Local News ... (Archives)
31 Mar
“Dan
Anderson Bill” Signed by Governor"After two and a half years, a bill twice introduced by Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing) was signed into law last week by Governor Jim Doyle. The legislation, suggested by Bayfield County Treasurer, Dan Anderson, streamlines the manner in which the school levy and lottery property tax credits are distributed to municipalities."
My
Hurley Showing Good Traffic"Your site myhurley.net has exceeded its bandwidth quota in the period beginning on 2008-03-01. Your quota is set to 1048576000 bytes ( 1000.0 MB ), and your site has consumed 980397056 bytes ( 934.979 MB) beyond that quota."
[That number is near record but not inflated by bot behavior. Maybe next month we can double the quota. - Bob]
Hurley
races highlight Iron County elections"There'll only be a few contested races in Iron County Tuesday when Wisconsin voters go to the polls. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. In Hurley, three people are running for mayor, and 11 are seeking six at-large seats on the city council."
Saxon-Hollywood
connection continues with release of Clooney's 'Leatherheads'
"Saxon's connection to Hollywood remotely continues with "Leatherheads," the George Clooney-produced movie about the early days of pro football debuting Friday. Hemingway's "Adventures of a Young Man" was filmed, in part, in Saxon and Mellen in the 1960s."
Winter
to spring: 'not so fast' "Heavy snow this time of year is nothing new here. On April 3-5 last year, 24.8 inches fell in Ironwood, wreaking havoc on travel and spring sport practices. Driving will be difficult and removing the heavy snow will be a chore, Pearson said."
"Snow will diminish some after midnight tonight... but will continue through Tuesday morning. In addition... blustery north winds from late tonight through Tuesday morning will produce areas of blowing snow. When the snow ends early Tuesday afternoon... expect total accumulations of 7 to 12 inches... with the greatest amounts south of M-28."
A
Watershed event-Bad River Association gathers for fundraiser"For its water quality monitoring program, the group was honored on Saturday night with a couple of awards, given out by Nancy Larson of UW-Extension on behalf of UW-EX and the state Department of Natural Resources. "This group has gone above and beyond what we normally think of with citizen monitoring," Larson said."
Officials
predict low voter turnout Tuesday"Kennedy and University of Wisconsin-Madison political scientists say there are conflicting studies on whether negative ads raise voter turnout. Kennedy believes negative ads depress turnout. "People clearly get information from negative ads," Kennedy said. "But the interviews you get from persons on the street tend to be that they are turned off by them, and that it doesn't increase turnout.""
AP
NewsBreak: Lawton will run for governor if Doyle doesn't"Lawton has publicly vacillated on whether she wants a third four-year term as lieutenant governor. In a February interview with the WisconsinEye cable network, Lawton said she didn't plan on seeking a third term but hadn't fully decided. On Monday, Lawton again said she was undecided on that issue but she "absolutely" will run for governor if Doyle doesn't."
"There is no question that Mike Gableman, who has positioned himself as the conservative candidate, has run a despicable campaign. Gableman's race-baiting television commercials have been condemned by liberals and conservatives alike."
Long
winter delays planting"Nick Schneider, a University of Wisconsin Extension agent in Winnebago County, said farmers won't risk planting corn until the soil warms up. "It takes sufficient soil temperatures for the seeds to germinate," Schneider said. "If we get a lot of sunny days and temperatures turn around, that will speed things along.""
Bitter
Supreme Court race in final hours"Both candidates spent much of the campaign attempting to fend off attacks that came from third party groups. Those groups spent millions on the race that many observers characterized as the nastiest in state history. Both Butler and Gableman, as well as an independent group monitoring the race, urged voters not to pay attention to all the negative ads and instead investigate the candidates on their own."
Trying
to stop the insults on the stump - Wisconsin Radio Network"Wineke says Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and their supporters need to stop throwing bitter barbs. It's a sentiment shared by DNC Chairman Howard Dean and US Senator Russ Feingold. "
Governor
Doyle Launches Energy Independent Communities“We are heading toward energy policies that will clean our air and water, create jobs and save us money,” Governor Doyle said. “The course we are taking will help free us from big oil and make our country a safer place. I am looking forward to having these communities join as partners and adopt the state’s energy goals.”
29&30 Mar
Fish
winterkills could be severe, WDNR warns"We expect to see partial winterkills every year, but we haven't had severe winterkills in almost 20 years," said Paul Cunningham, Department of Natural Resources fisheries ecologist. "This really is a unique situation in terms of lower than average temperatures and higher snowfall amounts."
Schellinger
moves into full-time position in sheriff's department"Part-time Iron County Sheriff's Department deputy and emergency government director Tom Schellinger will begin a full-time position as dispatcher-jailer after today, as current dispatcher-jailer David Morello retires."
14
arrested at Lac du Flambeau released on bond"Fourteen members of the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa band are free on signature bonds after their trespassing arrests at the tribal center during a protest. ... The courtroom was packed for Friday's bond hearing in Vilas County Circuit Court."
U.P.
snowmobile season extended "A lingering, dense snow pack over most of the Upper Peninsula has led Department of Natural Resources officials to extend grants to groom state-managed snowmobile trails through April 6. The usual date to conclude trail grooming is March 31. "The U.P. has been blessed with late snowfall and continuing cold weather, so the trails have remained in great shape over most of the region, and that's great news for snowmobilers looking for a wonderful place to enjoy another ride before they put their machines away for the season," said Steve Kubisiak, MDNR Recreation and Trails coordinator."
Arts
education described as vital"The group's goal will be to position arts education as a way to teach critical-thinking skills and encourage Wisconsin's students to become visionaries who can propel the state to the forefront of the green economy and other emerging industries, Lawton said. "The Silicon Valley wasn't brought in on semi trucks," she said, citing Apple CEO Steve Jobs as someone who combines technical know-how with an artist's touch."
Supreme
Court candidates spar"I am a sitting Supreme Court justice, and I refuse to compromise my integrity or the integrity of that office just to win an election," Butler said in his closing statement. "Unfortunately, my opponent has chosen to run a very different campaign."
20%
turnout expected statewide"About 875,000 voters - or 20% of eligible voters statewide - are expected to go to the polls in Tuesday's spring election to elect a state Supreme Court justice, consider a change to the Wisconsin Constitution and elect various local officials."
"An election that could tip the balance of the state's highest court. A sitting justice targeted for defeat by business interests in a campaign that turns nasty. A previously unknown challenger. It is the plot of John Grisham's new novel, "The Appeal," which describes a dirty battle for control of the Mississippi Supreme Court."
"The seven-member court often comes down 4-3 on controversial decisions, with incumbent Justice Louis Butler, a soft-spoken, cerebral jurist who was appointed to the court in 2004, siding with the liberal majority ... "One very serious question is whether the system of judicial elections in Wisconsin is broken beyond repair, " said Howard Schweber, who teaches both political science and law at the UW-Madison. "It may be the case that from now on, judicial elections in Wisconsin will increasingly become exercises in personal attacks and ideological mudslinging carried out by party operatives and private groups hiding their agendas. ""
"As it happens, however, Butler's challenger is neither able nor honorable. Mike Gableman, a Burnett County judge who was appointed to his current position after contributing in a generous and timely manner to the governor who gave him the job, cannot begin to match Butler's long record of engagement in legal, educational and civic affairs. In fact, Gableman has not even tried to suggest in the current campaign that he is Butler's equal."
All
bets are off: Gambling not necessarily recession proof"A survey of 19 states with casino or race track gambling found about half saw gross gambling revenue drop in December 2007 from the year before. In January 2008, the portion grew to 12 of the 19 states, including Nevada."
Most
faiths accept limits to prayer healing"For members of most churches in the Wausau area, medicine and prayer complement one another as a patient is healed. For other religions and belief systems, such as The Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science) and Hmong followers of shamanism, modern health care might play no role at all in recovery."
Insurance
can mean life"Nearly five people between the ages of 25 and 64 die each week in Wisconsin because they lack health insurance coverage, according to a new report by Families USA, a national organization promoting the interests of health care consumers."
HMong
radio
connects community"It's a pretty low-tech studio. To put callers on the air, DJs pull a mic in front of a speakerphone. But it works. Yang, whose show airs on Thursday evenings and Fridays at noon, said he takes seven or eight calls every time he is on the air. When Hmong-language programming is not on the air, WNRB-LP also serves as a community radio station for a variety of English-language talk and music programming."
Better
Access to Health Care for Farmers"Kohl says, "[Farmers] can’t get the kind of insurance that covers farm accidents… and at a competitive price. As more people realize this is available, it is clear to me, and others, that enrollment will grow." Kohl says the co-op offers lower deductibles and better benefits to farmers who were paying, on average, 3 times more for insurance."
- ASLEEP ON MARS: THE "WASHINGTON MONUMENT" PLOY?
- NASA: RESIGNATION OF TWO TOP SCIENTISTS UNRELATED.
- ISS: A REPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
- SCIENCE DEBATE 2008: NOT LOOKING PROMISING.
"Before I get off my soap box, I have one more thing to say. I want to thank the Hurley Police Department, the Hurley Fire Department, the City of Hurley, and Iron County as well. The way we (the City of Ironwood) have treated our good neighbors across the river is disgraceful. For years Hurley has been buying their water from us. Iron County has been handling our cell 911 calls -- doing a spectacular job. I have seen many times when the Hurley Police and the Ironwood Police have both responded to Ironwood calls -- the same can be said for fires. We are very lucky to have Hurley's support! It's time the officials in the City of Ironwood recognize what good friends we have in the City of Hurley. The City of Ironwood needs to start treating our neighbors -- all of our neighbors -- a lot better!"
Range
shows signs of spring "With warmer temperatures comes the flow of sap, and that's evidenced by the bags hanging from sugar maple trees in the Montreal, Wis., area for well over a week. The sap is running."
Montreal
mayor: City to continue providing water to Hurley "Montreal Mayor Bob Morzenti said his city will continue to provide as much water as the City of Hurley requests. On Tuesday, Morzenti responded to questions that have arisen about cooperation between the two cities prior to the April 1 election."
Caution
issued about thin ice"With temperatures fluctuating wildly, ice that was safe yesterday may be dangerous today," Sanders said. "The biggest danger is hypothermia. If you fall through the ice and manage to climb out, you need to seek medical assistance quickly," Sanders said. "Wet clothing should be replaced immediately with warm, dry blankets, towels or clothes."
Forest
Service initiates Valhalla input process"Aside from skiing, snowmobiles and ATVs, Valhalla is also a popular spot for mountain biking, hunters, horseback riding and timber harvests. With public health and safety as the overriding goal, the Forest Service hopes to "enhance the experience or to continue allowing what it is that people value about Valhalla" and make the area "what it can be in contributing to the local economy," Rosales said."
Turnout
predicted to be 20 percent for Tuesday's election in Wis."The race for state Supreme Court tops the ballot. Voters also will decide on a constitutional amendment to limit the governor's veto authority and thousands of local issues. The state's Government Accountability Board released the turnout prediction on Friday. The estimate is that about 875,000 voters will turn out."
30
judges say Gableman ad marks a new low in Supreme Court race"More than 30 judges say a dishonest campaign ad by Judge Michael Gableman has tarnished the entire judicial system ... They have released a statement saying Gableman crossed all boundaries of fairness, honesty and integrity with an ad attacking Justice Louis Butler."
Denver
couple give Gableman $20,000 for Supreme Court race"The contributions from John and Carolyn Saeman were denounced by a government watchdog group as showing the growing influence of wealthy donors who can't even vote in the race ...Even Gableman's own father, Norbert Gableman, gave less at $5,500."
Doyle
asks state to shape up"This challenge is focused on motivating people of all ages and abilities to find activities they love, and get moving. Physical activity is extremely important for improving the health of our nation, decreasing obesity rates and reducing the risk of many serious diseases."
Lac
du Flambeau standoff ends peacefully"It took more than 15 hours, 10 law enforcement agencies and many attempts at reaching an agreement before members of the Lac du Flambeau tribe surrendered their ground within the William Wildcat Tribal Center Wednesday afternoon."
"Virden says, "Set up some type of mediation the council and this group and see if we can come to some resolution of some of the problems that are evident." Virden says one of the issues that may be looked at surrounds the misuse of funds among the tribal council. Lac du Flambeau Tribal Council Vice Presidnet Dee Mayo says, "There's not any misappropriations of funds I am aware of or have been flagged by any of our auditing agencies.""
Sirius
Buyout of Rival XM Approved - New York Times“We are particularly disturbed by this decision, given the Justice Department’s record in recent years of failing to oppose numerous mergers which reduced competition in key industries, resulting in the Justice Department not bringing a single contested merger case in nearly four years,” Mr. Kohl said."
Statewide
Challenge to Encourage Wisconsin Residents to Get Active"The Governor urged adults and kids of all ages to participate in the Wisconsin Governor’s Challenge, a six-week program launched in association with the National President’s Challenge that is designed to inspire individuals to become more physically active."
TPMtv:
Summa Bosniatica - Talking Points Memo"But most of them are incomplete or rapid-fire-cut or edited to make Sen. Clinton look as foolish as possible ... we wanted to go back and put together all the key moments in roughly chronological order -- what Sen. Clinton said on different occasions, the key video from the trip, what other eyewitnesses say, what her spokespersons and aides say, etc."
Reverend
Jeremiah A. Wright Video on You TubeAnybody who watches TV has seen the infamous footage, but any fair person should invest 10 minutes to view this video and decide for themselves whether the "Chickens Coming Home to Roost" clip fairly represents what Wright was saying and comes off as the quote of Ambassador Peck that it was. The intemporate "GD America" clip is also less shocking in context. Though still uneasy with swearing in Church, I don't think I would have walked out. I would personally appreciate it if you would all check it out. - Bob
PS. You could also read the first sermon here.
Prosecutor
weighs in on airline issue "Gogebic County Prosecutor Richard Adams will attempt to find a way to keep Skyway Airlines flying into Gogebic-Iron County Airport until a new essential air service contract is drawn up. Although Skyway Airlines had announced the decision early this year, airport and county officials were under the assumption that Skyway was legally bound to provide service until another airline came to Ironwood."
"Tuesday's electrical outage in Saxon, Gurney and parts of Ironwood was caused by a broken insulator on a transmission line, according to Xcel Energy spokesman Brian Elwood. About 2,385 customers were affected by the afternoon blackout, although the length of outage differed in the communities. The electricity went out around 12:57 p.m. and power was restored by 3:13 p.m. in all areas, Elwood said Wednesday morning."
A
group of Bad River tribal members protested the recent recall election at
the Bad River Casino."A group of about half-a-dozen Bad River tribal members lined the main entrance to the Bad River Casino Wednesday to protest the recall election that resulted in the removal of Bad River Tribal Chairwoman Loretta Livingston, and her replacement by rival Eugene Bigboy Sr. Two of the picketers, Bernard A. Stone and his nephew Brian Stone, were cited for trespassing by Bad River Police for holding placards within the casino parking lot."
Standoff
at Lac du Flambeau reservation ends after 14 hours"The Vilas County Sheriff’s Department said the standoff ended peacefully about 3:45 p.m. Ten members of the group were arrested on tentative charges of criminal trespass, Chief Deputy Joe Fath said. All 10 were expected to make initial court appearances Thursday."
Candidate
asked for scrutiny; here it is"In December 1987, Gleisner sued his former law firm for $10 million, alleging that it had subjected him to such abuse that he spent months in a mental hospital... In an interview, the 61-year-old attorney said he spent several months in a couple of Wisconsin mental hospitals - the psychiatric wing of the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison and St. Michael's Hospital in Milwaukee - back in 1986 after he suffered a nervous breakdown. Gleisner said he thinks he checked himself into the hospitals, though a story at the time simply says he was committed."
Dissidents
block tribal center"The bold action followed warnings earlier this month from "invisible warriors," who demanded investigations of alleged corruption among tribal officials and more control over the finances of the 3,300-member tribe in Vilas County."
Ads
keep hammering in court race"Former Justice Janine Geske, now a Marquette University law professor, said the ads by special interests had turned the race into an "outrageous bloodbath" that is harming the court's reputation. "Our court system and their decisions are only as good as the trust that people have in them," Geske said. "And if that trust is so destroyed by what's going on in these ads, then I think we have to look at another alternative (to electing judges).""
Student hacks into school computers, using 'Dummies' book"Authorities found the book "Internet for Dummies" at a home of a 15-year-old boy who admitted hacking into the Little Chute School District's computers. "He was self-taught and self-motivated in that regard," said Lt. Ray Lee of the Fox Valley Metro Police Department. The boy, a student at Little Chute High School, faces a juvenile criminal charge and school discipline, he said."
Judge
orders teacher e-mails to be made public"Wisconsin Rapids School Superintendent Bob Crist determined the documents did not contain private information about students, but the teachers still filed an injunction in June to halt the release. The teachers want to emphasize they've done nothing wrong, even though they are fighting the release, Jonen said. "There's no misconduct at all; they don't want the public to feel they were misusing resources," she said. "These are e-mails they wrote to their friends, spouse or kids. It's a little unsettling they will be for public view.""
State
panel eyes regulating of issue ads"The move came Wednesday amid a Wisconsin Supreme Court race in which a study has said that businesses, unions and advocacy groups, which don't have to disclose who funds them, made 93 percent of the advertising expenditures through March 23."
Heated
Sidewalks Bill"Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill Wednesday that abolishes a state law prohibiting heated sidewalks, stairs, entrance ways and pedestrian walkways. Wisconsin's law, the only one in effect in the country, passed in 1980 as a response to the energy crisis of the 1970s."
"Most of those who follow your carrier with great interest like I do always believe you stand for the right things and vote your own position based on your views, understanding of the needs of the good people of Wisconsin and the US no matter how unpopular, tough or risky it may be for your own carrier. Your vote regarding the Patriot Act is a testament to that. The good people of Wisconsin believed in your character and desire to serve the country fairly and elected you to the office of the US Senate repeatedly."
It's
crunch time for Everglades restoration: A visit is due by a ...
- Sun-Sentinel.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL"This afternoon, Democratic Rep. Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens plans to take Obey, a Democrat from Wisconsin, on a helicopter ride for a view of the Indian River Lagoon, where some of the first restoration is planned."
"Living
Better""Is Wal-Mart helping you "live better?" Your tax dollars are still subsidizing Wal-Mart's health care crisis. Your good jobs are still being shipped overseas so Wal-Mart can import over 70% of its goods from communist China. Your neighbors are still earning poverty-level Wal-Mart wages so America's richest family can line their pockets with Wal-Mart's $12 billion in profits."
26 Mar
Iron
County adopts smoking ordinance"Under the adopted ordinance, smoking is allowed in two specific areas of the court house. One is the gazebo outside the south entrance of the building and the second is at the rear (west side) of the court house. These areas will be marked as "smoking only permitted here," the board agreed."
Three
candidates vie for Hurley mayoral post "Three people are running for mayor in the City of Hurley in the April 1 election. The Daily Globe asked incumbent mayor Joe Pinardi, former mayor Paul Mullard, who now sits on the city council, and Dan Rossi the following three questions: "
- Why are you running for mayor?
- What are your qualifications?
- What do you feel are the city's top priorities?
Iron
County to retain all paper service fees "The adopted resolution was passed out to county board members just prior to Tuesday's meeting. It was drafted earlier Tuesday by county attorney Michael Pope to replace an initially proposed resolution in which "Iron County's Finance Committee admits a mistake has been made in reference to the sheriff's service fee compensation.""
Bad
River Watershed Association to accept award"Thomas will join 17 other local residents in observing physical, chemical and biological characteristics of his sampling site once a month. Such work earned the Association the 2008 Volunteer Stream Monitoring Award, announced last week. The award, for group effort in the statewide Water Action Volunteer program, will be presented by University of Wisconsin Extension at the group’s annual “Spring for the Water” event on March 29 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center at 5:30 p.m."
Former
Bayfield resident is animator for blockbuster movies"However, doing state-of-the-art computer animation graphics isn't within the core curriculum at Bayfield High School,... The curriculum [at Sheridan College in Toronto] taught Martinsen the fundamental processes of old-school animation, and gave him a much more solid knowledge of animation when it came time to learn three-dimensional computer animation."
Ads
dominate high court race, debate"Both candidates denounced the third-party ads and their claims and encouraged voters to ignore or stand up against them. Independent groups are expected to spend millions of dollars on the race. The watchdog Wisconsin Democracy Campaign estimates outside interest groups spent $1.8 million on TV ads in the race between Feb. 20 and March 16."
Lac
du Flambeau members in standoff in tribal center"The people inside barricaded themselves in an office in the center, telling authorities they intend to complete a religious ceremony at sunrise and resolve the situation peacefully. They said they had tribal elders and children with them. There has been no threat of violence, Vilas County public information officer Cindy Burzinski said. Several law enforcement agencies and the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs have people on site in northern Wisconsin."
Board
approves VHS rule change"The board had adopted rules to stop the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia that prevent the movement of any fish off any Wisconsin waters. But legislators have balked at the idea. They say it forces anglers to dump out perfectly good bait minnows at the end of an outing. The lawmakers vowed to block the plan unless modifications were made."
Standoff
at Lac du Flambeau reservation ends peacefully"Members of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa locked themselves in a tribal center for at least 14 hours Wednesday, refusing to come out until federal officials agreed to investigate allegations of corruption among tribal leaders. The Vilas County Sheriff's Department said the standoff ended peacefully. Ten members of the group were arrested on tentative charges of criminal trespass, chief deputy Joe Fath said."
Budget
repair hurdles Senate"Included in the bill was a 0.7 percent tax on hospitals, which supporters say will bring in extra federal funding. Also, the bill will close a tax “loophole” bringing in $150 million. In hopes of revitalizing the plan to build a commuter rail between Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee, the bill would also raise the rental car tax in that area from $2 to $15. Lastly, the plan would put off some state funding set for June until July, originally included in the Assembly’s plan."
"The number of people arrested is varying a little bit at this hour, but we have reports of between nine and twelve people under arrest after taking over the tribal center in Lac du Flambeau ends with about 10 people being arrested."
Feingold
stresses necessity of bi-partisan efforts - Dunn County News
- Menomonie,WI"I want to proceed in a consensus manner and be one of the leaders in five areas: health care — this is the topic I hear most about other than Iraq; education; third is trying to change the way these presidential campaigns are funded; fourth, clean water; and finally, I have proposed a modified line-item veto with a Republican congressman, Paul Ryan, from Wisconsin.”
[Incidentally, the picture is just a Republican that Feingold could easily and often work with. - Bob]
Justice
Dept. Approves XM Merger With Sirius - New York Times"Senator Herb Kohl, Democrat of Wisconsin and chairman of an important antitrust subcommittee, said the deal would “create a satellite radio monopoly.” Gene Kimmelman, a spokesman for Consumers Union, the nonprofit organization that publishes Consumer Reports magazine, criticized the decision. “If this is what our competition cops do,” he said, “we might as well close shop and save taxpayers a few hundred million dollars because they’re not doing their jobs.”"
"Senate Bill 393 requires disclosure of certain information found during background checks for personal care workers. The bill also mandates that background checks for caregivers be conducted every four years."
Crack
Down on Capital Pirates"For many years, Robert Morgenthau has warned America that the nexus of capitalism and criminality poses a serious threat to our prosperity, security and growth. Now in the wake of the collapse of Bear Stearns, which pushed global markets still closer to the brink, perhaps the nation will listen to the Manhattan district attorney, whose scrutinizing gaze is fixed on targets well beyond New York."
25 Mar
Skyway
to end service April 5 "I really have no statement until I hear back from all the entities involved," said GICA manager Duane DuRay. "It would be premature to say anything. The airport is working feverishly to resolve this situation to minimize any inconvenience to our local travelers."
15
to run unopposed in Iron County election "Thirteen candidates are seeking re-election, while James Clement of district 8 in Saxon chose not to seek re-election and Charles Schroepfer, who was appointed to the district 12 post to fill the unexpired term of James Byrnes, is also not seeking election.
Montreal
officials seek re-election unopposed "There won't be any new faces on the Montreal City Council for the next two years. Mayor Bob Morzenti is seeking re-election Tuesday, and he's unopposed. The alderman posts are filled in staggering terms."
Bigboy
sworn in as Bad River chairman"After the decision was made, the council then appointed Bigboy as the chairman, since it was him who finished second to Livingston in the November 2007 election. The appointment was administered by the recall election ad hoc committee. "This Tribal Council meeting represented a compromise among the Tribal Council members to act in unison to receive the petition and schedule the meeting," according to the statement."
Fake
Medicare calls expand"The Wisconsin insurance commissioner's office warned late last week that such calls are a violation of Medicare program rules. The office initially warned residents in Ozaukee, Washington and Sheboygan counties, but others say the calls are being placed to people throughout the metro area."
Money
keeps flowing in Supreme Court race"The total doled out by independent groups is expected to exceed what was spent in last year's race between Annette Ziegler and Linda Clifford - the most expensive ever. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a group that tracks political spending, estimated that the candidates and third parties spent $5.8 million on the 2007 race - four times as much as the previous mark of $1.4 million set in 1999. Outside interest groups spent $3.1 million in 2007."
Doyle:
Wisconsin to move forward with renewable energy program"Lawmakers created the fund in last year's budget before a downturn in tax collections caused a multimillion dollar shortfall. Doyle says the commerce department anticipates awarding $15 million per year for 10 years. He says the budget situation might mean the state only gives out $12 million in the first year."
Court
upholds sanctions for pharmacist who didn't provide pills"The 3rd District Court of Appeals ruled the punishment the state Pharmacy Examining Board handed down against pharmacist Neil Noesen did not violate any of his state constitutional rights, specifically his "right of conscience" to religiously oppose birth control."
Pharmacist
loses appeal on refusing contraceptive"Noesen was working as a substitute pharmacist at a Menomonie Kmart in 2002 when a University of Wisconsin-Stout student came in to refill birth control pills. He asked her whether the pills would be used for contraception and then refused to fill her prescription -- or return it to her or transfer it to a pharmacist elsewhere -- as a matter of religious conscience."
UW
gets $1.3 million grant for flu pandemic prevention
"The
grant announced today will support research aimed at understanding the
molecular features that lead to influenza pandemics. The University of
Wisconsin-Madison will collaborate with Maryland-based Lentigen Corp. on the
project."Feingold
criticizes war, pushes volunteering"U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., stressed the importance of citizen diplomacy and international volunteerism while denouncing the Iraq war Monday night to a full house in Memorial Union’s Great Hall."
Local
grocers not affected by fruit recall"The state Department of Health and Family Services said at least three Wisconsin residents have been sickened in a multistate salmonella outbreak believed to be linked to tainted cantaloupe."
Report:
Lack of health insurance contributes to five deaths a week in WI“Our report highlights how our inadequate system of health coverage condemns a great number of Wisconsinites to an early death, simply because they don’t have the same access to health care as their insured neighbors,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. “The conclusions are sadly clear — a lack of health coverage is a matter of life and death for many Wisconsinites.”
Assembly
Passes State Budget"The Senate plan passed Tuesday also includes closing a tax loophole that would cost corporations $130 million over the next 15 months. That wasn't included in either Gov. Jim Doyle's proposal or the one passed by the Republican-led Assembly. A special bipartisan committee of lawmakers from both houses will be called together to work out a compromise unless a deal is reached in private first."
"That day made clear that America’s top national security priority must be combating the threat posed by al Qaeda. And in order to combat that threat, America would need to engage with the world in new ways. Like Pearl Harbor, 9-11 painfully established that what happens abroad is directly relevant to our lives and that we ignore at our peril threats beyond our boundaries."
“I am deeply concerned about the heavy-handed tactics used by the Chinese government in response to the Tibetan protests. I encourage the Chinese government to negotiate with the Dalai Lama and to respect the rights of the Tibetan people."
Kohl:
FCC Should Block XM-Sirius Merger - Broadcast Newsroom -
Newport Beach,CA"Speaking as chairman of the committee, Sen. Herb Kohl said in a statement: "We believe the elimination of competition between XM and Sirius is contrary to antitrust law and the interests of consumers. We urge that the FCC find the merger contrary to the public interest and exercise its authority to block it.""
Rudolph
farmer to challenge Obey for Congress - Oshkosh Northwestern""After 38 years in office, Congressman Obey has gotten off track and can’t get past his prejudices and hatred toward those who don’t agree with his way of doing things," Mielke said. Obey, 69 and one of the most powerful members of Congress because of his seniority, is expected to seek re-election but he said Wednesday he would not say anything related to it until July 8, the filing deadline for the Sept. 9 congressional primary. As for Mielke’s challenge, Obey said, "It’s a free country. Anybody can run who wants.""
Governor
Doyle Launches Clean Energy Wisconsin, a Plan for Energy Independence“From the supermarket to the gas pump, Wisconsin families are feeling the squeeze of high energy prices,” Governor Doyle said. “In Wisconsin, we are taking the lead to not only address these challenges – but to find opportunities for innovation and growth in them as well."
24 Mar
Hurley
students attend Superior Days in Madison "Nicole Brannigan presented a power-point on raising the minimum wage to the director of the Department of Workforce Development and the entire youth delegation. She introduced Department of Commerce Secretary Jack Fischer at the Wednesday luncheon."
Spring
snow headed to the Range "NWS Meteorologist Steve Fleegel said the next storm could dump 2 to 4 inches of snow on the Gogebic Range and is coming from "a clipper system from the northern plains." The system will probably bring cooler than normal temperatures with highs in the 30s and lows in teens, Fleegel said."
News Radio
Cops
Bust Root Beer Kegger"Some police officers in the Wausau area thought they were busting an underage drinking party earlier this month. But much to their surprise -- even though there were dozens of rowdy teens, cars blocking the road and a keg -- not one teen's breath test revealed alcohol. That's because the teens got a root beer keg for the party on March first at the Kronenwetter home of 18-year-old Dustin Zebro."
Governor's
selective veto at issue"Those lawmakers want voters to approve the question on the ballot that asks whether the Wisconsin Constitution should "be amended to prohibit the governor, in exercising his or her partial veto authority, from creating a new sentence by combining parts of two or more sentences of the enrolled bill?""
Passage
in Wisconsin isn't deal's last hurdle"Legislators in Ohio also are objecting to the one-governor veto, and they also have worries about how the agreement could affect groundwater rights ... The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec have a parallel agreement governing Great Lakes diversions and water use, but it is separate from the compact because U.S. states cannot enter into such agreements with foreign governments without congressional approval."
Wineke:
Wright is the real victim of pseudo-scandal"There has been guilt by association practiced in this issue, but the victim was not Barack Obama. The victim was Jeremiah Wright, whose reputation as a pastor has been trashed across the world because of his association with Obama... If Wright's message was one of hate, just why is it that no hate has come from his church? Why is it that all those scouring Obama's record haven't found a single incident of racism? Why is it that so many Madison white folk who have attended church there have been welcomed with warmth and with respect?"
Rural
Fresh Delivery: Popular CSA farm network ready for growing season"MACSAC Coordinator Erin Schneider estimates that some 12,000 people in southern Wisconsin buy fresh, local food from farmers offering CSA shares. A common share includes weekly or every-other-week boxes of farm-produced food, usually dropped off for customer pickup at a variety of local sites."
Senate
Democrats pitch budget shortfall repair plan"The Senate should likely pass its version of a plan to fill in a budget shortfall of about $652 million that was caused by an economic slowdown yielding lower-than-expected tax revenues. Three plans from three government powerhouses — Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, the Democratic Senate leadership and the Republican Assembly leadership — will face off with different strategies for filling the hole."
Cardinal
Madison
protesters fight ‘apathy’ on war’s anniversary"Kristan and a group of about 150 protesters marched around the Capitol on Wednesday, continuing into the Madison office of U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, D-Wis., where they were forced to leave when Kohl sent in the U.S. Homeland Security Department. No arrests were made, but Kristan said he was disappointed Kohl would not talk to his constituents."
Watch
out for Wimmer"It's been awhile, but Scott Wimmer is finally back in the winner's circle. The Wausau native ended a five-year drought on the NASCAR Nationwide circuit with a win at Saturday's Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway."
Mortgage
standards getting tougher in state "Area mortgage brokers say loan decisions take longer now because some banks are cutting back on their loan staffs. Ron Steinhofer _ president of the Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association _ says the market is moving away from low credit scores and demanding higher down payments."
New
Collage of Hurley Winter ScenesJanuary and February are so often gray and dreary... but when the sun comes out and the snow turns bright and the sky turns blue, the contrast between trees and the snow cover makes the north woods one of the prettiest places in the world. Hey! Any time you folks want to email me some pictures (or even a finished collage) I have a place to post it. - Bob
"The Iron County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM at the Courthouse in Hurley, Wisconsin. The meeting is open to the public per Chapter 19, Sub Chapter V, Wisconsin Statutes. "
Local
'Green Teams' detail their efforts“This is a network of businesses and institutions that have voluntarily joined the Green Team Network. They committed two to five members from their business or institution to spend 80 hours a year trying to come up with sustainability ideas and share them with other members of the network. These first-year reports come from 17 different members,” Rehwald explained."
Schools
give extra as top leaders leave"Attorney Barry Forbes, staff counsel for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, said some boards might be thinking about the long term when providing additional retirement benefits. The market for superintendents is "very competitive" and any prospective candidate likely would speak to the departing superintendent before deciding whether to accept a superintendent job, Forbes said."
""It's a little bit puzzling that this was not discovered earlier," Quigley said. The Back Forty Project is in the advanced exploration stage, but the metals are within reach using a combination of sulfide and deep-shaft mining. "Especially with gold selling for about $1,000 an ounce, it's looking more feasible by the day," said Philip Fauble, mining coordinator for Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources, who visited the Back Forty site last fall."
"You've heard about spineless candidates who reverse field, flip-flopping on, say, abortion rights or the Iraq war. Judicial candidate William Gleisner III is doing them one better. He has undergone a full-scale political conversion on the road to the general election."
Delegation
marks Iraq anniversary"On The Huffington Post blog, Feingold wrote: "By invading Iraq, we have, in effect 'cried wolf' - we've used up our international chits and credibility attacking a country that had nothing to do with 9-11 and had virtually no connection to al-Qaida. As long as the president's policies continue, Iraq will continue to be what the intelligence community has called a 'cause célèbre' for a new generation of terrorists.""
Sen.
Kohl, is this what we signed up for?"I mean the one between Herb Kohl and us - the one that says he gives us lots of cool stuff and keeps us entertained and we give him a low-stress job, no questions asked. Where is that one? I'm thinking we need to take a look at that one. Herb Kohl has been in office 20 years now. He'll be a few years short of 80 years old at the end of his current term. Is this thing completely open-ended?"
Wis.
voters could limit governor's strong veto power"A majority of "yes" votes on April 1 would rewrite the state constitution to strip Gov. Jim Doyle of one method he has used to reshape budgets approved by lawmakers. The plan would limit the governor's ability to stitch together unrelated words and numbers to create new policy, taxes and spending levels never approved by the Legislature. Critics call this the "Frankenstein veto.""
Madison
sets record for snowiest season ever, Milwaukee has 2nd"In Madison, 7.7 inches fell in yesterday's storm, putting the city at 99.6 inches for the year. That means it's their snowiest winter on record. It far surpasses the second snowiest season, 1978-1979, with 76.1 inches. In Milwaukee yesterday, 12.4 inches fell. That puts the city's total at 96 inches, making it the second snowiest ever. The snowiest season was in 1885-1886, with 109.8 inches of snow."
Anti-farmer
farm policy"Wisconsin farmers -- like working farmers across the country -- have sent clear signals during the farm bill debate. They want the farm safety net preserved. And they are right. America's food supply is a vital resource -- more vital than oil, more vital than any resource save our fresh water."
Statelagging
on Great Lakes compact"The compact has been enacted into law in four states and has passed one chamber of state legislature in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Michigan is the only state in the Great Lakes basin that has yet to pass the compact through either legislative body. In both the state house and senate, bills that would enact and implement the compact are out of committee and up for vote."
Oneida
County DNR Warden Earns High Honors"Department of Natural Resources Warden Jim Yung goes above and beyond the call of duty. He's organized numerous youth activities that have gotten kids into the outdoors, and now he's getting a truly deserved pat on the back."
- Assembly Bill 893 makes various changes affecting the Wisconsin Retirement System.
- Assembly Bill 875 specifies the process of certification of major party nominees for the office of president and vice president of the United States in 2008.
- EXOPLANETS: THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BROADENS.
- SOLAR SYSTEM: NO EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE - YET.
- PEER REVIEW: COURT UPHOLDS CONFIDENTIALITY.
- WATER: TOO LITTLE WATER, OR TOO MANY PEOPLE?
Girl
In Red Phone Ad Denounces Hillary And Her "Politics Of Fear"
- TPM"They had a little fun making this one, clearly. Knowles says that Hillary "wanted to scare you into voting for her" by cutting a scary ad with frightful blue tinting and a narrator with a "scratchy voice.""
21 Mar
Indianhead
closes its golf course "Bolich said Indianhead's executive course, with holes measuring from 60 to about 175 yards, had not seen much use in recent summers. "Our primary business in the summer is lodging and providing food and beverages," Bolich said."
Narcotics
team arrests Mercer man in drug bust "Kevin Knipp is charged with two felonies of delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine), a felony of possession with intent to delivery a controlled substance (cocaine), and two misdemeanors of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia."
Farmers,
truckers, loggers, travelers hurt by high fuel costs"Ken Clement would like to put fertilizer on his land this spring to help yield a better feed crop at his dairy farm in Saxon, Wis., but fertilizer is expensive this year because it's made with petroleum. If he doesn't buy it, his crops won't be as good, but he'll use just as much diesel fuel to run his equipment no matter what the yield."
Ag
Station committee agrees to meet with Eileen Town Board"Several members of the Ad Hoc Committee expressed considerable frustration with those results, including Bayfield County Board member Tom Gordon, who said he felt obligated to listen to what the Town of Eileen thinks about the proposals for mixed development of the property. He also said he understood the desire to keep the land for agriculture."
"Natalie saw a familiar foe in what turned out to be an all-Wisconsin national final in Sharice Schnell of Owen. Just two weeks ago, the pair met for the Wisconsin state title with Natalie pulling out a 16-14 overtime win. This match was much shorter, with Natalie pinning Schnell in 1:47."
Senate's
budget repair advances"On a 6-2 vote, the Senate Finance Committee cleared the plan for debate Tuesday in the full Senate, which is expected to pass the proposal. Two Republicans on the committee voted against it, saying the state should be cutting spending instead of raising taxes. After the full Senate vote, an Assembly-Senate committee would be created to resolve the differences between the two houses on the budget-repair bill - a process that could take months."
Seniors
warned of fake Medicare calls""It's against federal Medicare regulations for anyone to cold call a Medicare consumer" by telephone or by showing up at someone's door, Ruch said. The consumer must first request information on Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans."
AP
Centerpiece: Economy forces children to move home with parents"After being laid off from her job as an events planner at an upscale resort, Jo Ann Bauer struggled financially. She worked at several lower-paying jobs, relocated to a new city and even declared bankruptcy. Then in December, she finally accepted her parents' invitation to move into their home - at age 52. "I'm back living in the bedroom that I grew up in," she said. Taking shelter with parents isn't uncommon for young people in their 20s, especially when the job market is poor. But now the slumping economy and the credit crunch are forcing some children to do so later in life - even in middle age."