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State Officials Say They're Ready For Start Of Health Exchange Sign-Ups

September 30, 2013 - 1:00am

The sign-up period for buying health insurance on a new marketplace called an exchange begins on Tuesday, and Wisconsin officials say they're ready.

Survey: Incivility Reaches Crisis Point

September 27, 2013 - 5:00pm

Many Americans said that they believe incivility is a big problem and that things are getting worse instead of getting better, but in fact, are getting worse, according to a new survey.

The findings, which came from the fourth annual Civility in America Survey, found that 70 percent of people interviewed said that they felt incivility had reached “crisis-level.”

P.M. Forni, director of the Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, said that people's social media presence online is a large contributor to people being perceived as rude.

"The Internet is a very informal media that has happened to a very formal society,” said Forni. ...

UW Horticulturalists Offer Tips On Seed Saving

September 27, 2013 - 11:00am

Seed saving and collecting is a fun way to expand the variety and number of plants in a garden, but for the novice who has never tried saving seeds from fruits, vegetables or flowers, the idea might seem daunting.

Christy Marsden, horticulture educator for University of Wisconsin Extension in Rock County, said she has been saving seeds for years and she has some tips and tricks. She said gardeners save seeds because "particular varieties are no longer commercial available or are hard to find and (they) can have unique stories."

Saving seeds can also save money and helps preserve genetic diversity,...

EPA Administrator Applauds Madison Businesses

September 27, 2013 - 1:30pm

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy stopped in Madison Friday to laud local business efforts to become more energy efficient. The businesses she applauded were involved in MPower – an EPA-funded, one-year program that helps businesses become more energy efficient. Since starting in 2009, the program has reduced carbon dioxide...

Whooping Crane Conservation Group Marks 40 Years Of Work

September 27, 2013 - 1:06pm

George Archibald, a co-founder of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, is marking 40 years of work, with new hopes for the whooping crane migration experiment in Wisconsin. Archibald says it's thrilling that the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership now has more than 100 “whoopers” migrating between Wisconsin and the southeastern...

Native American Community Reacts Strongly To Proposed Mascot Law Revision

September 27, 2013 - 12:33pm

Wisconsin's Native American community reacted strongly to Republican legislation that would change the state's law on school mascots . The proposal would make it more difficult to challenge Native American school mascots. Barbara Munson, who chairs the Wisconsin Indian Education Association's Indian Mascot and Logo Task Force, says she rarely...

Milwaukee County Executive Chides Sheriff For Heroin Joke

September 27, 2013 - 11:35am

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele criticized County Sheriff David Clarke today for joking that Abele should be tested for heroin use. Clarke is a Republican appointee who currently runs for office as a Democrat, even though the Democratic Party doesn't want him. This week, when Abele proposed cutting the budget...

Hundreds Of Cherry Saplings Vandalized At Door County Orchard

September 27, 2013 - 10:59am

The owner of a Dane County cherry orchard is offering a reward for information on who cut down over 600 of its cherry tree saplings. Seaquist Orchards is a well-known cherry destination in northern Door County, a county where cherries are a major crop and a draw for tourists. Sometime...

Car-Deer Accidents Hit Their Peak Over Next 2 Months

September 27, 2013 - 10:15am

A car-deer accident can happen anytime, but state transportation officials say the next two months are the peak season in Wisconsin. Deer mating and hunting are the main reasons more deer are on the move in October and November, especially at night and early morning. There were nearly 18,900 accidents...

Renting Out A Room Online? Cities Look To Regulate 'Tourist Rooming Houses'

September 27, 2013 - 8:18am

When Kyle Pfister lived in Madison, he would travel often for work. Rather than leave his apartment empty, he would rent it out to people visiting the city using AirBnB , a website that lists short-term rentals ranging from shared rooms to entire homes. He said renting his living space...