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Republicans move to end UW tuition freeze, reject Evers’ budget plans
Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) ended a freeze on tuition increases while also largely rejecting Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal to inject a massive investment of state funds into the University of Wisconsin System. Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) tried to justify this, saying that if in 1981 she was able to work multiple jobs […]
Anti-vax influence campaign brought legal threats to Rock County, report says
A New York law firm closely tied to the anti-vaccine movement has been involved in numerous complaints against vaccine requirements across the country — including efforts by Rock County officials to mandate vaccines for employees of a nursing home facing an outbreak of COVID-19, according to a Washington Post report. Nonprofits and advocacy organizations that […]
The court system is returning to normal, but virtual court is here to stay (sometimes)
The Wisconsin court system has been trudging along for the last 14 months, doing what it can virtually and trying to make in-person court appearances as safe as possible. But as the vaccination rate rises and the state emerges from the pandemic, people who work in the system want some of the lessons to remain […]
St. Croix County School Board member compares masks, vaccinations to the Holocaust
A member of the Somerset School Board in St. Croix County compared wearing masks and requiring vaccinations to the Holocaust at a meeting Monday evening. Cherie Link, who serves as the board’s treasurer, made the comparison as the board was debating its mask and vaccination policies for summer school and the fall as more teachers […]
Republicans on the budget committee gut housing, homeless aid proposals
Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) of the Wisconsin Legislature believe the best way to help the homeless is to help them find homes. Republicans on the committee, strongly in the majority, believe the best way to help Wisconsin’s unhoused people is to make it cheaper for local governments to help them find jobs. […]
Inclusivity resolution divides Marathon County
A resolution to label Marathon County a “community for all,” has divided the central Wisconsin County, with the county board’s executive committee voting 6-2 against the label last week. Nearly a year since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the resulting outcry against racism, the county board continues to fight over what it […]
Evers directs $100 million in ARPA funds to broadband expansion
Gov. Tony Evers announced Tuesday that he will use $100 million in federal funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act to expand broadband access across Wisconsin. The money will be available through a program similar to the existing Broadband Expansion Grant program, which helps local governments fund projects that expand internet access to […]
Mobile homes sell dream of homeownership, with a catch
For years, the Blue Mounds Mobile Home Park had a sign out front that said it was a “nice place to live.” But that was two owners ago. The man who originally owned the park in Blue Mounds — nestled in the rolling hills of rural Dane County near Blue Mounds State Park and across […]
Kenosha law enforcement’s thin blue line challenge coins
Last year, after the unrest in the City of Kenosha died down following weeks of protest, Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth wanted to come up with a way to show his appreciation for all the people who had come to help him and his agency. Just three months earlier, the sheriff’s department and numerous other […]
Online charter school says 6th grader can’t start LGBTQ club
A sixth grader who attends an online charter school tied to the Grantsburg School District and the ACLU of Wisconsin have filed a complaint with the school after administrators stopped the student from starting a Gay Straight Alliance. Wren Prahl, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, is a student at iForward — a public online charter school […]
Republicans move to stop vaccine requirements on UW campuses
After attempting more than once to prevent employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, a pair of Wisconsin Republicans are beginning an attempt to prohibit vaccine mandates on public university and college campuses. Two legislators, Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) and Rep. Gae Magnifici (R-Dresser), have begun looking for cosponsors on their bill that would prohibit UW […]
State to help Eau Claire County launch SpaceX broadband pilot program
Some residents of Eau Claire County will soon get their internet through SpaceX, the rocket company owned by billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk that is partnering with NASA for the first manned mission to the moon since 1972. The internet access will come through a pilot program announced Thursday by Gov. Tony Evers and the […]