests“The reciprocity agreement did not get its final approval today by the Board of Regents,” U of M spokesperson Dan Wolter said Friday. “We are in the middle of a strike with [the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees] and there was a demonstration that caused the regents to adjourn their meeting early.”
"First, Boniface said, he ripped the man’s shirt off. Then, “his head was down over the railing, and in today’s world, pants are worn fairly loose. I pulled his pants, and his pants and underpants and shoes came completely off. He was completely nude.”
Bugle
Days celebrates return of northwoods' elk herd "On Saturday, DNR elk biologist Laine Stowell took a group of participants out into the woods in an effort to bugle up some elk. "We split into two groups and both groups heard bulls bugle," Stowell said."
New
solar heating firm offers innovative products"In Lake Superior country, solar water heating, and the new solar electric panels can both provide energy savings, and be made affordable by a combination of State of Wisconsin and federal government grants and tax credits."
Sen
R. Feingold
Mental
Health Services for Women Vets"After hearing concerns directly from Wisconsin veterans about the issue, Feingold’s office contacted the GAO, which noted that a report on women veterans has not been conducted since military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan began."
Sen
H. Kohl"The protesters, part of the Madison Pledge of Resistance peace activist group, put up yellow crime scene tape across the sidewalk in front of Kohl's office and read off names of U.S. soldiers and Iraqis who have died in the war."
Gov.
DoyleGovernor
Doyle to Commemorate 9/11"Governor Doyle has issued a proclamation ordering the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin to be flown at half staff on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. "
"In 3 1/2 weeks in Africa in July, Morzenti helped construct a school addition, met an inspiring woman who had built an orphanage, played soccer with schoolchildren, visited native Maasai and Hadza villages, photographed lions and elephants from close-up, ate tree roots and roasted squirrel."
Range
Bible Church children's club to meet Wednesday "Awana is a Bible club for children in kindergarten through sixth grade and seeks to provide direction, build character and develop relationships through activities such as challenging and fast paced games, rewards and achievements, and Bible study and memorization."
State's
next hunters sought"Harsh winter weather once kept the northern herd in check through "winter kill," but that has not happened since 1991, said George Meyer, head of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. The estimated 1.2 million deer that roamed the state in January have grown to a projected population of 1.6 million to 1.8 million for the archery hunt, which opens Sept. 15, Warnke said."
Companies
linking benefits charges to health risks"Employee advocates worry that other anti-discrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act won't cover the person who is 20 or 30 pounds overweight. The businesses are deducting from employees' paychecks, adding insurance surcharges or offering insurance discounts or rebates only to low-risk workers."
"So far, 38 Mexican trucking firms have been prescreened to go anywhere in the U.S., Hill said. The Teamsters union, Sierra Club and watchdog group Public Citizen had sued to stop the program, arguing there wouldn't be enough oversight of drivers, but a federal appeals court ruled the Bush administration could move ahead."
Feeling
young at 25 mph"And they still ride the vintage Urban Express, which are very fuel efficient. You can get 100 miles out of a gallon of gas. A good thing since the club trips take the riders 100 miles and more. "We get out and see the back roads," says Norm Hilleshiem, 69, the club president. In many ways, the club is the perfect retirement vehicle. It's sociable, recreational and educational. "It keeps the guys young," says Dick Dalberg, 68."
Presidential
campaign could be savior of Great Lakes"With the presidential election less than 14 months away, Great Lakes advocates should capitalize on the fact that five of the eight states bordering the world's largest freshwater system are designated as key battlegrounds, a media consultant told a group of about 250 conservationists, scientists and business leaders that gathered in Chicago this week for the third annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference."
Open
enrollment closed to white Madison students"But he's in Madison, where growing numbers of white students are discovering that because of their race, the state's open enrollment program actually is closed. "I feel like I'm left out," said Zachary, who wants to attend a public online school — one like his big brother Daniel, 15, enjoys."
Bob
Fest's insurgency"Fighting Bob Fest, which was founded five years ago to gather the beleaguered foes of the then-popular Bush/Cheney presidency and the corporate conservatism that had come to dominate Congress and the state Legislature, has always been an insurgent gathering. And now that progressives are on the march, with their ideals and values more popular now than at any time in decades, the challenge is not to rouse the rabble."
"In the beginning, it was just Stauber and his buddy Sheldon Rampton, a local typesetter and Princeton University grad Stauber recruited to help produce the first issue of PR Watch. The publication, which now appears quarterly on the center's Web site, www.prwatch.org, specializes in "blowing the lid off today's multi-billion dollar propaganda-for-hire industry.""
Sen
H. KohlSenators
Seek Public Listing of Payments to Doctors - New York Times"Senator Herb Kohl, Democrat of Wisconsin, said drug and medical device makers had long defended their payments and gifts to doctors as appropriate. “If that is the case, full disclosure will only serve to prove them right,” Mr. Kohl said."
- BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS -_6:00 P.M.
- POLICE, FIRE & LICENSE COMMITTEE
- FINANCE COMMITTEE
- PUBLIC HEARING – 6:30 P.M.
- CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Immediately following the Public Hearing
'Hot
button' system installed at dispatch center"Calls made to 911 from Dobson Cellular customers in Michigan than ring into the Iron County Sheriff's Department dispatch center can now be transferred to Negaunee for dispatch with the push of a button."
Laguna
lawyer: 'I was wrong'"On Thursday, Bourg testified that at the time of trial he believed he could use only one defense, but he now believes he was wrong. "After the trial was over, I went back and looked, and I think I was wrong." Bourg said he has since learned that he could have used both defenses simultaneously. "
""We hope to find a positive solution, but I will be frank with you," Glieberman said. "I don't want to blindside you." He said he hopes the talks with the DNR will be completed within four to five weeks."
Visitor
center changes hours"The center is open daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Oct. 14. The extended summer hours that ended on Labor Day were funded by a contribution from the Friends of the Apostle Islands."
Housing
market in for worse?"Conditions were expected to improve by 2008, he said, "but with the current credit market turmoil, it's likely we'll see delinquencies and foreclosures rise for another quarter or so after we thought.""
"A $9.2 million bridge shut down only two years after it opened will remain closed for a second week to do more testing of the concrete in the footings for one of the piers, a state transportation administrator said Friday."
"Instead, Brown issued a press release that simply declared, "When 'made in China' becomes a warning label, something's very wrong. Our trade policy should prevent these problems, not invite them.""
Student
aid still in doubt“This is nothing short of cruel — it’s time to stop playing with people’s lives,” Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, said. “Anyone who fails to commit to funding these grants should be held accountable for the damage they cause to the lives of these young men and women.”
"I just don't know why he didn't see a uniformed police officer standing basically right in front of him," Little Rock police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said. "My guess is he's just not the brightest of people."
Lighthouse
Celebration offers rare chance to see lights "The Island Princess departs the Bayfield City Dock and offers non-stop narrated cruises to view lighthouses from the vessel. The Grand Tour departs daily at 10 a.m., some days at 2 p.m., and delivers views of the lights on Raspberry and Devils Island on its 55-mile route through the National Lakeshore. On September 8, 15 and 22 the Ultimate Lighthouse Cruise departing at 2 p.m. passes five of the island beacons."
Foreclosure
rates on the rise in Vilas and Oneida counties"According to local experts, the worst is yet to come. Oneida County Sheriff Jeff Hoffman reports a marked increase in the number of foreclosures his department has seen in the past two years, from 45 in 2005, to 63 in 2006, to 49 so far in 2007, with 27 more scheduled for September and October."
Sen
H. Kohl“Seniors should not be worried that the title after their adviser’s name is just a marketing ploy,” said Senator Herb Kohl, Democrat of Wisconsin and chairman of the committee. “We’re taking the first step toward much-needed reform.”
Rep
D. Obey"The Center for American Progress will host a forum on Sept. 10 to talk about the Obey book and the problems facing our legislative branch. Joining Obey will be American Enterprise Institute scholar Norm Ornstein, the co-author of the recent critique of Congress titled Broken Branch, and National Journal reporter Richard Cohen, co-author of the Almanac of American Politics, to discuss "How Congress Evolves: The Perspective of a House Appropriator.""
"These writers include Sandy Tolan, Benjamin Percy and Brian Turner, who will read from their works and discuss the issues that their novels, poetry and essays address. U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.) will appear to discuss his memoir."
Gov.
Doyle
EXECUTIVE
ORDER #217"... do hereby order that the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin be flown at half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations of the State of Wisconsin equipped with such flags beginning at sunrise and ending at sundown on September 11, 2007."
Laguna
seeks new trial"Laguna was convicted of the second-degree intentional shooting of his wife, Brenda Laguna, on March 16, 2005. A hearing on the post-conviction motion for a new trial was filed in Iron County Circuit Court on May 14 by Superior attorney Catherine M. Canright."
"Hollingsworth is alleged to have stolen about $1,000 from the wallet of a man she had accompanied to his motel room in Hurley. The complaint said Hollingsworth fled the room while the man was in the bathroom."
"So far, Fleischbein and three other people have been named officers of the club, which is affiliated with a national organization. They are recruiting more members. The club will hold a kick-off gathering, possibly behind the Aurora Club. No date has been set for the initial session."
"Artwork by Kayo Miwa will be on display at the Ottawa National Forest's Watersmeet Visitor Center from Sunday through Sept. 30."
State
budget talks almost break down"Without a new state budget, school districts will have to levy property taxes to replace additional state aid they had been expecting, and local governments will not have spending limits imposed on their 2008 budgets, said Legislative Fiscal Bureau director Robert Lang."
"Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler committed misconduct by presiding over cases in which she had a conflict of interest, the Wisconsin Judicial Commission said in a complaint filed Thursday. But the commission, along with a contrite Ziegler, said the state's newest justice should receive no more than a public reprimand from her colleagues on the Supreme Court."
"The full Supreme Court -- without Ziegler -- must now review the complaint against Ziegler and decide whether the reprimand or other more serious penalties are appropriate. Ziegler's case marks the first time the Judicial Commission has ever filed a complaint against a sitting Supreme Court justice."
Obey
book an inside look"Attention, students of modern American politics: The University of Wisconsin Press has a new book that's perfect for you. It's written by one of Wisconsin's own, David Obey, who has represented the northwestern part of the state in Congress since 1969, and it's nothing short of a winner."
In-Depth:
Mopeds hit the streets"Although more than a thousand people registered mopeds last year, Litza said there usually aren’t more than 900 on campus at one time. “We’re still going to have way more stalls than mopeds on campus,” he added."
CN:
Oredock slated for removal "In a surprise move Friday, officials of the Wisconsin Central Limited, owned by the CN (formerly Canadian National) Railway, announced to City of Ashland officials that they would no longer pursue a proposal by the Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation to convert the oredock into a museum and would instead raze the dock and its approaches and remove all of the dock structures to the lake bed."
PSC
looking at splitting up 715 area code "The need for a new area code in the 715 area is prompted by the growth of telecommunications competition, as well as by demands for new telecommunications services and telephone numbers," the filing said. "The increasing appearance of new service providers and the growing public use of services such as wireless telephones, pagers, facsimile machines and modems have consumed additional telephone numbers."
Sen
R. FeingoldFeingold
Pushes for Answers on Great Lakes Water Levels“When it comes to figuring out why the water levels in the Great Lakes are dropping so sharply, the time to act is now,” Feingold said. “We can’t afford to delay taking real action to improve the situation."
"The Justice Department’s Inspector General has already found that the NSL authorities have been seriously abused by the government, and now a federal court has found parts of those authorities unconstitutional. Congress needs to fix the mess it created when it gave the government overly-broad powers to obtain sensitive information about Americans.”
50th
Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1957"The law’s substantive achievements were modest compared with the landmark legislation that followed, but the creation of the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice has gained significance over time and is that law’s greatest legacy today."
"You think that the ISF will be able to hold neighbourhoods cleared by American forces and if not, is there any reason to think that any gains that have been made during the recent surge will actually hold in the long run?"
Rep
D. Obey"Necedah National Wildlife Refuge is getting a new visitor center, and refuge manager Larry Wargowsky knows he has a big, white bird to thank for it. ... U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and co-chair of the National Wildlife Refuge Caucus, has been a strong advocate for the Necedah refuge. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Rep. David Obey have also backed the project."
Gov.
DoyleEXECUTIVE
ORDER #216"WHEREAS, on August 13, 2007, Specialist Alun Howells, a member of the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, died as a result of injuries sustained during enemy action in Iraq..."
Cedar
rescued from oblivion"When U.S. 2 was reconstructed a few years ago, the Cedar signs along the highway in the Saxon-Gurney area were never replaced. The signs will re-erected on Monday, Sept. 10, at 11 a.m., according to State Rep. Gary Sherman, D-Port Wing.:"
Clinics,
screenings offered this month "The Iron County Health Department is offering clinics and health screenings in September. They are at the health department in Hurley, unless otherwise noted."
GIANT
makes cocaine bust"Sieraski was arrested after he was stopped on U.S. 51 as he was entering Hurley with 2.5 ounces of cocaine, according to Ironwood Public Safety Department Det. Rod Passuello, a spokesman for the GIANT."
"Wisconsin's wild rice season is under way, but state and tribal officials says this summer's drought in the north has left some traditional ricing areas high and dry. Lake and some stream levels remain low affecting the quality and quantity of available rice."
"On Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Land O' Lakes Historical Society's NorthernWaters Museum will host a wild rice demonstration with participation by members of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians."
Benefits
of cleaning Great Lakes cited"But an independent panel of economic experts said Wednesday that the restoration plan shouldn't be viewed as an expense, but as an economic opportunity. They maintain that fixing the world's largest freshwater system would create an estimated $50 billion in long-term economic benefits."
"Buzzing squadrons of mosquitoes, which were on an entomological vacation until drenching rains and floods arrived a few weeks ago, are making life miserable for many. As in just about anyone who goes outdoors."
"It has really grown to be a big nuisance in this city in the sense of gypsy moth caterpillar droppings," Eddy said Tuesday. "People cannot enjoy their own yards and sidewalks. They are like peppercorns. They literally will rain on you — it sounds like rain coming through the leaves."
"A combination of stagnant wages, soaring health care costs, the housing slump and a gyrating stock market have many Americans fretting over their pocketbooks amid the backyard barbecues and union hall picnics."
"“I know it sounds weird, but I want to be a freak lawyer,” the man known for 15 years as “Eak the Geek” said. “I hope to have a little office in New York and work with the alternative people, all the so-called riffraff, to give them legal representation that is not judgmental.”"
Festival
Italiano return termed 'success'""Everyone was excited to be back on the main street," said Hurley Chamber of Commerce executive director Susan Moore. There was as steady flow of people throughout the day, along three blocks of Silver Street, from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue, Moore said, as she termed this year's Festivale Italiano a "success.""
Warm,
breezy day marks annual family picnic "Talking about the city and its updated infrastructure, Casanova said, "The city's in a lot better shape now than when I was growing up -- city government, city facilities -- the things they have accomplished.""
Mercer
woman dies in crash"Courtney Miller, 22, was traveling west on Fisher Lake Road just east of Iron County H, when she lost control of her vehicle and struck the tree, the report said. There were no passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident, the report added."
Mackinaw
City: Tens of thousands trek across bridge on 50th anniversary
"About 57,000 people walked, jogged or wheeled over the 5-mile-long span linking Michigan's lower and upper peninsulas, while 50 others added a new twist to the Labor Day ritual by swimming across the straits below."
"The fire in Luce County north of Newberry remains about 95 percent contained, the state Department of Natural Resources said. It has covered more than 18,000 acres and has cost $6 million to fight."
Budget
talks yield snubs, naps"Lobbyists who normally pack serious budget deliberations skipped the meetings. With the word out that no real deals were being cut yet, they had better things to do."
"On July 17, Gray had been arrested for a number of crimes, including car theft and attempted burglary. Prosecutors didn't charge him so he was released from jail on July 21. One day later, Moore was dead."
Man
charged with conspiring to make $250,000 in illegal donations"A conspiracy run out of a Wisconsin trucking firm funneled more than $250,000 to candidates who backed expanded Indian gambling or relaxed restrictions on interstate trucking, according to charges filed Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic. President Bush and Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle were among more than 20 candidates who benefited from the conspiracy, the charges allege."
Volunteers
battle invasive species in local lakes ""There will be a real strong contingent of wardens out to work with the public to make sure their Labor Day holiday is safe and that they're taking the steps necessary to prevent the spread of invasive species and viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS)," said Carl Brooks, deputy chief warden of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources."
Sen
R. Feingold"Today is an opportunity to thank the innovative and dedicated American workers who are the bedrock of communities in Wisconsin and across the country. As they work hard to provide for their families and their communities, Congress should show a similar commitment to hard-working Americans."
Gov.
Doyle"Governor Jim Doyle today joined with Oshkosh Truck officials and the Chinese Ambassador to the United States to announce a trade agreement between Oshkosh Truck and China to provide six airport rescue firefighter trucks for Beijing Capital International Airport."
6,000
a year switch judges"But discussions with the people most affected by the law - derisively termed "judge shopping" by those who oppose it - show that some things are clear: Judges on the receiving end often hate it; defense attorneys fervently praise it; and prosecutors grudgingly accept it."
Is
Wi-Fi a losing strategy?"Unreliable business plans of prospective Wi-Fi firms, mounting expenses and undependable technology have delayed some projects or led wireless providers to walk away from others. Some experts are advising local governments to drop their involvement with Wi-Fi and leave the venture of wireless Internet solely in the hands of private industry."
Workers
win with education"College graduates earn 75 percent more than high-school graduates. And the jobs that are most in demand with the best pay require a college or vocational associate degree."
"In the six years since the 2000 recession, middle-class workers have seen their inflation-adjusted wages rise just 3 percent. Much of that growth has come via catch-up wages for women, as wages for men-only have increased just 1 percent, according to figures compiled by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C."
Forum
to probe health care"The plan calls for ensuring everyone in Wisconsin has access to the same level of health care enjoyed by members of the state Legislature, regardless of health or employment status. The plan would create a statewide catastrophic reinsurance plan."
Wausau,WI
"The crustacean is spread from lake to lake by boaters and Stormy Lake is the second inland body of water in Wisconsin known to have been infested with the Spiny Water Flea. The first was near Hurley in 2003. Experts say the half-inch long fleas compete with young fish for food, and because of its barbed spine, many fish aren’t able to eat them."
Grads
go full circle — back to state"Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that although Wisconsin suffers a slight loss overall of college-educated residents, the drain is mostly among graduates in their 20s. In fact, the state has net gains among college grads in their 30s and 40s."
States
urged to join fight against invasive species"This decision is a tremendous victory for Michigan and for any state desiring to protect its water from the massive harm caused by introductions of invasive species from foreign shipping via ballast water," Granholm wrote in a letter Wednesday to her fellow Great Lakes governors, as well as the premiers of Ontario and Quebec.
"When state inspectors uncover problems on one of the hundreds of carnival rides examined each year, they order the owner to make repairs. But it can be more than a year before inspectors recheck the ride to make sure it meets minimum safety standards,..."
"Grunting and gasping, Rathakrishnan Velu's neck muscles strained and his face contorted Thursday as he hauled the nearly 328-ton train over more than 9 feet along tracks at a railway station in Kuala Lumpur."
A
masterful con job"The latest data shows U.S. troop fatalities worse every month this year compared to the same months last year. A smidgeon of evidence pointing to at least marginal political progress late last week turned out to be smoke and mirrors."
Festivale
ItalianoUnder a warm clear sun shiney sky, the polka band, The Nort’ Echo Band, entertained an enthusiastic audience across from a fire department display. Historic Silver Street were busy searching for treasures from vendors and crafters lined up along the street.
"A rare, life-threatening auto-immune disease has destroyed Anderson's kidney function. She is on home dialysis, which takes 10 hours daily."
"Four years after they invaded the Gile Flowage, spiny water fleas have shown up in Vilas County's Stormy Lake. The exotic invaders hadn't been found in any other Wisconsin inland lake until their discovery last week."
"Helicopter rides, bungee jumping, a craft fair, aircraft displays, ultralight and model airplanes and a free Western shooting gallery for all ages are among activities scheduled, DuRay said. A pancake breakfast starting at 9 a.m. and an afternoon barbecue with brats and hamburgers will assure no one goes away hungry."
"As children make their way back to classrooms, schools and municipalities in Wisconsin will start spending $4 million in federal transportation grants to encourage and help more of them make that trek by foot or bicycle."
President
of teachers union expresses desire for new aid formula"As president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, commonly known as WEAC, Bell leads a 98,000-member organization representing teachers and other school employees."
Racial
bias in sentencing is real, and demands response"Across the board, in drug cases black defendants are more likely than whites to receive prison sentences rather than probation. As with other crimes, this disparity tends to decrease as the seriousness of the offense increases."
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.
DoyleEXECUTIVE
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. FeingoldGonzales'
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."
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