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After Newtown, UW-Superior Holds 'Active Shooter' Drills

February 18, 2013 - 5:50pm

Students and staff at UW-Superior were put to the test last week with "active shooter response drills" in each of its buildings.

"(Ding ding) I would like your attention please. We are about to conduct of the emergency response plan."

That's UWS Public Safety Director Gary Gulbrandson alerting people in Wessman Arena...

Wisconsinites Join D.C. March Against Climate Change

February 18, 2013 - 5:45pm

More than 150 people from Wisconsin joined a march in Washington D.C. Sunday, pushing for government action to reduce global warming.

Stephanie Kimball is with the group 350 Madison. She says President Obama recently urged people to push him to address climate change."And I felt the need, along...

Tort Reform Complicates Nursing Home Lawsuits

February 18, 2013 - 12:26pm

The first tort reform law proposed by Governor Scott Walker two years ago was billed as a way to improve the business climate in the state. But a new report by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism shows the law has made it more difficult to hold nursing...

Policy Change for School Software Would Allow Multiple Vendors

February 18, 2013 - 12:13pm

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would force the state to overturn a controversial policy on school software vendors. The bill might keep a Stevens Point company from leaving Wisconsin.

The policy requires all Wisconsin school districts to use the same student information software in order to...

Federal Funds Boost To Improve Mississippi River Quality

February 18, 2013 - 12:00pm

A program aimed at improving the Mississippi River's water quality is getting extra funding from the federal government.

One of the major threats to the Mississippi River and its basin is pollution from farm runoff, like manure and nitrogen.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds...

Walker, Norquist Against Democrats' Mining Tax Bill

February 15, 2013 - 6:11pm

The fight between Democratic and Republican mining bills has shifted. Now, it's about how to tax a mining company. That argument took a strange twist this week when Americans for Tax Reform leader Grover Norquist entered the debate.

The Democratic bill says mining companies should be taxed on the amount of...

Gov Discusses Transportation Funding, Priorities

February 15, 2013 - 6:01pm

Governor Scott Walker is promising to put more road-builders back to work, as he spelled out some details of his state transportation budget plan today. But it isn't clear how he'd pay for some of the proposals, and Walker left the door open to selling some state-owned power plants.

Walker told...

State Lawmakers Tour Potential Site For Open Taconite Mine

February 15, 2013 - 2:54pm

State lawmakers have spent the past two years debating a bill aimed at clearing the way for a massive open pit iron mine in Northern Wisconsin. It's a long time by legislative standards, but the ore body they're fighting over is more than a billion years old.

If this mine ever...

Officials Test New Vote Counting Machines

February 15, 2013 - 2:51pm

State elections officials are testing new electronic vote counting machines that could be used in future elections. A group of county clerks gathered in Madison yesterday to try them out.

The new machines won't change the way voters mark their paper ballots, but the new software should make it...

Poll Shows Residents Want Budget Surplus Spent On Education, Medicaid

February 15, 2013 - 2:42pm

A new poll says the top way Wisconsin residents want the state budget surplus to be used is for education. How that meshes with Governor Walker's plans will become known over the next few days.

A poll done by the UW-Milwaukee asked more than 600 people how they would prefer the...

Foreclosures Down In Wisconsin And Nation

February 15, 2013 - 2:35pm

Foreclosures in Wisconsin and across the nation have fallen substantially, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac. In the US foreclosure filings fell 28 percent in January, compared with the year before. That's a new six-year low.

Daren Blomquist, Vice President of RealtyTrac, says the numbers in January in Wisconsin were...

Groups Join '1 Billion Rising' To Decry Violence Against Women

February 15, 2013 - 1:45pm

Around a dozen groups in Wisconsin met in La Crosse and joined people around the world today to stand up against violence against women and girls.

"Today, we stand together with all women across the world to say no, put a stop to violence against women!"

Outside La Crosse's City Hall,...

Citizens Hope Lawsuits Will Compel Gov To Expand Badgercare

February 15, 2013 - 1:36pm

Citizens upset over Governor Walker's decision to forgo additional federal funding for Medicaid are taking their case to lawmakers to expand BadgerCare. Gretchen Gilham from La Crosse has no health insurance and gets care from free clinics. She says taxpayers fund the governor's salary and health care, and he should...

Hearings On Alleged Misuse Of Foster Care Money

February 15, 2013 - 1:35pm

Thursday, lawmakers heard from the state agency that oversees foster care. A Dane County foster care agency is alleged to have used million of dollars in taxpayer money for cars, boats and vacations.

At a public hearing, lawmakers sought answers to the apparent misuse of $6 million by the Dane County...

No Wasting Disease Found In Northern Wisconsin Deer

February 14, 2013 - 5:22pm

No new cases of chronic wasting disease have been found from last year's deer hunt in far northern Wisconsin, but it doesn't mean the threat is over.

One diseased deer was found in the Shell Lake area of Washburn County during the 2011 hunting season. So last May, the DNR ordered...

Little Surprise: Poll Shows Wisconsin Divided About Mining

February 14, 2013 - 5:21pm

A new poll indicates shrinking support for a bill aimed at easing state mining regulations. The poll also shows concerns about the environment are more prevalent than the wish for mining jobs.

A quarterly UW-Milwaukee poll called the Wisconsin Economic Scorecard asked two questions about mining last week to...

PSC Votes Down Western Wisconsin Wind Farm

February 14, 2013 - 5:15pm

The Public Service Commission has blocked a wind farm proposed for Western Wisconsin. Commissioners voted two to one today to deny a certificate for the Highland Wind Farm in Saint Croix County.

Madison attorney Peter McKeever represents a group of citizens that would have lived near as many as 44...

President Describes Plans To Expand Preschool Access

February 14, 2013 - 5:13pm

President Obama announced today more details about his plans to expand preschool access for four-year-olds.

Nationally, 28 percent of all four-year-olds in the US were enrolled in state-financed preschool programs in 2010-2011, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. Obama wants to boost those numbers.

In Wisconsin, enrollment is already...

Walker's Plan Would Move Many From Badgercare To Federal Exchanges

February 14, 2013 - 1:43pm

Governor Scott Walker won't seek federal funds to expand BadgerCare in Wisconsin, and will, in the process, reshape the program in ways not seen for 14 years.

The decision the governor announced Wednesday went way beyond a simple yes or no on federal funding. Walker said that going forward in his...

GOP Bill Would Forbid New Law Delays By Secretary Of State

February 14, 2013 - 12:45pm

A bill sparked by the contentious debate over Governor Scott Walker's 2011 budget repair bill is headed for the floor of the state Assembly. If approved, it would eliminate the role of the Secretary of State in publishing bills before they can become laws.

Currently a bill does not become law...

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After Newtown, UW-Superior Holds 'Active Shooter' Drills

Wisconsinites Join D.C. March Against Climate Change

Tort Reform Complicates Nursing Home Lawsuits

Policy Change for School Software Would Allow Multiple Vendors

Federal Funds Boost To Improve Mississippi River Quality

Walker, Norquist Against Democrats' Mining Tax Bill

Gov Discusses Transportation Funding, Priorities

State Lawmakers Tour Potential Site For Open Taconite Mine

Officials Test New Vote Counting Machines

Poll Shows Residents Want Budget Surplus Spent On Education, Medicaid

Foreclosures Down In Wisconsin And Nation

Groups Join '1 Billion Rising' To Decry Violence Against Women

Citizens Hope Lawsuits Will Compel Gov To Expand Badgercare

Hearings On Alleged Misuse Of Foster Care Money

No Wasting Disease Found In Northern Wisconsin Deer

Little Surprise: Poll Shows Wisconsin Divided About Mining

PSC Votes Down Western Wisconsin Wind Farm

President Describes Plans To Expand Preschool Access

Walker's Plan Would Move Many From Badgercare To Federal Exchanges

GOP Bill Would Forbid New Law Delays By Secretary Of State

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