Local News ... (Archives)
PRESIDENT’s
COMMENTS on GAS PRICES“I’m not surprised at how out of touch the White House is with what American’s are going through given the fact that they seem to be oblivious to the need for extending unemployment insurance and taking other actions to help middle and low income families deal with the whole range of economic problems they face. But it was amazing to me that an oil man wouldn’t know what’s been happening with oil prices."
AB
77 Passes Assembly"In the wee hours of the morning, AB 77, introduced by Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing), passed the Assembly on a voice vote. The legislation alters the manner in which the school levy and lottery property tax credits are distributed to municipalities."
Expect
more pain at pump"At $3.11 a gallon, regular gas costs 66 cents more than it did at this point in 2007, months before the usual spring and summer ramp-up. Last year, the price reached a record $3.42 a gallon over the Memorial Day weekend, and some analysts have suggested the annual increase in driving will push the price to $4 a gallon this summer. Economists worry that the added burden on consumers will draw money from the broader economy. The question is where will they cut back to pay more for fuel."
Leaders
question water compact"Moroney and Vrakas spoke of their mutual angst with a compact provision that allows one governor to veto a water diversion proposed for another state. Instead, they want diversions ruled by a simple majority vote. Moroney said that Michigan, which is almost totally in the basin and does not need diversions, has a history of turning down diversion requests made by other states. Illinois already has an exemption for 2.1 billion gallons a day that it takes from the lake and does not have to return to Lake Michigan."
"The good news is that our efforts in Wisconsin are successful," said Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Family Services. "This is the lowest rate of selling to minors we've ever achieved, which is crucial to preventing kids from taking up the habit."
Wis.
Assembly approves new ban on partial-birth abortion"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that a federal ban was legal. Republican lawmakers then introduced the bill that mirrors the federal law, saying it would give local prosecutors the ability to handle violations. The Assembly voted 59-38 for the bill, which is dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate."
Bill
would exempt big piers from enforcement"The measure would exempt piers of 300 square feet or less built before February 2004 from current maximum pier sizes of 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Shoreline owners also would be allowed to add one additional slip."
Rape
victims bill passes"After years of conservative opposition and, more recently, months of procedural delay, a bill that requires hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims finally passed the state Legislature today. Gov. Jim Doyle has said he would sign the bill."
Assembly
approves virtual schools bill; no deal yet"A measure approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate last week included a tight enrollment cap at the urging of Gov. Jim Doyle, who has signaled he would veto the Assembly plan. Time is running out for a compromise because lawmakers plan to adjourn in two weeks."
Forest Service gets feedback on barrens restoration
"The plan, labeled the Northwest Sands Project, continues work that began in the 1960s, but incorporates an additional 6,000 acres or so that the Forest Service added to the restoration concept when the agency's Washburn Ranger District updated its forest plan in 2004.:"
Sen.
Kohl Urges Changes in Meat Safety"Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl is urging the Agriculture Department to install cameras in slaughterhouses to ensure meat safety. "
US
Senate Leader Withdraws Bill To Cut Funds For Iraq War -
Voice of America"Senator Feingold argues the war in Iraq has diverted attention from a growing threat posed by al-Qaida. "We are watching al-Qaida strengthen and develop its affiliates around the world while we remain bogged down in Iraq. How foolish can we be to allow them to reconstitute all over the world as they watch us unable to extricate ourselves from a mistake, which was, of course, going into Iraq the way we did," he said."
"We cannot allow a single downer cow to enter our food supply under any circumstances. We must have tougher standards, round-the-clock surveillance and stiffer penalties to ensure our meat inspection system protects Americans."
Aging
Committee Hears Surgeons Paid Millions to Promote Medical ...
- SeniorJournal.com - San Antonio,TX"Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) called the hearing, entitled “Surgeons for Sale: Conflicts and Consultant Payments in the Medical Device Industry,” to examine the financial interactions between medical device companies and surgeons, which often involve substantial payments in the form of consultant fees, educational grants, royalties, funding for clinical trials, travel and gifts. "
Governor
Doyle Rolls out Growth Initiative for UW Colleges and Extension“By removing barriers and increasing opportunities for higher education, we are, together with the UW Colleges and UW-Extension, making it easier for adults across the state to pursue more education and acquire a bachelor’s degree,”
Border
Fence Shuts Out U.S. Steelworkers, Threatens Environment -
afl-cio now blog"Once again, the Bush administration is sending work overseas that could be done here and ignoring laws that get in the way of what it wants to accomplish. This time it’s the $1.2 billion, 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border that’s supposed to make us more secure.
28 Feb
WDOT
approves Poplar-Norrie street bridge
replacement
"Ironwood
City Manager Scott Erickson told the city commission Monday 80 percent of
the cost of the replacement will be covered through the Wisconsin Department
of Transportation. Hurley and Ironwood will both be responsible for local
matching costs in the joint project.""Jessica Iverson from the DOR earlier said the department will look at existing assessment records for procedures used for evaluation. She said the probe will focus on a "review of all equity in the assessments." Ahonen said a field survey will be done. Total real estate assessment climbed from $25,471,600 in 2006 to $44,846,900."
County
looks at smoke-free measures"The proposed ordinance prohibits smoking within 75 feet of "all entrances of any building owned or leased by Iron County." The proposed ordinance would also prohibit smoking in all county vehicles."
DNR
easing approach to fighting deer disease"When the fatal deer disease was discovered six years ago, the DNR embarked on a controversial plan virtually to wipe out deer populations in which the malady was found. But after acknowledging that deer numbers had not been reduced, the agency proposed regulations aimed at killing far fewer deer in the 2008 hunting season."
GOP
legislators offer to limit virtual-school enrollment"A spokeswoman for Doyle said he hadn't had a chance to review the letter from Huebsch and Davis, but that he believed a version that the Senate passed protects the schools - and students enrolled in them - until the program has been audited."
U.S.
upholds key stem cell patent held by Wisconsin group"Two consumer groups have asked the office to throw out the patents, which cover discoveries made by UW-Madison scientist James Thomson. They argue Thomson's work should not qualify for patents and that patent enforcement has hindered U.S. stem cell research. Thomson was the first to isolate embryonic stem cells - which have great medical potential because they can turn into any type of cell in the body - in the 1990s."
Hundreds
rally for autism insurance coverage at Wisconsin Capitol"Hundreds of families gather at the state Capitol in support of requiring insurance companies to cover autism. The bill passed the state Senate earlier this week but has not been scheduled by the Republican-controlled Assembly."
U.S.
Patent Office upholds WARF's stem cell claim"The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has won a key battle for one of its stem cell patents, after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld the foundation's claim to the patent. The decision affirms WARF's contention that an initial University of Wisconsin-Madison human embryonic stem cell discovery is a patentable invention."
Area students meet lawmakers
while touring the Capitol
"Colgrove said she and Sherman don’t agree on certain issues, but
she learned a lot from him and enjoyed her time with him. “He is a
very kind man. I don’t know if you find that in politics as much when you
are on opposite sides,” she said. “He has great personality towards everyone
and he is an accepting person.”"
Feingold
Pushes Funding for 'Green Jobs'“When I travel around Wisconsin holding my listening sessions, two of the most frequently raised domestic concerns are job losses and energy issues,” Feingold said. “This green jobs initiative is exactly what our country should be doing to reduce our dependency on oil and slow climate change while providing jobs to hard-working Americans.”
Army
Official: Yes, Waterboarding Breaks International Law - TPM"Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) asked, "General, do you believe that waterboarding is consistent with Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions?"
After pausing a moment to think, Maples [Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency] replied, "No, sir, I don’t."
"Do you think it’s humane?" Levin asked.
"No, sir, I think it would go beyond that bound.""
McCain
Rated As America’s Worst Senator For Children - Thinik
Progress"Furthermore, the rankings weren’t divided by party. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Gordon Smith (R-OR) received strong 70 percent rankings. McCain’s CDF score has steadily declined over the years. In 2004, he received a 38 percent; in 2005, 22 percent; in 2006, 10 percent. "
27 Feb
School
board names Bender new baseball coach "School board members Dave Pajula and Mark Wendt supported retaining Levra as coach following a Monday closed session, but Perry Elsemore, Joel Enking and board president Joe Simonich supported Bender. Simonich said Levra would make the better coach, but the board faced a grievance if it didn't hire Bender, who teaches in the school district."
DNR
taking helm on ships' ballast"The department was prodded by conservationists who argued that the state had authority under the Clean Water Act to regulate ballast just like any other pollutant. The DNR started exploring the issue late last year and has come to the conclusion that existing law does, indeed, give it the authority to regulate those discharges. The next step is to do something about it."
DNR
unveils possible ATV trails for state forest"State officials Tuesday unveiled possible all-terrain vehicle trails for Northern Highland American Legion State Forest. The trails would be a first for ATVs in the largest state forest in north-central Wisconsin."
Doyle
believes economic development plan can clear Legislature"Doyle, speaking to about 200 executives at "Business Day in Madison," argued that in the face of a national recession, Wisconsin must move forward to strengthen its business sector. "We can't crawl under a rock," he said. "We can't get into bed and hope the tough times pass.""
Democrats
assail Republicans for Legislature's rarely meeting"On the state Assembly's 23rd day at work since last January, Democrats assailed the Republican majority for not working hard enough. "We don't do anything!" state Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, yelled shortly after the beginning of the Assembly's day at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday - more than seven hours after the scheduled start time. "I'm embarrassed to be here.""
Religion casts
nanotechnology as immoral in U.S."Scheufele contends that nanotechnology, biotechnology and stem cell research are lumped together by religious people as means to enhance human qualities. In short, some people believe that researchers are "playing God" when they create materials that do not occur in nature, especially where nanotechnology and biotechnology intertwine, he said."
Phishing attacks
cripple TDS e-mail
"The hackers use the addresses they can gain control of to send out large
quantities of spam e-mails, causing the system-wide delays. They also may
sell the account information."
Anti-war
group pushes Iraqi tuition referendum"If the initiative were approved, each UW student would donate $1 per semester, including summer sessions, and the money would be refundable per written request within 45 days of the first day of class."
Assembly
not likely to pass autism bill"The state Senate has passed a bill that would require health insurance companies to cover treatments for autism, but the bill appears unlikely to go any further. State Sen. Russ Decker, D-Weston, said Tuesday the bill passed 25-8 after it was amended to include speech therapy. "
Local
residents prepare to speak with lawmakers"Some participants
will lobby to outlaw the transport and launch of aquatic invasive species.
Many non-native species have been found in northwest Wisconsin lakes,
rivers, and streams, and once they get into the water, they can destroy the
water quality and harm the population of native fish and plants."
Johnny Depp movie is coming to
Wisconsin"But official word of the film coming to Wisconsin had to wait until after NBC Universal signed an agreement with the state on tax credits last Wednesday. The film will co-star Christian Bale and be directed and produced by University of Wisconsin graduate Michael Mann. Bale will play FBI Special Agent Melvin Purvis, who led the manhunt for Dillinger in the 1930s."
Local
Veterans will Serve on State Board"Freedman, has chaired U.S. Senator Herb Kohl’s (D-WI) Veterans Policy Advisory Committee since 1989 and has been a member of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) Veterans Advisory Committee since 1993. Moen is a retired naval officer who served 22 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy."
Feingold
to Attend White House Meeting Following President's Trip to Africa“I look forward to meeting with the president to hear about his trip and discuss issues like preventing disease, including HIV/AIDS, addressing human rights abuses, the importance of humanitarian assistance, and supporting democratic institutions."
David
Swanson: Senator Feingold's Peace Effort - Scoop.co.nz - New
Zealand"Senator Russ Feingold (D., Wisc.) is preparing to give the Republicans in the Senate two more opportunities this week to grandstand and filibuster in favor of the occupation of Iraq. They will, of course, do so; and they will, of course, win."
WisDOT:
US 2 doesn’t need to be widened - Superior Telegram -
Superior,MN"With U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., serving as chairman of the federal Transportation Committee, and U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wis., at the helm of the Appropriations Committee, now is the right time for the state to take up the highway study, said Douglas County Supervisor Larry Quam."
Governor
Doyle Announces $4 Million in Harbor Assistance Grants for Port of Superior“The Port of Superior is a critical part of Wisconsin’s economy,” said Governor Doyle. “It is the Great Lakes’ largest harbor, handling a variety of agricultural products and other bulk materials, supporting job growth in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest.”
26 Feb
Forum
to focus on Great Lakes pact"The compact has stirred debate about whether it will help or hinder Waukesha and other Waukesha County communities from obtaining Lake Michigan water for community use."
As
ads blare, court candidates want to focus on issues"Gableman criticized as untrue an ad from the Greater Wisconsin Committee, which alleges he secured his appointment to the Burnett County judgeship as a result of campaign donations to former Gov. Scott McCallum. But he did not join in Butler's call for third parties to stay out of the race. He noted that Butler didn't call for that ad to be taken down, as Gableman's campaign requested."
Study
indicates voucher students do about as well as MPS students"We have displayed a rough and limited snapshot of the average performance of Choice (Milwaukee Parental Choice Program) students in certain grades that suggests they tend to perform below national averages but at levels roughly comparable to similarly income-disadvantaged students in MPS," said Patrick J. Wolf, a professor at the University of Arkansas who is the lead researcher in the project."
Firms
seek ways to limit on-the-road spending"Restaurant industry profits are falling, but it's hard to determine how much of that is due to business travel versus local families cutting back, said Standard & Poor's chief economist David Wyss. Wyss said the travel and leisure sectors, which employ roughly 1 in 25 Americans, are "by no means trivial" to the broader economy."
Snowmobiler
accused of ramming cop"... Marathon County Sheriff's deputy Steve DeNovi staked out a spot where a snowmobile trail crosses Highway WW. He parked his squad car with the lights turned off and stood in the road waving a flashlight to get a snowmobile allegedly driven by Holzem to stop, the report said. The snowmobiler failed to stop for a stop sign and accelerated through the roadway, hitting DeNovi in the leg and knocking him to the ground, police said. DeNovi suffered bruises and abrasions from the collision. Police followed the snowmobile tracks to a town of Texas residence where Holzem was arrested."
Gov.
Doyle has Obama vision""I have to admit that as I sat there and looked, I could picture a President (Barack) Obama standing up in front of us next year," said Doyle, a Democrat and active supporter of the Illinois senator's presidential run. However, Doyle said he could not envision himself as Obama's vice president. "No," Doyle chuckled. "I really like being governor of Wisconsin." "
DNR
proposes adding Thompson’s Park to impaired waters list"Thompson’s West End Park is one of 35 sites proposed to be added to the list; it is the only new site in Ashland or Bayfield counties. Amnicon River Beach, Middle River Beach and Wisconsin Point Beach #2, all in Douglas County, are also proposed to be added. Spider and Clear Lakes, which function as one water body straddling the border of Sawyer and Douglas counties, is also proposed to be added to the list due to the presence of mercury."
McCain-Feingold
Act overblown by conservatives - Tennessee Journalist -
Knoxville,TN"Opponents to the legislation claim the act, sponsored by Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold and McCain, violates first amendment rights. In reality, many conservatives have fallen into the smear campaign by McCain's opponents that has created the false impression that the legislation is unconstitutional. The intention of the act was to stop under the table funding of state, local and national campaigns with so called soft money from large campaign donors, and to force candidates to approve messages put out by their campaign."
Fight
to Protect Wisconsin's Premium Ginseng"The Wisconsin senators are urging the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman and Ranking Member to keep a requirement in the Senate Farm Bill that raw ginseng root be labeled to identify the country where it was harvested. Wisconsin produces over 90 percent of the ginseng grown in the United States."
Sen.
Herb Kohl explains why he voted for telecom immunityDane101 - Madison,WI
"This measure would authorize the Intelligence Community to conduct electronic surveillance similar to that authorized by the PAA, but also provide the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court with greater authorities to oversee the use of these new authorities by the Intelligence Community and protect the privacy of innocent Americans."
Aussies
can be trusted with F-22: Gates - The Age - Melbourne,
Victoria,Australia"The aircraft is the US Air Force's most advanced fighter and its sale is prohibited to any foreign country, under a 1998 amendment to a budget bill moved by Wisconsin Democrat Congressman Dave Obey. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said last week he would write to Congressman Obey to gauge his views on a change in the law."
Analysis
Details Missing White House E-mails - Washington Post"A 2005 technical analysis found that up to 1,000 days of e-mails were missing from White House servers during a 2-1/2 year period, amounting to more than 1 million separate e-mail messages, according to statements from a former White House technology manager released today... McDevitt said in his statements that the analysis included participation by a wide array of government technology officials and outside contractors, and that the full report--which has not been given to Congress--was approximately 250 pages long."
25 Feb
Students
perform at Kangas Memorial "Six area music students performed at Hurley Coffee Co. Sunday to help raise funds for the Nick Kangas Memorial Scholarship, which will provide a talented high school musician with $800 for college."
School
district estimates $230,000 deficit "The $230,000 deficit is a conservative estimate, Patritto said. He expressed confidence that the district will be able to balance the 2008-09 budget without dipping into its fund balance."
Board
to discuss hiring of coach"District administrator Chris Patritto said he would check references and consult legal counsel before the special meeting. There are reportedly four candidates for the job. "
Area
nursing, rehab centers close to prevent flu outbreak "Nursing and rehabilitation centers in Hurley and Wakefield temporarily closed their doors to visitors Friday because of an outbreak of the influenza A virus on the Gogebic Range. Postings on the doors of the Sky View Nursing Home and Villa Maria Rehabilitation Center early Friday morning indicated both Hurley facilities were temporarily closed."
"Each Great Lakes governor can veto water diversions within counties straddling the basin line -- even in other states. The compact preserves that power, but establishes criteria under which such move could be made, Doyle said."
Road
salt delivering a toxic shock"Scientist Steve Corsi said the findings of chloride concentrations exceeded the EPA's toxic standard of 850 parts per million on the Kinnickinnic, Menomonee and Root rivers and on Honey, Underwood, Lincoln and Little Menomonee creeks."
DNR:
24 snowmobilers killed so far this winter"Snowmobile crashes on Wisconsin trails have killed 24 riders so far this winter - up 40 percent from a year ago - but fewer than might be expected given snow conditions, a state safety expert said Monday."
Officials
repeated Pa. mistakes"Wisconsin officials familiar with the report pointed to only limited changes that were made after learning of the failures in Pennsylvania in February 2007, which led Gov. Ed Rendell to order the report and later far-reaching changes to ensure the mistakes in that state were not repeated."
Supreme
Court candidates blast "shadowy" interest groups""This race goes right to the heart of the integrity of the justice system for the people of Wisconsin, and it goes right to the heart of the shadowy groups that are out there trying to influence the decisions that the voters are going to have to make on April 1," he [Justice Louis Butler] said."
Gov.
Doyle defends plan to cap virtual schools enrollment"Gov. Jim Doyle says he can’t understand why some are upset over his last-minute proposal to cap enrollment in virtual schools. Lawmakers have tried to keep the schools open after a December court ruling said they were violating state laws on teacher licensing, open enrollment and charter schools."
Feingold:
Superdelegates won’t decide Democratic nominee“I do believe it is going to be fine on the Democratic side, and I do also believe the Republicans are going to come together,” Feingold said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of party disunity. Both sides know this is a big election and both want to win.”
"A pair of visits by agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol has led to an apparent exodus of a number of Hispanics who had been employed at an Ashland business, along with family members and friends who had lived with them in the area."
Lt.
governor stumps for Great Lakes Compact support"Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton joined Ashland Mayor Ed Monroe Friday in urging citizens to call on legislative leaders to ratify the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement designed to protect the Great Lakes from future water diversion."
Feingold
Fights for Protections for Family Farmers“Farming can be a tough business and I’m concerned when Wisconsin farmers tell me that the tax code is preventing them from receiving full protections under Social Security or hospital insurance under Medicare,”
Placing
the Fight Against al Qaeda First"There is no reason for us to wait another month or even another day to show the American people Congress is determined to focus on those who attacked us on 9/11, instead of draining our resources in Iraq."
"In a report released by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (LWV), Feingold was hailed for his votes on reform issues including the lobbying and ethics reform bill he championed, as well as civil liberties, voting rights for Washington, D.C. residents, climate change, and health care."
Clintonite
Stabs Obama Supporter"Ortiz, a Clinton supporter, replied that "Obama was not a realist." While not exactly fighting words, the verbal political tiff led to some mutual choking and punching. And, allegedly, a stabbing in the abdomen."
[This item is provided for those who are getting tired of the rather lengthly presidential campaign. It could be worse. - Bob]
23&24 Feb
Otters
Create Slide at Norrie Park Dam"River otters have been busy building their slide off of the Norrie Park Dam on the Montreal River recently. If there's one thing an otter likes to do... it's sliding."
[This is the permanent/archival address. For the next few days, it would be polite to hit the front page version and notice the advertisers so that you can support them. - Bob]
Doyle
pushes water compact"Speaking near the shore of Lake Michigan at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Great Lakes WATER Institute, Doyle accused Assembly leadership of playing political games with what he considers Wisconsin's best chance to both protect and capitalize on the state's grandest natural resource."
Feingold
likely to back Obama"They have different strengths, but in the end, I just decided he seemed like a very interesting candidate who would be very exciting and also send a great message throughout the country and throughout the world."
Harley-Davidson
eyes entering Indian market"India's commerce ministry has now agreed to recognize European engine emission standards for motorcycle engines exceeding 800 cubic centimeters. Harley's bikes already comply with European Union standards. India hasn't set a limit on the number of Harleys allowed in the country. But there is a 60 percent tariff on the imported bikes, plus another 30 percent or so in various taxes. "The net effect is, the cost of a Harley in India is about double what it is here," Harley spokesman Bob Klein said."
DNR
broadens air quality advisory"An air quality advisory for fine particle pollution has been broadened to all Wisconsin counties and has been extended by the state Department of Natural Resources through noon Sunday. The advisory is for fine particles that come mostly from combustion sources such as power plants, factories, vehicle exhaust and wood fires."
Doyle
acknowledges botched response“There is no doubt that this should have been handled much better,” Doyle said. “We should be very, very thankful that we are not dealing with a worse situation than what we have. We have people who were terribly inconvenienced, and I apologize to those people.”
"Healthy Wisconsin, the groundbreaking health care reform plan that was gunned down in last year's biennial budget fight isn't dead, and will be reintroduced in the state legislature as a stand-alone program, says Steven R. Williams, a political education legislative coordinator for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees."
"At the Saturday Democratic dinner, filled with activists and union leaders, a Democratic Party official began by saluting a former Republican governor and senator. Senator Russ Feingold offered praise for his legislative partner, McCain. And a congresswoman giving a rah-rah speech proclaimed Wisconsin as "a deeply purple state.""
Feingold
working for Hayward VA Clinic services - BusinessNorth.com -
Duluth,MN"The meetings and the efforts and the contacts and the pushing for the new doctor--we are working on this all the time with our staff and the federal officials and the local officials. I believe that people will be coming to the town meetings to discuss exactly what needs to be done."
"U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl are questioning the administration’s initiative to outsource federal agency jobs to private companies after a government study of the plan at the U.S. Forest Service revealed that it is unclear if the program actually saved any money. Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an audit, requested by Feingold, Kohl, and several other senators, on the competitive sourcing program at the United State Forest Service (USFS) which the administration billed as a way to cut down on government spending."
Senator
Kohl Calls for Audit of Polling Places - WKBT - La Crosse,WI"There are more than 25-hundred polling sites in Wisconsin. State officials say nearly 40-percent have problems for disabled and elderly people. Some of those problems include inaccessible parking, voting machines that aren't set up properly, and at times, not enough assistance from polling workers. That's why Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl announced Monday he's asked for another audit of polling places."
Senator
to probe inspection process after huge Calif beef recall -
Press-Enterprise - Riverside,CA"Kohl says Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer and the presidents of the Humane Society and the American Meat Institute will testify at the Feb. 28 hearing in Washington, D.C."
From
the Fact Check Desk: Obama's Army Anecdote"I called the Obama campaign this morning to chat about this story, and was put in touch with the Army captain in question. He told me his story, which I found quite credible, though for obvious reasons he asked that I not mention his name or certain identifying information. Short answer: He backs up Obama's story."
Judge
denies Laguna new trial"In filing the post-conviction motion for a new trial, Canright claimed ineffective counsel by Fred Bourg, of the public defender's office in Ashland. Bourg defended Laguna in his early May 2006 first-degree intentional homicide trial."
Committee
to establish ATV routes"We will form a committee to look at what routes or roads to open for access to the trails," Ahonen said. The state continues to work on its plan for public access to ATV trails, Ahonen said, "a plan similar to that for snowmobiles."
Grant
sought for safe route to school "If the school receives a grant, the first phase of the project would be to study a possible trail system. The school would then need to apply for a second grant to develop a design for a walking-bicycling trail."
Public
may comment on wastewater permit "Susan Scobell Watson, a permit drafter with the Department of Natural Resources' Rhinelander office, said Thursday the permit could be reissued for up to five years and that the DNR has tentatively decided the permit should be reissued."
Man
charged with killing fiance's brother in hit-and-run crash
"In court, Vilas County Assistant District Attorney David Breedlove did not explain how Thompson ended up in the path of Valdez' vehicle. When Judge Neal A. "Chip" Nielsen asked Valdez if he knew the victim, he said the man was his fiancee's brother."
Obama
widens lead in state superdelegate count"Before Tuesday's primary, which Obama won 58 percent to 41 percent, only six of Wisconsin's superdelegates had committed -- four for Obama and two for Clinton. After the primary, Obama gained the backing of U.S. Rep. Ron Kind."
"The 3rd District Court of Appeals rejected Bryan Hathaway's argument that the charge should be dismissed because the law against committing an act of sexual gratification with animals does not apply if they are dead."
Patrol
wouldn't shut I-90"In the midst of the snowstorm this month that stranded more than 1,500 cars south of Madison for up to 12 hours, state officials refused to shut down I-90/39, blocked snowmobilers from checking on drivers and nearly shut down the emergency response center at the height of the crisis."
DNR
urges changes in deer hunts, disease control"The state Department of Natural Resources recommendations released Thursday include a four-day, antlerless deer-only hunt in mid-October; a nine-day gun season starting Nov. 22; and another four-day, antlerless deer-only season in late December in areas where chronic wasting disease exists."
Wis.
attorney general: Counties can enact invasive species rules"Van Hollen says in an informal opinion the Legislature has granted counties broad authority over their own boundaries. He says state law doesn't expressly prohibit counties from passing invasive species ordinances. Van Hollen cautions the ordinances couldn't conflict with state or federal laws, though."
"Interagency coordination was excellent as the storm developed on Feb. 5, the report said, but "nonexistent as the emergency grew and darkness fell on the stranded motorists.""
Feingold:
I voted for Obama"I really do think that at the gut level, this is a chance to do something special" for the nation, Feingold said, adding that electing Obama represents "an enormous historical opportunity for America and for our relationship with the world."
Doyle
urges Wis. Legislature to approve Great Lakes water compact"Doyle says the Great Lakes provide a great economic opportunity for Wisconsin. The pact was intended largely to address fears that states in the booming but arid Southwest will try tapping into the lakes, which hold 90 percent of the nation's fresh surface water."
State
computers hit by virus seeking e-mail info"... the e-mail went Thursday to about one-tenth of the state work force, or some 4,000 employees, with the invitation to view the video. But when employees clicked on the link, it activated the virus that downloaded software that attempts to steal information, mainly e-mail addresses, he said."
Odd:
NYC bank lets wrong man withdraw $2M"Lovell said he was told it was his and he could withdraw the money... The lesser-funded Lovell gave away some of the withdrawn money and blew some of it on gifts, but lost much of it on bad investments, prosecutors said.
Objections
raised to development proposals at former Ag Station"A number of residents from the Town of Eileen have raised objections to proposals that portions of the 260-acre former University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station east of Ashland be designated for multiple uses, including commercial, light industrial and residential purposes."
""The voters have been misled and what they don't understand is that this will not assure that everyone gets to keep their job, or gets their job back," Chosa said. Chosa said he believes there are several other legal problems for the council to resolve. "The first is that the council failed to tell voters that if payments are missed on these loans that the fee lands can have liens placed on them," Chosa said."
“As Attorney General, I fought the big tobacco companies to help protect children from the health hazards of tobacco use, and as Governor, I am very pleased we have made amazing progress in preventing the sale of tobacco to minors in Wisconsin,”
Governor
Doyle, Business Leaders Urge Legislature to Protect Great Lakes, Pass
Compact“The Great Lakes present a great economic opportunity for Wisconsin. One of our greatest competitive advantages in a 21st Century global economy is our water,”
21 Feb
For those couple hundred Hurley residents who have come to depend on MyHurley as a convenient way to scan the Wisconsin and local news, we apologize for the complete melt down of the last several days. It appears that a site hosted in Florida has been attacking the server that hosts this site in West Virginia, pushing as much bandwidth yesterday alone as we usually see in a normal month, while our hosting manager was on a much deserved vacation... in Florida. For the moment, they are blocked, and hopefully will find some other target. - Bob
"Still, Wisconsin's youth voter turnout was up only slightly from 2004, when there was no Republican contest. And the vote Tuesday by those under age 30 represented only 15% of all votes cast. "Young people are still turning out at much lower rates than older people," said Kathleen Dolan, political science professor at UWM. "This notion that young Americans are turning out at remarkable rates, I don't see that as a remarkable rate.""
Voting
gap divides the parties"In Tuesday's election, 73% of those who went to the polls voted in the Democratic primary, to 27% on the GOP side - a huge difference in a state that in November 2004 was decided by about 11,400 votes."
Big
bucks dropped on obscure court race"Together, the two outside groups are paying out $260,000, which is nearly as much as was spent in Milwaukee in recent weeks by presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Mike Huckabee - combined."
Precious
hours lost in 2,000-vehicle traffic jam as agencies fail to communicate,
report says"Our investigation shows that the lead agency for traffic response on the Interstate, the Wisconsin State Patrol, did respond to events as they unfolded but was slow to recognize that an emergency existed,"
"A bill that would require pyschological testing for police officers in Wisconsin is getting a lukewarm reception from a legislative committee. The bill comes in response to last fall's mass shooting in Crandon. Tyler Peterson, an off-duty police officer, killed six people with his SWAT assault rifle before killing himself."
Feingold
says he's 'inclined' to support Obama"Feingold has a large following among liberals. He's also one of Wisconsin's 18 superdelegates, who can back any candidate they wish at the Democratic National Convention. Feingold has declined to say definitively that he would support Obama."
Report
rips State Patrol's response to Interstate logjam"The Wisconsin State Patrol response and leadership cost the state valuable time. The State Emergency Operations Center operated by Wisconsin Emergency Management and the statewide Traffic Operations Center operated by the Department of Transportation-Highways were in unique positions to assist, but failed to recognize the larger picture,"
“It was a zoo all afternoon and evening; we had as many as eight people registering people during the day plus the poll workers doing the other jobs,” she said. “There were absolutely more than I’ve seen in the past. We voted 1,333 people; of that, 1,100 registered yesterday.”
Upward
trend reported of killing animals for thrills in Wisconsin"Officials say several dozen cases have been confirmed in which wild animals were shot with firearms and arrows, run down with vehicles or clubbed with baseball bats and homemade weapons such as sharpened sticks. “This is simply a criminal act. It has nothing to do with hunting,” said Department of Natural Resources warden Rick Rosen..."
"(Vendors) probably wouldn't make it to the fair anymore," Petrowski said, alluding to the fire code's impact on nonprofit vendors such as the Wausau Jaycees or Wausau Noon Optimists. "They can't afford it."
Snowmobliers
ask for better plowing on Bayfield streets"We wing the streets back as often as we can, and the problem we're having this year is with the amount of snow we've got, we can only push it so far," Kovachevich said. "So, we do the best we can, and we can try to do a little bit more. We'll do everything we can to help."
"Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an audit, requested by Feingold, Kohl, and several other senators, on the competitive sourcing program at the United State Forest Service (USFS) which the administration billed as a way to cut down on government spending. The GAO audit found that the USFS did not maintain reliable data on its competitive sourcing program and that costs associated with implementing the program may have exceeded the agency’s stated savings."
20 Feb
School
board can't decide on baseball coach "The position became vacant when Jerry Levra was fired. Levra had contracts with the district for coaching both middle school basketball and varsity baseball. Following a closed session of the school board on Dec. 3, Levra said his contracts were terminated for not following directives set forth by administration."
Wisconsin
confirms first flu death"Wisconsin reported its first influenza case in November. The season is anticipated to run until the end of April, so there is still time for the vaccine to provide protection from influenza. Health care providers throughout the state indicate they have vaccine available."
Vilas
accident kills 16-year-old"The youth was operating a 2006 Yamaha that was heading south on the roadway when it crossed the center line on a curve and struck the Dodge truck and plow head-on."
Obama,
McCain win in Wisconsin"In
Iron County, however, Hillary Rodham Clinton won the most votes with a
slight edge over Obama, 651 to 640. John Edwards, who was still on the
ballot although he was no longer a candidate, finished a distant third with
14 votes."
Cell
phones may join no-call list"The state Senate unanimously voted Tuesday to add cell phones to the state's "do not call" list and raise the maximum fine for violating that law from $100 to $1,000."
State
ban on plastic bags proposed"Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, have introduced a bill that would ban retail stores from providing non-biodegradable plastic bags to consumers. These are the thin bags that consumers usually use once -- unless there are pets in the home. The proposed ban would go into effect three years after it's signed by the governor."
"Senator Kohl led the successful effort to restore federal resources for the hospital resident training program, which was targeted for elimination, by including language in the Labor-HHS section of the Omnibus budget to restore the doctors training program's federal grant eligibility. The legislation was approved by Congress and signed into law last year."
Governor
Doyle Reports Record Export Growth in Wisconsin for 2007“I salute Wisconsin companies for aggressively seeking new markets around the globe,” Governor Doyle said. “As Governor, I’m committed to doing all I can to support a climate that encourages success for our exporters.”
“Excellence in design and construction in the state building program is the result of professional skill and teamwork put forth by architects, engineers, contractors and state staff. I am pleased to recognize those achievements with the Governor’s Awards.”
19 Feb
School
weight room updates begin"Board members authorized the $4,200 purchase, including the cost of setting up the cardiovascular exercise equipment. Athletics director Dean Kolpin and K-12 principal Jeff Gulan were authorized in January to set up a committee to submit a grant application in an effort to obtain funding for additional weight room equipment."
"A 47-year-old Illinois man was scheduled to appear in Vilas County Court Monday in connection with the hit-and-run death of Richard Thomaston, 43, of Lac du Flambeau, who died around 2:30 a.m. Saturday on Wisconsin 47 in the Town of Lac du Flambeau."
Interim
report focuses on cutting energy use"Gov. Jim Doyle was among a group of governors and mayors who last year began looking for ways to cut greenhouse gases as scientists saw greater evidence of a link between the burning of fossil fuels and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Doyle formed the panel, which includes representatives of utilities, industry and conservation groups, a year ago, asking it to come up with recommendations to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80% by 2050."
"I am dismayed that violence in Pakistan has become so pervasive that it seems to have impacted voter turn out in this critical election."
Governor
Doyle Receives Interim Global Warming Report“The time to take action is now, and this interim report is a step toward addressing global warming while growing the state’s economy, creating new jobs, and utilizing homegrown resources and technologies to make Wisconsin a world leader on this issue.”
New
Collage of Hurley SnowOK, I really did this one to place on my Chicago suburban site... to entice snow-mobilers to come visit. It would be prettier if we could come up with a couple days of bright sunshine, but there is something right about bluish gray...
""The owner of this property has been kind enough to allow the community to visit the waterfalls for over 50 years, but the property is now for sale and public access is in jeopardy," Shackleford said. Iron County and the Town of Kimball haven't expressed interest in purchasing either the property or an easement, Shackleford said."
[The folks at the Superior Chronicle visited this site and posted pictures and a video last fall... they generously provided me with the following links. - Bob]
