October 2, 2013 - 10:38am
Credit: Tim Southwick Johnson
More than 60 years after its publication, Aldo Leopold’s "A Sand County Almanac " continues to influence conversations about the relationship between people and the land. It also inspired Wisconsin musician Tim Southwick Johnson, who set many of Leopold’s themes and words to music. Like many Wisconsinites, Johnson said he...
October 2, 2013 - 8:33am
Governor Walker speaks to employees at Chippewa River Industries in Chippewa Falls, 10/1/13
Rich Kremer / WPR News
Gov. Scott Walker said the state is looking into creating a self-insured health benefits plan for state employees to avoid taxes and fees levied through the Affordable Care Act.
October 2, 2013 - 8:17am
Wisconsin residents have been driving fewer miles each of the last eight years, while bus and bike ridership has increased.
humbletree (CC-BY-NC)
A newly-released study shows that Wisconsin residents have driven fewer miles in their cars for each of the last eight years. The public interest group WISPIRG has looked at federal data that shows the total miles traveled by Wisconsin residents in vehicles is down 3 percent compared to 2004. That's...
October 2, 2013 - 7:56am
The sandhill cranes at Horicon Marsh appear unaware that parts of the wildlife refuge are officially closed for business, along with much of the federal government.
NaturesFan1226 (CC-BY)
The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge finds itself partly open and partly closed as the federal government shutdown continues. Massive numbers of migrating waterfowl draw many people to Horicon this time of year. The northern two-thirds of the marsh — that operated by the federal government — is now closed. The...
October 1, 2013 - 2:11pm
People looking for that perfect pumpkin will have to look harder in parts of the state affected by drought.
October 1, 2013 - 1:54pm
The legislature is considering a bill that would grant a $90,000 payment to a man who spent 23 years in a state prison for a crime he didn't commit. Backers of the bill also support boosting the amount the state pays to anyone who is wrongfully convicted. In 1985, Robert...
October 1, 2013 - 1:34pm
DOJ officials say they receive between 500 and 1,000 concealed carry permit applications every week.
Artbrom (CC-BY-SA)
Wisconsin issued its 200,000th permit to carry a concealed gun yesterday, a month shy of the controversial program’s two-year anniversary. State Department of Justice officials aren't surprised at the interest in concealed carry permits, and say the biggest glitch right now is that the legislature lowered the permit fee in...
October 1, 2013 - 1:19pm
Because the VA budget has been approved through 2014, the William S. Middleton VA Hospital in Madison will continue operating despite the government shutdown.
Pahz (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Despite a partial government shutdown , Veterans Affairs hospitals remain open across the country. It’s business as usual for the VA hospitals in Tomah, Madison, and Milwaukee. The VA’s outpatient clinics and Vet Centers will also stay open. Madison VA spokesman Tim Donovan says the hospitals are doing everything they...
October 1, 2013 - 12:09pm
Thirteen private insurance carriers are offering plans on the new exchange.
Bryan Mason (CC-BY)
Today is the first opportunity for those without insurance and those who buy their own coverage to shop on a new marketplace called an exchange. The health exchanges are supposed to be consumer friendly and spur competition among insurance companies. In Wisconsin, there are 13 private insurance carriers offering a...
October 1, 2013 - 7:16am
Credit Megan Hines (CC-BY-SA) Emeritus UW professor Tom Heberlein says Wisconsin has seen a slight decline in hunting and fishing, which was likely part of the motivation for the $500,000 grant.
Newspapers this week have reported more connections between the Department of Natural Resources, Republican lawmakers and United Sportsmen of Wisconsin. United Sportsmen is the group that won — as the only applicant — a $500,000 grant to educate people about hunting and fishing, until controversy erupted and Governor Walker blocked...
