WISCREPORT.COM (09/08/2010) - Not surprisingly, the unsure attitude about the economy that many people have, is causing the employed to think twice about leaving their jobs, but confidence is increasing. GfK Custom Research North America, a leading global custom research company, says its national survey indicates more than one in five currently employed Americans are willing to change jobs. However, 53 percent would prefer to stay with their current company even if they were offered a good job elsewhere. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (09/06/2010) - Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children, and the AAA, Cookie Jar Entertainment, the Busytown Mysteries animated series, CBS Television, and ThisTv, are cooperating in an effort to remind people to safely secure young passengers. Starting Saturday, September 11, a new public service announcement (PSA) is scheduled to air during CBS Saturday morning shows and on ThisTV digital network. Read more by clicking on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (09/03/2010) - U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano has launched a collaboration with Southern Shield, a consortium of state homeland security and law enforcement officials from 14 Southeastern states and territories. It is part of the national Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative, as well as the expansion of the If You See Something, Say Something campaign to fusion centers across the Southeast. Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (08/19/2010) - The United States Veterans Administration (VA) says it will open a new Vet Center site in Wausau, Wisconsin, as well as add additional counselors at the Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay Vet Centers to help process cases and expedite assistance to veterans. Wisconsin currently has a low number of Vet Centers compared to other states like West Virginia or Hawaii that have a smaller veteran population than Wisconsin, but have nine and seven Vet Centers respectively. Click on headline above for more details. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (08/14/2010) - The independent online source for news about Wisconsin people, places, politics, events and activities, has joined the Facebook crowd. WisconsinReport.com, established in 2002, now also has a page on Facebook.com, a social networking website with more than 500 million active members, many of which have ties to Wisconsin. Readers of WisconsinReport.com are urged to find the page on Facebook and become a fan by clicking on the LIKE button on the page. Click on the headline above for more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (08/12/2010) - On Monday, August 16, President Barack Obama will travel to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, where he will tour ZBB Energy Corporation and deliver remarks to workers. While in the state, President Obama will also visit Milwaukee, where he will headline events for Mayor Tom Barrett and the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Barrett is running for Wisconsin Governor and other Democrats are involved in heavily contested races. Click on the headline above to read more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (08/04/2010) - Legendary road-racing cyclist and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has teamed up with Quiznos to hold an international pro-cycling competition in Colorado next year. The Quiznos Pro Challenge is expected to attract bicycle enthusiasts from Wisconsin and the rest of the world August 22nd through the 28th, 2011. To read more at WisconsinReport.com, click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (07/26/2010) - The leading cause (25 percent) of pet poisoning is swallowing human or pet pills the pets should not ingest . That is the finding of Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (VPI) of California, the oldest and largest insurer of pets in the United States. VPI is underwritten in most states by National Casualty Company of Madison, Wisconsin. For details, click on the above headline. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (07/23/2010) - It must be an election year. The Wisconsin GOP is accusing the camp of Wisconsin 7th Congressional District candidate Julie Lassa (D-Portage County) of carrying out a negative campaign against Republican Sean Duffy (R-Ashland County). They claim Lassa is using a thin link and flawed logic to cover up her track record. That record includes more than a decade of working on business and workforce issues. For more details, click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (07/10/2010) - Anyone dialing a phone number in what has strictly been the 715 Area until now in the northern part of Wisconsin must enter the full ten digit number starting Saturday, July 17, 2010. That's the date telephone companies switch so a second code number (534) can be dropped into the 715 area. To read more, click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/28/2010) - Some Kellogg breakfast cereals are being recalled voluntarily by the Kellogg Company. The company says only Kellogg cereal products with the letters KN are included in the recall. The recall does not involve all Kellogg brand cereals, just certain brands. The brands in the Kellogg recall are Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Fruit Loops, and Honey Smacks. The recall is being made because of what the company is calling, an uncharachteristic off-flavor and smell. Click on the headline above to read more about this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/26/2010) - Farm Aid joined family farmers from across the country in Madison, Wisconsin, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) joint public workshop examining competition in the dairy industry. The workshop comes 18 months into an unprecedented crisis for dairy farmers. Low prices and high production costs, combined with a tightening credit market, have pushed thousands of family farmers out of business. Click on the headline above to read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/23/2010) - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kathleen Parker and former New York governor Eliot Spitzer will co-host a spirited, nightly roundtable discussion program on CNN/U.S., according to Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. The new program, set to debut this fall, will air weeknights at 8pm Eastern time (7 CDT, etc.). Democrat Spitzer, a prosecutor and governor, and Parker, a conservative commentator, will host an exchange of opinions and analyses of the news of the day between themselves and guests and regular contributors. Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/16/2010) - Large majorities of Americans feel they should be allowed to have guns, acccording to the latest Harris Poll findings. At the same time, many Americans favor stricter control of guns, particularly hand guns, although this number has decreased somewhat in the past few years. Most Republicans and Americans who own guns favor less strict laws controlling guns and hand-guns. Conversely, most Democrats and those who do not own guns favor stricter control of guns and hand guns. Click on the headline above for more details at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/15/2010) - Starting with July 17th it will be necessary to dial the area code along with the rest of the number you are calling in what used to be strictly the 715 Area Code. That's because the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has decided it is necessary to drop in a second Area Code due to projected exhaustion of available new numbers in what has been the 715 Area Code. So, beginning July 17th all new numbers issued will have the 534 Area Code, even though the numbers issued will be in the former lone 715 Area. Confused? Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/11/2010) - The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary is urging everyone in Wisconsin to join in with other citizens of the USA to show the United States flag on Flag Day 2010. Flag Day will be observed Monday, June 14th. Flag Day started in 1916 with a presidential proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson to commemorate the date on which the Second Continental Congress voted to adopt the flag of the United States in 1777. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner. Click on the headline above for more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/03/2010) - Now you can hear Pop Rock from the Greatest Five Decades of Hit Music on your computer while surfing the web. A Super Mix of your favorite Top 40 songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s is available on the internet at GreatGold.fm 24 hours everyday. The internet radio station plays Classic Hit Oldies (Pop Rock), which is the best of the Greatest Hits that made it onto Popular Rock Top 40 Charts from the beginning of the rock era in the mid-50s through the end of the 20th Century. All you need are headphones or speakers attached to your computer and you're ready to enjoy the music. Click on the headline above for more on this story. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/02/2010) - American voters say by 48-35 percent that they want their state to pass an immigration law similar to the recent Arizona law, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll released June 1, 2010. The same poll shows that most people who took the poll don't look favorably at those who are opposed to the law. The poll results indicate, by an overwhelming 76-12 percent, those surveyed say that plans by those opposed to the law to boycott Arizona are a bad idea. To read more about the latest Quinnipiac Poll, click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (05/28/2010) - Memorial Day weekend is here and traffic on highways in many areas of the USA is heavier than usual, because in the minds of some,it has become a fun holiday. However it is more than that. Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I. Click on the headline above for more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/30/2010) - Governor Jim Doyle has signed into law Senate Bill 484, the BadgerCare Plus Basic Bill. This bill creates a new, entirely self-funded health care plan option for nearly 43,000 adults without dependent children who are on the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan waiting list. For 130 dollars a month, people enrolled in BadgerCare Plus Basic will be able to go see a doctor, get the generic prescriptions they need, and receive catastrophic coverage, without costing taxpayers a dime. Click on the headline above to read more about this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/28/2010) - A Wisconsin Democracy Campaign review released today shows eleven contributors to Wisconsin candidates for statewide office and the legislature exceeded the annual $10,000 limit on individual contributions in 2009. The Democracy Campaign findings are based on state campaign finance reports filed by legislative, judicial and statewide candidates and political parties that show the sources of their campaign contributions and spending. The contributions were to both Democrats and Republicans. Click on the headline above to read more about this story and others at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/08/2010) - Wisconsin has plenty of newsmakers this week, as usual. Wisconsin Nurses and Health Pros are applauding efforts by Governor Jim Doyle to rapidly implement the new federal Health Care Reform Law. The group likes the move to create a new office of National Health Care Reform this week. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Don Dunbar of Wisconsin is one of 35 people to be named to the Department of Homeland Security's newly formed Preparedness Task Force. Read more about these developments and more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/06/2010) - The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation says average prices on food items that the Bureau tracks as the Market Basket Survey, did not rise too much during the first quarter of 2010. However, there was a continuous upward trend in the overall average cost of the 20 items tracked. Compared to the last quarter of 2009, the total for the food items rose nearly a dollar and a half to almost 53 dollars. The largest single percent price increase was on sugar, attributed to conditions in the world market. Read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/02/2010) - As elected officials and community leaders across the nation took part in Census Day activities to increase local participation in the 2010 Census April 1st, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that 54 percent of the nation's estimated 134 million households have mailed back their census forms. While April 1 was officially designated as Census Day, the Census Bureau will continue to accept 2010 Census questionnaires by mail through mid-April. If you don't answer by then, someone may be knocking on your door starting May 1, 2010. Read more on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/31/2010) - Communities nationwide are urging their residents to take 10 minutes on Thursday, April 1, Census Day, to fill out and mail back their 2010 Census forms if they haven't already done so. As the official reference date for the once-a-decade civic ceremony, Census Day will serve as the point-in-time benchmark for the nation's population count for the next 10 years. Residents still have time to fill out and mail back their ten question census form, saving the government about 57 dollars for each household that does not have to be visited by an enumerator. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/29/2010) - Governor Jim Doyle and First Lady Jessica Doyle have announced a new Organ Donor Registry for the State of Wisconsin. The web-based registry is intended to make it easier for Wisconsin residents to list themselves as a donor through a secure online database. The new Organ Donor Registry will help the more than 1500 people in Wisconsin currently on the recipient waiting list, and others in the future. All interested residents, including those who already have an orange dot on their drivers license, should register as a donor on the website. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/26/2010) - The Fixes to the Senate Health Reform bill now go to the White House to become part of the new law signed by the President earlier this week. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 220 to 207 to give final okay to the minor changes made by the Senate to the Fixes sent to the Senate by the House. The Fixes are officially called the Health Care and Education Reconcilition Act. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says this completes what the late Senator Edward Kennedy called the great unfinished business. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/24/2010) - Now that President Obama has signed the Senate Health Reform Bill into law thanks to the approval of the House of Representatives, the House is moving on to boosting the economy. The House has passed two job creation and small business bills: the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Act and the Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act. It is hoped this will help businesses cope with the effects of the economy and create more jobs to get the economy moving in a positive direction. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/23/2010) - President Barack Obama has signed the Senate Health Reform bill into law, making good on a campaign promise that helped him get elected. The road to signing day was bumpy, slow and frustrating over more than a year since President Obama was sworn into office in January of 2009. Several provisions in the new law came from Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin. As President Obama was signing the bill, Attorneys General from more than a dozen states were filing lawsuits challenging the new law, and Washington D.C. Republicans have vowed to repeal it. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/22/2010) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Senate Health Care Reform bill 219-212 during a special weekend session in Washington D.C. They did so while also passing a separate House bill that fixes some of the things some people thought should not be included in the law. The original Senate bill now goes to President Obama for his signature, however, the Fixes now go to the Senate for approval. So Health Care Reform issues are not completely settled just yet. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/15/2010) - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is helping to spread the word about an unusually high number of complaints to the Social Security Administration from Wisconsin residents about phishing phone calls. The department is reminding people that the Social Security Department does not ask for Social Security numbers over the phone. Real Social Security workers have access to that information if they need it without asking for it. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/22/2010) - New federal regulations for consumer credit cards are now in effect. Lawmakers hope the new rules will be beneficial to consumers who have been having a rough time trying to meet all of the past requirements, fees, and interest rates that have been thrown at them. Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D., is among those praising the implementation of the CARD Act, which protects consumers by banning unfair credit card interest rate hikes and forbids abusive fees and penalties. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/08/2010) - Childrens Hospital and Health System has launched the Wisconsin Childrens Advocacy Network to help Wisconsin residents advocate for children in public policy. Through C.A.N., families, business leaders, employees and others can help ensure and improve the health and well-being of all children. By joining C.A.N., members will receive updates on activities, learn about opportunities to contact legislators or be asked to participate in community events. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/21/2010) - Governor Jim Doyle unveiled a new self-funded health care plan today for adults without dependent children who are on the state health care waiting list. BadgerCare Plus Basic will provide enrollees with limited access to physicians, hospital services, generic prescriptions and catastrophic coverage, and will be paid for entirely through a monthly premium of $130. The Basic plan is designed to be a bridge plan to keep individuals healthy while they wait for space in the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/17/2010) - The National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross to aid victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The NFL and its network partners also ran pregame and in-game messages during the weekend playoff games valued at $1.5 million to promote donations. In addition, NFL owners and players are making their own personal donations. Read More At WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/14/2010) - People in the United States and in countries around the world are looking to assist in the recent earthquake disaster in Haiti. Many are unable to actively go to the country to help in digging out citizens from under the rubble of the buildings, but money and goods are needed to help survivors cope with being without lodging, food, water, and other basic needs. InterAction has a list of member organizations online that accept donations. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/14/2010) - With estimates that as many as three million people may be affected by the catastrophic earthquake which hit Haiti Tuesday, the American Red Cross is releasing an additional $9 million for earthquake relief, bringing its total commitment so far to $10 million to support relief efforts in Haiti. The Red Cross also has established a website to assist in locating family members and friends who may have been in Haiti during the earthquake. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/08/2010) - Now that National Guard and Reserve units are beginning to return from active duty in Iraq Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle is urging state employers to put the veterans back to work in the civilian sector as soon as possible. Within the next three weeks Doyle expects about 3200 Iraq veterans to return to the state. Federal law requires employers to take them back with open arms. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (1/2/2010) - A former Winter High School student at Winter, Wisconsin, who is now an International Space Station Commander, will speak with current students from the orbiting space station. Commander Jeff Williams and two other astronauts are expected to join in the conversation with students in Winter and Hayward, Wisconsin on January 6th. The live call to the two schools will include videos. The live downlink is part of the Teaching From Space project from NASA. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/31/2009) - It took four months, more than 5,000 pounds of donated yarn and hundreds of talented volunteers to knit over 25,000 hats for homeless individuals across the country as part of the Lands' End FeelGood initiative. Lands' End kicked off the FeelGood campaign in September in an effort to warm the homeless and displaced this season. For every Lands' End FeelGood sweater purchased, the company donated signature FeelGood yarn to One Heart Foundation's Warming Families, a nationwide knitting charity. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/29/2009) - The National Education Association is disappointed with some provisions of the United States Senate version healthcare reform passed by Senators last week. The 3.2 million members of NEA are unhappy that the Senate has chosen to finance healthcare reform on the backs of teachers and bus drivers, and other middle class americans instead of millionaires, according to NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/24/2009) - The U.S. Senate passed the Senate version of the so-called Health Care Reform early in the morning on Christmas eve, as Democrats hoped. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) says the Senate bill is far from perfect, but, it includes important provisions for Wisconsin. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) explains that the Senate version begins the process of cutting health care costs and hopes the finalized Senate - House compromise bill will reach President Obama for his signature in January. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/21/2009) - The United States Senate cut off debate on the senate version of health care reform during the early morning hours shortly after midnight today. Wisconsin Congressional Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) is wondering why Democrats in the Senate have joined House Democrats in taking action in what Ryan calls The Dark Of The Night, while Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) says he will keep fighting for the so-called Public Option that is not in the current version. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/16/2009) - Citizen Action of Wisconsin (CAW) has issued a new report that shows the U.S. Senate health care bill under consideration would extend coverage to over 330,000 Wisconsinites if enacted. CAW Executive Director Robert Kraig says it would be sad if the Senate doesn't pass the so-called health care reform bill. If the bill doesn't make it to the White House for President Obama to sign, Wisconsin residents would be losing meaningful health care reform. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/14/2009) - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, recently introduced the Control Spending Now Act. The legislation would reduce the deficit by more than one half trillion dollars. The Act is made up of more than 40 proposals to cut the record deficit, which currently stands at $1.42 trillion. One of the Feingold Spotlight on Spending topics shines a light on making prescription drugs available to more citizens. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/10/2009) - Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports H1N1 influenza activity has declined, with 25 states now reporting widespread activity. CDC also reports that visits to doctors for influenza-like illness have declined. Flu-related hospital stays and deaths continue to decline nationally as well, but are still very high compared to what is expected for this time of year, and could pick up again. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/08/2009) - The latest Putting People Back To Work speech by President Barack Obama is causing lawmakers to comment. Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is happy that President Obama is looking at tax credits to stimulate job creation. Feingold says he has been advocating tax credits to companies that hire workers to encourage hiring. President Obama talked today about ideas to ease the strain on the job outlook and the economy. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/04/2009) - Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) introduced the Asset Management Improvement Act. This legislation is designed to ease administrative burdens on public housing agencies placed on them by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and allow them to operate more efficiently. Read more online at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/30/2009) - While the federal Cash For Clunkers program grabbed headlines earlier this year, another U.S. government program still in effect can help put money in the pockets of new-car buyers who act before the end of 2009. The Wisconsin Automobile and Truck Dealers Association is reminding people that the tax break for buying a new car is due to expire at end of year. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/27/2009) - State Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released October 2009 local unemployment rate estimates for Wisconsin cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. The unemployment rate decreased in 27 of 72 Wisconsin counties in October and remained the same in 10, compared to September 2009, but remains up for the year, statewide. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/25/2009) - Wisconsin Assembly Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine) is seeking co-sponsorship for a Toxic Toys bill designed to make it easier for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and friends to buy safer toys to give to young girls and boys during Christmas and the rest of the year. There's more on this story on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/11/2009) - State of Wisconsin elected legislative representatives are observing Veterans Day in various ways today. Many of them are letting their sentiments be known during these hours of thanks and remembrance. WisconsinReport.com has published a few of the Veterans Day comments by State Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville), Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus, and Assembly Representative Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire). Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/10/2009) - Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate is disappointed with the votes of some Congressional Representatives from Wisconsin in the U.S. House last Saturday. Tate says the votes of Congressmen Tom Petri (R-WI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) against the Affordable Health Care for America Act highlights the growing divide between their stance on the issues and what their constituents want. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/07/2009) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that the New Direction that Democrats have been promising the country will be manifested today by passage of the Health Care Reform that Congress has been spending so much time and effort on. She made the comments at a news conference today following a Democratic Whip meeting with President Obama in the Cannon Caucus Room. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/07/2009) - In a victory for President Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous. The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/5/2009) - The American Civil Liberties Union is applauding a decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to dismiss a challenge to the recently-enacted Wisconsin domestic partnership registry. The Court also rejected a request from board members of Wisconsin Family Action that the registry be declared unconstitutional and put indefinitely on hold. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/02/2009) - Medical Examining Board (MEB) Chair Gene Musser, M.D. has announced that formal disciplinary action will be pursued against a Green Bay M.D.for, allegedly, failing to adequately assess the capacity of a patient to make her own health care decisions. The Board has also suspended the license of a Beloit doctor pending the outcome of an investigation and disciplinary proceedings. The Beloit physician allegedly reported for work at Beloit hospital under the influence of alcohol. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/22/2009) - A State Assembly committee today heard landmark legislation aimed at protecting victims of sexual abuse by removing the civil statute of limitations in sex assault cases involving children. The Child Victims Act would eliminate limits on how long after a sexual assault on a child the suspect can be brought to trial. Similar legislation has been enacted in other states. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/14/2009) - The State of Wisconsin has created or saved over 22,000 full time jobs through the use of federal recovery funds allocated to the state to help ease the downturn in the economy, according to the State Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan of Janesville. Sheridan is predicting the ultimate creation of 70,000 jobs in Wisconsin. Read more about this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/14/2009) - 250 women from across the state of Wisconsin have announced the launch of Women for Lawton, a movement to elect Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton the next governor of the State of Wisconsin. Milwaukee County Democratic Party Chair Martha Love, former Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum and former Wisconsin Women = Prosperity Strategist Pat Alea are the founding co-chairs. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/09/2009) - The Fox Television Network has hired a Wisconsin native to star in an action comedy series, called Jack and Dan. The network has ordered 13 episodes of the hour-long series set to star Bradley Whitford, born and raised in the Madison, Wisconsin area. The Emmy Award winner is best known for his roles on The West Wing television series and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/30/2009) - The Senate Finance Committee yesterday first failed to include a public health insurance option plan offered by Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV), and later another similar plan offered by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during consideration of the committee health care reform proposal. Some Democrats, including Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, say the issue is not completely at an end. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/26/2009) - U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has released a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) examining long-term effects of 401(k) loans and leakage on retirement savings of workers. The report highlights various policy changes to reduce these effects, urging Congress to take legislative action. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/23/2009) - U.S. House Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Steve Kagen, M.D. (D-WI) supported the extension of Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits by voting for the Unemployment Compensation Act of 2009. The Act passed the House 331-83. It provides a continuation of UC checks for another 13 weeks in states hardest hit by joblessness. The Senate is working on a similar plan. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/22/2009) - The Department of Children and Families (DCF) suspended thirty-four child care providers from receiving Wisconsin Shares payments on Saturday, September 19. The providers were suspended because DCF discovered evidence that providers had violated Wisconsin Shares regulations and will be referred to law enforcement. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/22/2009) - The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a motion before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on behalf of five same-sex couples asking that the couples be allowed to participate in a lawsuit that will decide whether the newly enacted Wisconsin domestic partner law violates the State anti-gay marriage amendment. Click on headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/17/2009) - Medtronic, Inc. (Medtronic) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., (MSD) have agreed to pay 59,741 dollars to Wisconsin Medicaid, plus interest, to settle claims that it defrauded the program. The component was part of an aggregate settlement of 40 million dollars. Click on the story headline to Read More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/15/2009) - Small business owners have been calling their Representatives and Senators to urge them to support health care reform legislation that cuts costs, stops insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions and gives people the option of a public plan. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/12/2009) - The State of Wisconsin has formed a task force to look into possible Wisconsin Shares fraud among childcare providers. The Wisconsin Shares Task Force is a state, local, and federal law enforcement collaborative that is designed to aggressively investigate possible abuses within the Wisconsin Shares Program. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/10/2009) - The September 9th health care reform speech by President Barack Obama before a joint session of the U.S. Senate and House Of Representatives has been received well by many Obama supporters, however, others are not completely satisfied. Read about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/07/2009) - While all of the debate and rhetoric in Congress and on television and cable shows and radio talk programs continues, the State of Wisconsin is continuing to build what has been labeled BadgerCare. Click on the headline above for more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/01/2009) - Wisconsin starts collecting a new 75 cents per-pack cigarette tax today. The tax, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, is estimated to prompt 17,000 Wisconsin smokers to quit while preventing 33,000 Wisconsin kids from ever starting. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/27/2009) - The Wisconsin job picture continues to stabilize, but the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS) is saying the recession impact is far from over. The latest Wisconsin Job Watch from COWS shows a continued slowing in the rate of job loss in Wisconsin, according to July 2009 data. However, Wisconsin has 137,000 fewer jobs than when the so-called recession started in December of 2007. Even though the situation may be slowing down, the Wisconsin unemployment rate remains at highs not seen since the 1980s. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/26/2009) - U.S. Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) passed away during the night at age 77. The youngest of the famous Kennedy brothers had been suffering from brain cancer. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy were both assassinated decades earlier. Ted continued their political tradition in the U.S. Senate for nearly half a century. He was one of the Democratic champions for the American People who was respected by party members and opponents alike for his dedication. Read more on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/22/2009) - Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has issued a statement saying he will not represent the State of Wisconsin in defending domestic partnerships against a recent legal challenge filed with the State Supreme Court. The Attorney General's decision has brought forward disappointment from several quarters, including Governor Jim Doyle, as well as Fair Wisconsin, and One Wisconsin Now. The Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now says Van Hollen is flip-flopping on the issue, citing statements made by Van Hollen during the 2006 election season. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/19/2009) - The Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee will serve as host for the U.S. World Cup Qualifying Competition, October 21-25. The Pettit National Ice Center has been a U.S. Olympic Training Site for years. The U.S. World Cup Qualifying Competition is a USA Team selection event for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team in long track speed skating and the first step for skaters to reach their goal of representing the United States in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Read more about this and other news stories at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/18/2009) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has announced that he will not seek a third term as Governor. Governor Doyle says he has decided to limit himself to two terms and is ready to go to accomplish as much as possible during his second and final term. Doyle's Republican opponents are suggesting that a self-imposed term limit has nothing to do with Doyle's decision not to seek a third term. The Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair says low approval ratings, a budget mess and embarassing stories may be the real reasons Doyle is quitting after his second term, but supporters disagree. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/11/2009) - While Congress pushes for national health care reform legislation that may ultimately open the door for more citizens to receive primary and preventive medical, dental and behavioral health care in a consistent, welcoming, health care home setting, the model of care provided by the Wisconsin Community Health Centers continues to serve as an example to follow, according to Stephanie Harrison, executive director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association. Read more about the effort in the story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/29/2009) - State of Wisconsin officials are reminding people that the first day to apply for a Declaration of Domestic Partnership begins on August 3, 2009. The Declaration is a new vital record created under state law that the Department of Health Services (DHS) will maintain, along with other vital records such as birth and death certificates. The Department has been providing training and technical assistance for county clerks in preparation for August 3rd. Two unmarried adults of the same sex who are living together may apply for a Declaration at their local county clerk office. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/27/2009) - At least half the adults in every county in Wisconsin are either overweight or obese, according to a recent state report. The new Department of Health Services report, Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity in Wisconsin, indicates that the obesity rate for adults in the state has more than doubled since 1990, reflecting a nationwide trend. Wisconsin Department of Health Secretary Karen Timberlake says residents of the state, as well as teachers, parents, businesses, and government employees, have a stake in turning the trend around. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/22/2009) - A pilot program by the Consumer CHECKBOOK Center for the Study of Services, has shown the national feasibility of conducting scientifically valid surveys of patients to give public ratings and reports on doctors. It shows how well doctors listen and explain things, make themselves available for appointments and care when needed, arrange to have helpful and courteous office staff, and perform on other important aspects of care that patients can judge. The surveys use questions and a survey procedure developed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, endorsed by the National Quality Forum. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/21/2009) - Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. (D-WI) says the proposed health care legislation will take us closer to our goal of guaranteeing access to affordable care for all of us. According to a report released today by Families USA, 233,000 people in Wisconsin will gain health care coverage under the American Affordable Health Choices Act by 2013 and 375,000 by 2019. Kagen will join doctors and nurses today from across the country in support of reforms included in the American Affordable Health Choices Act. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/17/2009) - The United States House Energy and Commerce Committee began the work of marking up America's Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200). The plan for health care reform promises to lower costs, provide better care, and keep the insurance industry competitive and fair for all consumers. House members have began offering ammendments to the original bill. The ammendment process started Friday and will continue next week. Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammi Baldwin offered two ammendments that were accepted by the committee. Read all about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/08/2009) - Has it been seeming that every time you go to the supermarket you come away with less for the same amount of money that you spent the week before? Well, it may be a surprise that Wisconsin second quarter 2009 retail food prices fell just over 4-percent from the first quarter of 2009. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Market Basket quarterly survey found the average cost of 20 basic food items totaled $53.40 in the second quarter of 2009. That is a $2.45 decrease from the survey average price of $55.85 in the first quarter of 2009. Read all about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/03/2009) - When we think of Fourth of July, of course, we think of fireworks. However, we must not forget the danger they pose to our eyes and vision. This Fourth, the Wisconsin Optometric Association (WOA) urges all citizens to use fireworks safely. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an estimated 1,400 fireworks-related eye injuries were treated in the one month surrounding July 4, 2007, nearly 22 percent of all fireworks-related injuries during that timeframe. Read more about it on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/01/2009) - Small business owner and former Congressman Mark Neumann has filed paperwork to officially enter the 2010 race for Wisconsin Governor. Neumann was elected to represent the 1st Congressional District in Wisconsin in 1994 and was re-elected in 1996. Neumann ran for US Senate on the Republican ticket in 1998. 55 year old Neumann owns a home building company and is co-chairman of Educational Enterprises, a non-profit that runs three Hope Schools in Milwaukee as well as a public charter school in Arizona. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/30/2009) - Governor Jim Doyle signed into law basic legal protections for same-sex couples, as part of the 2009-11 biennial budget. This makes Wisconsin the first state in the Midwest to legislatively enact basic legal protections for same-sex couples. The co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee is calling it a historic development in the lives of thousands of gay and lesbian families across the state, and, a step toward true equality in Wisconsin. It starts August 3rd. Opponents say its not a Constitutional move. Read more on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/29/2009) - Joined by local officials, business and education leaders and Wisconsin citizens, Governor Jim Doyle signed into law today a state budget that builds upon the commitment to expand access to affordable health care coverage, invests in Wisconsin businesses that will create jobs and lead to future growth, and continues to protect priorities like education and police and fire protection, in the face of unprecedented national economic challenges. For the first time since 1977, the budget is being enacted before the start of the new biennium. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/26/2009) - Michael Jackson, who seemed like a timeless entertainer that would go on forever, died yesterday at the age of 50. Early reports indicate he apparently collapsed and was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. As a solo act he went on to even greater stardom. Five of his solo albums, Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory, all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label, are among the top-sellers of all time. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/23/2009) - Dangerously hot, muggy weather predicted for the Summer Months is prompting Wisconsin humane veterinarians to remind owners of pets and livestock to take a little extra care to protect their animals. Heat stroke is one of the very real threat to animals, and can be fatal even with prompt treatment. Pets that have already suffered heat stroke once are more susceptible, as are animals that are very young or very old, have health problems, are overweight, or are snub-nosed. Read more about this and other stories on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/22/2009) - Miss Madison, Kristina Kelly Smaby was crowned Miss Wisconsin Saturday night in Oshkosh. Smaby was the final choice from a field of 26 contestants from around Wisconsin. Smaby is a ballet dancer from Holmen. The newly crowned Miss Wisconsin is the fourth Miss Madison title holder to win the state crown since 2003. Smaby became Miss Madison in February and will now advance as Miss Wisconsin to the 2010 Miss America pageant in Las Vegas next January. Read more about the Miss Wisconsin pageant on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/19/2009) - Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold took the case of the Wisconsin auto industry directly to President Obama yesterday (Thurs., June 19, 2009). Feingold told President Obama by phone how important the industry is to the state, and had another conversation with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. The President continues to make it clear he does not intend to meddle in decisions made by the auto industry, even though the government currently has a large financial stake in helping General Motors and Chrysler try to survive. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/18/2009) - The Wisconsin State Senate has passed a biennial budget bill for 2009-2011. As usual, there are misgivings by Republicans that majority party Senate Democrats were able to get the budget passed. However, Majority Leader Russ Decker says the version passed has no general sales or payroll tax increases, yet, it still protects working families, schools, and police and fire services from cuts. Another provision invests in highways, airports, bridges and harbors, and is expected to create about 10,000 jobs. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/13/2009) - Having a good year in 2008 wasn't enough to prevent a major company providing family recreation in three countries from filing bankruptcy. The amusement park company Six Flags is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying it needs to reorganize to get rid of about 2 Billion Dollars in debt. The New York based company has a Six Flags amusement park at Gurnee, Illinois. However, Six Flags chief executive officer says the bankruptcy is not expected to affect Six Flags Great America nor any of its 19 other theme parks in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Read all about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/12/2009) - At a health care town hall meeting in Green Bay thursday, President Barack Obama strongly advocated the inclusion of a public health insurance option in the health care reform proposal currently being crafted in Congress. The forum kicked off the public campaign for fundamental health care reform. President Obama criticized opponents who are saying he is promoting socialized medicine, saying the government would not be taking over healthcare, but, providing options for gaining access to healthcare. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/11/2009) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of the so-called Swine Flu pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6 as of today. WHO reports there have been 30,000 confirmed cases of what is now being called a novel influenza A virus (H1N1) in 74 countries. WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan says the number of deaths has been small worldwide. Chan says the H1N1 pandemic will likely be of moderate severity, based on the trends that have been noted during the course of the cases reported thus far. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/05/2009) - Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. is marking the 65th Anniversary of D-Day by continuing his fight for veterans in Northeast Wisconsin and throughout the country. Congressman Kagen spoke with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and urged the VA to advance several measures that will help our brave soldiers when they return home. Kagen is urging Secretary Shinseki to make sure the health needs of military veterans always be tended to as needed, because the veterans deserve to be treated with the respect they deserve. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/01/2009) - The Pro-Life Wisconsin organization state director is voicing opposition to anyone opposed to abortion taking the life of someone who is engaged in abortion. Yesterday morning late-term abortionist Doctor George Tiller was shot and killed in Wichita, Kansas. Pro-Life Wisconsin State Director Peggy Hamill says Pro-Life Wisconsin is appalled by the slaying of Dr. George Tiller Sunday morning. Similar statements have been made from Pro Choice and other Pro Life Leaders who also deplore the act. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/21/2009) - Credit Card debt in the U.S. has reached a record high of nearly one trillion dollars. Almost half of American families currently carry a balance. The average balance was over seven thousand dollars in 2007. Congress thought it was time to put on some brakes regarding the credit card industry so customers are treated more fairly. On May 20th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of the Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights, H.R. 627. What does this mean to cardholders? WisconsinReport.com has the details. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/20/2009) - The U.S. House of Representatives today okayed the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act by a vote of 361-64. The Senate had earlier passed the Act onto the House by a vote of 90 to 5 Tuesday. Some of the problems that have been evident that this Act applies answers to, include over-the-limit fees, charges for paying by phone, and getting advance notice when the credit card company decides to raise your rate. It also addresses difficulties young people have regarding credit cards. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/19/2009) - In response to President Obama's commencement address last Sunday at the University of Notre Dame, Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), held a press conference in Washington, D.C. Monday (5/19/2009). Smith and Sensenbrenner also sent a letter to President Obama calling on him to publicly forgo rescinding the Bush Administration conscience protection regulation regarding abortions in the United States. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/18/2009) - Governor Jim Doyle today signed legislation to make public places, including restaurants, taverns, and other indoor workplaces, smokefree. The Governor was joined at bill-signing events around the state today by business owners, health officials and smokefree Wisconsin advocates. Governor Doyle said the move will not only improve public health, it will also save money by lowering health care costs. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/15/2009) - The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) H1N1 influenza (Swine Flu) statistics now show that only four states do not yet have confirmed or probable cases of the illness. At this writing, only Alaska, Wyoming, Mississippi and West Virginia have that distinction. In the midwest, the CDC indicates that there are 613 cases in Wisconsin, 36 in Minnesota, 638 in Illinois, 66 in Iowa, 71 in Indiana, 14 in Ohio, and 142 in Michigan. The CDC stats show a total of 4,714 confirmed or probable cases and only 4 deaths. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/13/2009) - Several members of the United States House of Representatives, including Ron Kind of Wisconsin, have re-introduced the Small Business Options Program Act (SHOP). SHOP, if passed, would make health insurance more available and affordable for small businesses and their employees. The bill is endorsed by several business, employee, and family groups and organizations. Read more about SHOP on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/11/2009) - Space shuttle Atlantis with its seven-member crew launched at 1:01 p.m. CDT Monday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The Atlantis 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve the telescope's discovery capabilities by up to 70 times while extending its lifetime through at least 2014. More about the Atlantis mission at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/09/2009) - A public health emergency remains in effect in Wisconsin in response to the presence of Influenza A (H1N1) in the state. Wisconsin now has 298 Confirmed Cases of H1N1 (Swine Flu), according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDH). The increase in confirmed cases from May 6th to May 8th reflects new testing capability in Wisconsin. Read more about this story and others at WisconsinReport.com, the place to depend on for Relevant Reading. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/07/2009) - As of 06:00 GMT, 7 May 2009, 23 countries have officially reported 2099 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Mexico has reported 1112 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 42 deaths. The United States has reported 642 laboratory confirmed human cases, including two deaths. The latest Wisconsin figures released as of mid-day today, show 176 probable cases in the state, however, only 26 have been confirmed as the so-called Swine Flu. Read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/06/2009) - May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Wisconsin. The warmer weather is bringing out motorcycles again, and it's time to be a little more careful while driving a vehicle. Car, truck and van drivers should become more aware of what is coming down the road before starting out from stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights, exiting driveways, and parking spaces. Read more about motorcycling and driver safety at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/04/2009) - At least 20 countries, including the United States have now officially reported 985 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection (often referred to as the Swine Flu), according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Mexico has reported 590 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. WHO notes that the United States has reported 226 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. More on the situation at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/03/2009) - Wisconsin has made it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tally of so-called Swine Flu cases in the United States. The CDC shows 226 cases in the nation as of mid-morning today, including three cases in Wisconsin. The Center says the total in the official total posted includes Laboratory Confirmed Cases of the illness. There are now cases in 30 states with the largest numbers still in New York and Texas. Read more in the updated story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/2/2009) - The Wisconsin Department of Health (WDH) tally of Probable Swine Flu (H1N1) Cases now has risen to at least 14, however, as of mid-morning today none of them have shown up in the official U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) statistics. Excluding Wisconsin, the CDC how reports 160 laboratory confirmed cases of people suffering from the flu strain that is, at this time, believed to have broken out in Mexico. The CDC figures now include cases in 21 states. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/01/2009) - As of mid-morning today the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports 141 Swine Flu cases (H1N1) have been confirmed in 19 of the country's 50 states. However, there still has been only one death in Texas that has been attributed to the strain of flu virus that has caused illness in a large number of people in Mexico. So far Wisconsin seems to be spared from the CDC statistics, but there is news today that there may be two cases in Milwaukee. Meanwhile the ACLU has issued a caution. More information is on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/01/2009) - State and local health officials in Wisconsin today reported that five probable cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus of swine origin (Swine Flu) have been found in Wisconsin. Two cases were found in the Milwaukee (one adult and one child), a third case in Adams County, another in Osaukee County and a fifth case in Sheboygan County. State Health Officer, Dr. Seth Foldy, says these laboratory-proven cases indicate the flu is active in Wisconsin, and, Governor Jim Doyle has declared a State of Emergency. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/30/2009) - In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5 yesterday (April 29, 2009). Meanwhile, new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius cautions people not to panic. Sebelius reminds people there are flu outbreaks every year and everyear there are some flu deaths. She also says HHS and other agencies are doing everything possible to limit the seriousness of this particular flu outbreak. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/29/2009) - The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. The Centers for Disease Control reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation’s first fatality from this outbreak. The nearly two year old infant who died was reportedly a Mexican youth brought into this country for treatment. CDC statistics as of 10 AM Central Daylight Time (CDT) show 91 people have come down with the flu strain in the U.S. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/28/2009) - The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. As of this morning (Tuesday, April 28th) there are 64 known cases of Swine Flu in the United States. The World Health Organization has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. Read additional relevant information at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/27/2009) - Wisconsin Governor Doyle suggests everyone should remain calm and use common sense, good health practices, following the news regarding swine influenza, which has been reported in several states and in Mexico. Doyle says the Wisconsin government is in touch with health officials across the country and more information will be made available as needed to keep residents of the state up to date and aware of the situation. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/25/2009) - Retail food prices at the supermarket increased in the first quarter of 2008, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items in the first quarter of 2008 was $45.03, up about 8 percent or $3.42 from the fourth quarter of 2007. However, compared to the first quarter of 2008, groceries in the sample group are up 9 percent from the same period a year ago. More Relevant Reading at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/24/2009) - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in March, before seasonal adjustment according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index has decreased 0.4 percent over the last year, the first 12 month decline since August 1955. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U decreased 0.1 percent in March after rising 0.4 percent in February. More statistics are available at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/23/2009) - Former Judiciary Committee Chairman and author of the REAL ID legislation, Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-05), is responding to the remarks of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. Napolitano spoke to the Anti-Defamation League National Leadership Conference about repealing REAL ID, an idea that the author of the bill finds distasteful. Read all about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/22/2009) - Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released March 2009 local unemployment rates for Wisconsin cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. Unemployment increased in 12 metro areas during March. On the other hand, when you take a look at counties, unemployment decreased in 64 of 72 Wisconsin counties. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/13/2009) - United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi likes the idea of the United States government purchasing nearly 18,000 fuel efficient vehicles from only American car makers. Pelosi believes it will help auto makers currently in financial touble, spur the economy, and make the government fleet more fuel efficient. The Speaker also is supportive of President Obama's plan to make healthcare better for the military and veterans. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/07/2009) - Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) joined U.S. Senator Herb Kohl and UW Chancellor Biddy Martin to talk to UW-Madison students on campus about student credit card issues. The event was hosted by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG), which is part of the U.S.PIRG federation. 76 percent of undergrads have credit cards and, on average, leave school with 22-hundred dollars in credit card debt. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/06/2009) - Ford Motor Company announced today the successful completion of debt restructuring initiatives that will reduce the Automotive debt by $9.9 billion from $25.8 billion at December 31, 2008, and lower the annual cash interest expense by more than $500 million based on current interest rates. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/01/2009) - Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded the state $1 million for the Department of Health Services to participate in the Maximizing Enrollment for Kids Program, an initiative to increase enrollment and retention of eligible children in BadgerCare Plus. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/31/2009) - Former ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff will serve as keynote speaker at the 2009 Tribute to Freedom Gala held April 16th, 2009 by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2006, Woodruff was reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. He suffered a brain injury, and spent 13 months in recovery. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/26/2009) - The Wisconsin Department of Justice has obtained a 5.5 Million Dollar judgment against a Colorado corporation, the National Rebate Fund, Inc., and its owner, Timothy Stubbs, over their operation of a fraudulent rebate scheme known as the National Energy Rebate Fund. And, in another case, Northern States Power has been ordered to pay 1.3 Million. See WisconsinReport.com for more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/25/2009) - State Representative Jason M. Fields (D-Milwaukee) today announced he will introduce legislation that requires creditors to take reasonable steps and make good faith efforts to avoid foreclosure. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/25/2009) - U.S. Senator Feingold announced today that the 96 Wisconsin housing authorities that received over $26 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) can now begin spending the money to improve and modernize public housing facilities. See WisconsinReport.com for more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/09/2009) - Wisconsin voters who have not voted in four years or more have two weeks to respond to a notice postcard recently sent to them from the Elections Division of the Government Accountability Board (G.A.B.). More than 313,000 Wisconsinites received the notice. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/03/2009) - Governor Jim Doyle has announced that Wisconsin has received federal authority to proceed with plans for investing up to $529 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds on transportation improvement projects across the state. The funds will create or save 13,000 jobs. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/26/2009) - United States Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) is commending President Barack Obama for presenting a budget to Congress that represents an honest assessment of the current financial situation. Wisconsin's United States Senator Russ Feingold, a member of the Senate Budget Committee agrees. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/19/2009) - The Institute for Wisconsin’s Future (IWF) is applauding Governor Jim Doyle and the Legislature for the tax reform ideas contained in both the budget-repair bill, which passed the Legislature February 18th, and the governor’s budget proposal for the 2009-2011 biennium, released February 17th. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/17/2009) - A Dane County jury has found a pharmaceutical manufacturer defrauded the Wisconsin Medicaid program by reporting grossly inflated and fraudulent prices. In a case brought by the Wisconsin Department of Justice against Pharmacia, after a two-week trial, the jury determined that Pharmacia should pay $9 million to compensate the state for its monetary losses. The jury considered allegations of both Medicaid and consumer fraud, and found that Pharmacia violated both laws. Read more on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/05/2009) - State health officials are encouraging sexually active youth to receive HIV testing as part of February 7th’s Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Between 1990 and 2008, the rate of reported HIV infection among African Americans in Wisconsin declined 42 percent from 74 per 100,000 in 1990 to 43 per 100,000 in 2008. Although fewer African Americans in Wisconsin have been diagnosed with HIV in recent years, they continue to be disproportionately affected by this epidemic. African Americans account for six percent of Wisconsin’s overall population, but represented 39 percent of new HIV infections in 2008. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/30/2009) - The Wisconsin Senate Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs Committee has passed a bill authored by Senator Russ Decker (D-Weston) to increase the minimum wage from $6.50 to $7.60 and then index it for inflation. If it gets through the legislative process the new wage would go into effect on June 1, 2009 and be indexed annually for inflation. Another bill that also made it's way through the committee is called the Wage Potection Act. The Wage Protection Act protects workers wages when a company goes bankrupt. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/15/2009) - As one of the first legislative acts of the 111th Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday reauthorized the 11-year-old Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and extended health insurance coverage to an additional 4.1 million children nationwide. The bill will provide coverage to more than 11 million children. Families USA expects quick action in the U.S. Senate to speed the bill to new United States President Barack Obama's desk. It may be the first bill that was vetoed by outgoing President George W. Bush that will be signed by the new President. See WisconsinReport.com for more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/09/2009) - As part of a program called Invest in America, GM and Chrysler LLC are pointing to credit unions – not-for-profit financial institutions owned by their members – to make as much as $80 billion available for low-cost loans on new cars. Even prior to its arrival in Wisconsin, the program has generated more than a million hits in just one month on its website and is expected to put up to 4 million new cars on the road. Special discounts on vehicles are also being offered to Credit Union members. Even non-members can access the discounts by joining a Credit Union. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/02/2009) - An Oshkosh, Wisconsin man has been charged with seventeen counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Wisconsin Attorney General A.G. Van Hollen's office says Wisconsin Department of Justice agents partnered with the Oshkosh Police Department and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department in an investigation of internet crimes against children. In an unrelated Portage County case, the Court of Appeals upheld a decision involving secretly videotaping a former girlfriend while she was nude. Read more at WisconsinReport.com, the place for news about people, places, politics, events and activities. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/22/08) - Three cocoa products packaged for Christmas sale and sold through Shopko and Big Lots stores have been recalled because they may contain melamine, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reports. No illnesses have been reported from consumption of these products, which have been voluntarily recalled by Dorsey Marketing Inc. (DMI) of Ville St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada. All were sold under the brand name G and J. Consumers who bought these products should return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Read more about this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/16/08) - A frigid forecast and news of a dog left overnight frozen to a sidewalk in Sheboygan are prompting Wisconsin's state humane officer to remind people that animals need extra care in winter. An animal losing its life is not the only possible consequence when temperatures drop bigtime. A Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection spokesperson warns that animals can suffer from hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries, and harsh conditions can weaken their immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to illness. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/10/08) - Ozaukee County is the healthiest county in the state, according to the newly released 2008 Wisconsin County Health Rankings. The report is the sixth annual health check-up of the 72 counties and the City of Milwaukee, developed by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The 2008 report brings together over 30 measures of health to summarize the overall health of each county in Wisconsin. The County of Milwaukee, Marquette County, City of Milwaukee, and Menominee County are at the bottom of the list. See WisconsinReport.com for more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/5/08) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today began refilling Lake Delton and opened County Highway A in the Wisconsin Dells - Lake Delton area. Less than six months ago, torrential rains caused the lake to breach its shoreline, damaging a section of County Highway A. Today, Governor Doyle officially reopened the washed away part of the highway and announced the gates have been lowered on the newly refurbished Lake Delton Dam, allowing water to begin refilling the lake. For more on this story and others go to WisconsinReport.com on the internet. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/28/08) - The day after Thanksgiving 2008 finds retailers in Wisconsin and around the country hoping that the traditional day that starts the Christmas shopping in earnest will be at least as affluent as usual. However, as the years go by, many shoppers are foregoing the hustle and bustle of shopping in stores in person. Many have opted to shop through the internet. Retail Decisions (ReD), a payment card issuer and world leader in payment card fraud prevention and payment processing, predicted a bustling Black Friday on November 28 with 10.00 am - 11.00 am being the busiest online shopping hour. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/25/08) - Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI) has been elected vice-chairwoman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. In January, when Congress reconvenes for the first session of the 111th Congress, Representative Moore will become a key leader in the U.S. House of Representatives on issues affecting women. Congresswoman Moore’s tenure will last for two years and she will serve with Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and two Republican members of Congress. For more on this story and other news go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/10/08) - State health officials are reminding people across Wisconsin to get their influenza vaccine as the first influenza case is announced for the 2008-09 season. A school-age child from Kenosha County is the first confirmed case of influenza among Wisconsin residents. To get your flu shot, contact your health care provider, local public health department or tribal health clinic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention reports that influenza vaccine will continue to be shipped to Wisconsin throughout the flu season. For more details go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/06/08) - The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund is thanking Wisconsin’s election officials, from the Government Accountability Board, (GAB) to clerks, to citizens who worked at voting locations, for a smooth election. Meanwhile, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the AFL-CIO are pleased with the results of elections throughout the United States, and in particular, within the State of Wisconsin. AFT and AFL-CIO spokespersons believe election night produced big victories for working families in Wisconsin, as pro-labor candidates swept elections in state and federal races. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/03/08) - The woman who played a big role in raising Barack Obama to become the Democratic candidate in the 2008 Presidential Election just couldn't hang on long enough to witness the results of the voting. Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham has died of Cancer in Hawaii. Her death was announced the day before the election. Obama made a trip to Hawaii last week after learning that the end was near. He said he was too late to say goodbye to his mother when she passed away years earlier, and he didn't want the same thing to happen with his grandmother. Obama's grandmother died late Sunday night. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/10/08) - Change To Win, a nationwide worker organization of over 6 million members, has outlined a comprehensive economic recovery program for Main Street America that would generate broad-based prosperity, restore faith and fairness in the market system, and renew the American Dream for working and middle class families. The worker organization called on Congress to reject the Wall Street bailout based on the flawed economic policies of the past. A spokesperson says the United States needs a new economic model that rewards worker productivity and innovation, and, sets new rules for the marketplace and the workplace. See more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/09/08) - The John McCain - Sarah Palin campaign tactics have become rougher and rawer than previously as the 2008 Presidential Campaign election date gets closer. The inaccuracies, and, often misleading information on the political stump, in advertising, and in interviews on radio and television by the Republican candidates and their surrogates is keeping the Barack Obama camp busy. Some political commentators believe McCain is ramping up the desperate attack because his people see the possibility of the Obama - Biden ticket winning the White House in November. Despite the McCain muckattack, the polls show Obama leading in many states. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/08/08) - Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke is calling last night's Presidential Debate Barack Obama’s second straight debate victory. Wineke says John McCain was unable to articulate a new direction for the country beyond what Wineke calls the failed, recycled policies of George Bush. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow are spinning the second Presidential Debate from the Republican point of view. Farrow and Walker saw McCain making several points and coming out ahead of Obama in the Nashville debate. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/06/08) - Governor Jim Doyle has announced more than $3.8 million in additional employee training assistance for dislocated workers at General Motors and three other manufacturers in south central Wisconsin affected by GM’s decision to cut production at the Janesville assembly plant. Governor Doyle and Wisconsin's U.S. Senator Russ Feingold received a commitment from the U.S. Department of Labor that more than $1.6 million would be made available immediately to assist 785 affected workers at GM, Lear Corporation, and Logistics Services, Inc., all in Janesville, and United Industries in Beloit. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/01/08) - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) announced today that Congress has passed legislation based on a provision he authored allowing servicemembers deployed overseas to terminate cell phone contracts free of penalties. The Feingold measure, which passed as part of the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act, will expand the rights servicemembers already have to terminate similar contracts like residential and automobile leases without penalty. The measure now heads to the President for his signature. For more information on this story go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/30/08) - The Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) CEO is weighing in on the failure by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, and one of Wisconsin's U.S. Senators has some suggestions on how to make the Bailout Better. Wisconsin Bankers Association President Kurt Bauer warns the crisis won't get better by doing nothing. Senator Russ Feingold expects the so-called Bailout to see another round of voting by Congress, which creates another opportunity to address what he calls major flaws in the proposal. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/29/08) - The United States Congress failed to pass the 700 Billion Dollar Solution they have been working on over the weekend and debating today. Despite the apparent urgency of the financial crisis, H.R 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, failed on the House floor by a vote of 205 - 228. Several Wisconsin members of the House of Representatives voiced dissapproval of the so-called Bailout. Some others were dismayed that the attempt to find a solution that the majority could agree on just wasn't possible. The Stock Market reacted in dissappointment. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/27/08) - There are mixed reactions to last night's first United States Presidential Debate between the two major party candidates running to be the next Commander In Chief of the Economy as well as Commander In Chief of the Military. McCain supporters say Arizona Senator John McCain won, while Illinois Senator Barack Obama supporters say Obama came out on top. And, Depending on which tv/radio talker you listen to after the debates, you have your choice of, it was a draw, or, Obama proved he was ready to take control of the military and the economy, or, McCain's strategy seemed to be to try his best to look stern and to not look at his opponent, and so on. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/25/08) - The Republican and Democrat running against each other for President of the United States have decided to lend their input and guidance in the current national economy emergency Congress is wrestling with. Yesterday, U.S. Senators John McCain (R) and Barack Obama (D) issued a joint statement that pointed out that it's important for both parties to come together to solve the problem. Obama and McCain will both be meeting with President George W. Bush and leaders of Congress today in hopes of making a difference in the so-called 700 Billion Dollar Solution to save homes, jobs, and the ecomomy proponents say are at stake. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/23/08) - Probable voters in four Battleground States are looking at the Barack Obama - Joe Biden ticket as the one that is more likely to bring about Change. By 19 - 24 point margins, voters in Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota say Democrat Barack Obama, not Republican John McCain, is the candidate of change. That poll result lifts Senator Obama into the lead in these battleground states, according to four simultaneous Quinnipiac University polls of likely voters, conducted in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and WashingtonPost.com More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/22/08) - Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama's running mate, Deleware Senator Joe Biden, addressed the National Guard Association Conference in Baltimore, Maryland today. Biden spoke about veteran's benefits, restoring the economy, and the importance of taking care of military families. Biden said issues affecting the Guard sit at the core of the two great national challenges – national security and economic security. He said he and Barack Obama know that both need to be strengthened by supporting military missions at home and abroad, and making sure the National Guard members return to strong secure jobs and a sound economy. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/22/08) - Illinois Senator Barack Obama started out being the only major presidential candidate advocating Change at the start of the Democrats Primary Campaign. When his opponent, New York Senator Hillary Clinton saw people were drawn to the message of Change, her slogan soon was about Change, but, Obama's message was the one people wanted. Now, it's the Republican candidate, Senator John McCain, who has changed his message to a declaration that McCain is the Change guy. While in Green Bay, Wisconsin today, Barack Obama explained that Obama's Change is The Real Change We Need. To read Barack Obama's speech, go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/19/08) - The Obamas are coming to Wisconsin. The Obama campaign today announced that Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama will campaign in Wisconsin Monday to kick off the Wisconsin campaign’s Women’s Week of Action. Mrs. Obama will host Wisconsin Women for Obama rallies in Madison and Milwaukee, and an economic roundtable discussion with working women in Wausau. Senator Barack Obama will also hold a separate event in Green Bay on Monday. Meanwhile, Obama's opponent, Republican Senator John McCain outlined his plan To reform financial markets while in Green Bay today. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/18/08) - Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP has announced that increasing demand has resulted in record August 2008 sales for its Advanced Technology Vehicle division, the most since ZAP's Xebra sedan and truck were launched in 2006. Unaudited sales for ZAP electric vehicles surged to $737,000 in August, versus $392,000 a year ago, an increase of $345,000 or 88 percent. The Zap currently has a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, however, the company says it is street legal, and very affordable. You will find more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/08/08) - When Barack Obama's Democratic Vice Presidential running mate, Senator Joe Biden, campaigned in Green Bay he was introduced by a Hoffmaster Appleton employee who, along with 300 coworkers, is losing his job. Greg Hinds, is a 17-year employee of a series of companies that have occupied the same plant. Hinds feels that he, his wife and two daughters, have suffered under what is called the failed economic policies of the last eight years of the Bush Administration. Hinds suggested that a John McCain-Sarah Palin administration is likely to be no better for the country. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/03/08) - One of the co-stars of the Law and Order television series who tried for the presidency against John McCain during the Republican primary spoke at the Republican National Convention last night. Showing more enthusiasm than he did as a presidential candidate, himself, Fred Thompson essentially told people they need to stand up for a strong military, a mature foreign policy, a free and growing economy, for the values that bind Republicans together and, what he says, keep our nation free, and for McCain, who he reminded people in detail, was tortured as a prisoner of war. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/02/08 - First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain addressed the opening session of the 2008 Republican National Convention at the Saint Paul Xcel Energy Center yesterday. The First Lady and Mrs. McCain's remarks focused on the ongoing relief efforts aimed at assisting the people of the Gulf Coast States. Laura Bush explained that when disasters like Hurricane Gustav take place shared American ideals will always transcend partisanship. Other speakers included Republican National Committee Chairman Robert Duncan, U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), and U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). See more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/01/08) - The 2008 Report of the Democratic Platform Committee suggests that Democrats want to make the United States Government and the country less partisan than it has been for decades. The Preamble to the Platform, states that it's time to reach out to Republicans, Independents, and all Americans who hunger for a new direction, and a reason to hope. The Platform indicates Democrats not only want to undo the damage they perceive that the Bush Administration has done, they want to find and enact the ideas that are right for the country and it's citizens. Read the Preamble at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/29/08) - Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama officially accepted his party's nomination last night, during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. During his acceptance speech Obama made the case for why America cannot afford four more years of what many believe are the failed policies of the George W. Bush Administration. Obama laid out his vision to bring about fundamental change at home and abroad. He reminded the country about the extraordinary promise of America at its best and challenged his supporters to continue to fight for that promise by marching ahead and never looking back. Read Obama's acceptance speech at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/29/08) - U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president. The McCain campaign says Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in short time in office that she is ready to be president. In addition to naming 44 year old Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate against the Obama - Biden ticket, the McCain campaign has released a statement from McCain that calls Barack Obama's nomination acceptance speech last night, misleading. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/28/08) - Former President Bill Clinton, 2004 Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry, and 2008 Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden, all say that Barack Obama is Ready to be President. President Bill Clinton trumpeted the idea that when he first ran for the White House job, Republicans then campaigned against him with the idea that he had no experience and was not ready, and, now they are trying to use that tactic against Obama. President Clinton said they were wrong then, and they are wrong now. More on yesterdays (Thursday, August 27th, 2008) speakers at the convention at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/27/08) - Last night the candidate who came in second in the long primary campaign to determine who would be the Democrats presidential candidate on the November 2008 ballot urged her 18 Million primary voters to switch their allegience to Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton told delegates at the Democrats National Convention in Denver, Colorado that her delegates and supporters and Obama's delegates and supporters must unite as a single party with a single purpose. Hillary said it's time to take back the country and no one should sit by the sidelines, because it will take everyone and every vote to make sure it happens. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/26/08) - Contrary to what some radio and tv talkers have been saying, the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver set the stage for a robust way to educate people about who Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are, and, what the Democrats stand for. Former Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Jim Leach endorsed Obama for President because the time is right to unite the country, not to be tied up in the partisan politics Congress and the White House has been playing for too long. There was also a tribute to and speech by U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, and the revelation by Michelle Obama that the Obamas are just regular folks like us, who want to do the country proud. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/24/08) - The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and the Obama for America campaign have announced additional details surrounding the Monday evening tribute to honor Senator Edward M. Kennedy. His niece, Caroline Kennedy, will speak to his extraordinary work over the last 46 years on behalf of this country, as well as his future plans in the United States Senate. A video tribute, directed by documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Mark Herzog, will also portray his love of country, family, politics and the sea. More about the Democratic National Convention at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/23/08) - Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama has chosen Delaware U.S. Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate in their Democratic bid to defeat Republican rival Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain in November on the way to the White House. Many talking heads on television and radio had narrowed it down to Biden as the logical choice for Obama in on-air discussions during the past few weeks. Following the so-called vetting process, Barack Obama has come to the same conclusion. Wisconsin's U.S. Senator Herb Kohl calls Obama-Biden an exciting ticket. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/22/08) - A Wisconsin health care organization is attributing three of the state's congressional representatives for saving some Medicare benefits for residents of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Health Care Association (WHCA) has high praise for U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Steve Kagen (D-WI) and Ron Kind (D-WI), a member of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, for participating in a successful, bipartisan effort in Congress last week to stop the Bush Administration attempt to cut some funding. See WisconsinReport.com for more details. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/16/08) - The Wisconsin BadgerCare Plus program is providing high-quality, comprehensive care to 77,000 Wisconsin residents, including over 50,000 children. The good news is that a recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation finds that chronically ill Wisconsin children in the BadgerCare Plus program receive the same access to health care services as children with private insurance. However, the bad news is that the totally uninsured go without the same necessary care. For more information see the pages of WisconsinReport.com on the internet. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/11/08) - With just two weeks to go before the Democratic National Convention officially kicks off, the Wisconsin delegation is fired up and ready to go to Denver, according to Democratic Party Wisconsin (DPW) Chair Joe Wineke. The Wisconsin delegation will consist of 92 delegates and 12 alternates. Wineke says Wisconsin will be one of the top represented states at the Democratic National Convention August 25th thru the 28th. To see who is going, learn more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/07/08) - New York Jets General Manager Mike Tannebaum has confirmed that the Jets have made a deal that brings former Packer Brett Favre to the Jets. In a conference call to the media, Tannebaum said he spoke with Favre about the prospect of joining the Jets and Brett, team management and Jets fans seem to be excited about the football icon becoming a Jet. Tannebaum explained that acquiring Brett Favre will mean that the Jets are likely to let Chad Pennington go. He said he appreciates what Pennington has done for the Jets, but, would not say where Chad would be going just yet. For more see WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/06/08) - Governor Jim Doyle has announced $983,000 in grants for the Wisconsin Grazing Lands and Conservation Initiative, which protects the land and water of the state through education, technical planning assistance, and research for dairy and livestock farmers. Grazing is a low-cost, environmentally-friendly method of farming that moves animals to a fresh pasture on a regular basis while resting unused pastures so the plants can regrow before being regrazed. To learn more, go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/01/08 - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is hailing congressional passage of legislation that will help make college more affordable for many students. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) includes a provision to broaden access to TRIO programs for colleges with branch campuses, such as the UW system, based on legislation Feingold had previously introduced. For more on this story and others check out WisconsinReport.com on the internet. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/30/08) - It looks like both Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are serious about winning voters during the upcoming November election. Barack Obama and John McCain are airing more advertisements in more media markets than their counterparts did during a comparable period in the 2004 election campaign, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison study. From June 3, when the primary season ended, through July 26, the two candidates have aired more than 100,000 ads, while only 77,000 ads were aired during the same time period in 2004. More details at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/22/08) - Wisconsin veterans are pointing out U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s strong track record of standing up for troops and veterans. They say they want to set the record straight on a McCain campaign misleading attack ad. The veterans point out that Senator Obama has consistently advocated for finishing the fight in Afghanistan and has been a steadfast ally for veterans and their families. By contrast, the record shows that Senator McCain has opposed critical funding for troops and repeatedly voted against measures to support veterans. See WisconsinReport.com for more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/21/08) - A dedicated team of 517 volunteer Wisconsin Dental Association dentists have provided free, comprehensive oral health care, valued at more than 4.25 million dollars, to 1,726 disabled, senior, poor and uninsured state residents during the first 10 years of the WDA Foundation’s Donated Dental Services program. Nearly $1 million of that care was delivered in its record-setting 2007 – 2008 fiscal year which ended June 30th. For more on this story, look to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/21/08) - American voters oppose same-sex marriage 55 - 36 percent, but they don't want government to get involved in banning the practice, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pee-ack) University national poll released last week. Democrats support same-sex marriage by a narrow 47 - 43 percent margin, while Republicans oppose it 80 - 14 percent and independent voters oppose it 49 - 43 percent. Women in the survey oppose same-sex marriage 51 - 40 percent and men oppose it 61 - 31 percent. More details are on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/18/08) - Visitors to the 2008 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days not only saw new machinery in action, some even had a chance to try it out for themselves. The state’s largest outdoor ag expo, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days was held July 15-17 at Country Aire Farms, south of Greenleaf in Brown County. Founded in 1954, the three day show travels to a different Wisconsin county each year. This year Field demonstrations took place on 390 acres of land that Budd and Ione Gerrits and their family provided for the popular show feature. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/15/08) - General Motors Corporation has announced it is taking further steps to adapt its business to rapidly changing market conditions, marked by the weak U.S. economy, record high fuel prices, shifts in consumer vehicle preferences, and the lowest U.S. industry sales volumes in a decade. GM had a record of being Number One in Sales for 76 consecutive years, but that's not so easy to do with the current competitive nature of the auto industry. By changing directions, the company hopes to change the future. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/14/08) - To draw attention to America’s sub-par education system, Strong American Schools has launched a campaign of television, radio, print and online ads that feature Jamie Lee Curtis. The new ad campaign, One Nation Left Behind, will be running in 16 markets in seven states including: Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, New Mexico, Virginia and Wisconsin, with a total expenditure of more than $5 million. Ads are also expected to run later this summer in Minnesota. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/10/08) - Continuing high costs for energy along with supply and demand pressures are behind this quarter’s increase measured in the Market Basket survey conducted by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Wisconsin’s largest farm organization tracks the retail price of 20-food items in 26 communities. The Market Basket survey found the average cost of those 20-items in the second quarter of 2008 was 55 dollars and 57 cents, 2.30 more than the overall average of 53.27 in the first quarter of 2008. More details are online at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/07/08) - Research shows that a drug that had been tested successfully in large hospitals to save blod clot patients can also be used in smaller communities with good results. The Wisconsin Medical Journal report indicates a Marshfield Clinic study in Ladysmith, Wisconsin shines a light at the end of the tunnel for more patients experiencing stroke symptoms since the study began in 1995. Tissue Plasminogen Activator can cause patients to be released earlier, and, the percent of stroke patients surviving is higher. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/03/08) - Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Congress approved the wording of the Declaration on July 4th in that year. It became Independence Day in 1791, and wasn't a federal holiday until 1870 when congress made it an unpaid federal holiday. It became a paid federal holiday in 1941. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/02/08) - Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has been plagued by a number of attacks on his so-called credibility as a viable candidate to become President of the United States. He tried to move religious leaders, congregations, parishes, and individual church members into his column yesterday (July 1st) by delivering a speech in Zanesville, Ohio. The words he spoke told of how religion has affected his life, his candidacy and the role it should play in the presidency he hopes to be elected to. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/30/08) - Polls are in huge abundance during this presidential election year in the United States, and, they vary from week to week. However, a Wall Street Journal - Washington Post - Quinnepiac University poll deserves mentioning. It shows that Democrat Barack Obama is out in front of Republican John McCain by a hefty margin in Wisconsin, and elsewhere. The poll results, released late last week, was taken before Hillary Clinton gave her speech at Unity, New Hampshire. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/27/08) - Democratic Presidential Primary rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made a show of unity today (Friday, June 27th) in a community aptly named Unity, New Hampshire. It was the first joint public appearance since what some observers called a divisive Democratic primary race ended. The campaign speeches in Unity was the start of Hillary's assurance she will work toward Obama becoming the next president of the United States, even though for awhile it seemed to some, she might hold a grudge. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/25/08) - According to the latest figures available, Wisconsin employment is still holding it's own and in some areas is higher than it was. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released the May breakdown of unemployment rates that show declines in the majority of Wisconsin's counties accompanied by job gains across all major metro areas. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/19/08) - Recent floods have hit more than corn and soybeans. Rains have hit hard Wisconsin's direct marketing vegetable growers, those selling at farmers markets, local restaurants and retailers, and CSA's. Growers who market to local food consumers report flooded fields and potential losses. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection urges consumers to buy locally. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/18/08) - NBC newsman and political commentator Tim Russert, who was slated for burial June 18 after a funeral Mass in Washington, unabashedly witnessed to his Catholic faith, said Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Communications Committee. Archishop Niederaurer said the public host of Meet the Press was loyal to his family, fatherhood and faith in his private life. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/16/08) - A former Stevens Point, Wisconsin area State Assembly Representative is readying himself to re-enter the world of Republican vs. Democrat in Madison. Stan Gruszynski is now a resident of Marinette County and intends to seek the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin Assembly District 36. Prior to moving back to Eastern Wisconsin he represented the 71st Assembly District in Central Wisconsin. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/12/08) - As record gas and food prices, skyrocketing health care costs and the mortgage crisis continue to hammer the economy, the Service Employees International Union's (SEIU) two million members today called on Congress to pass legislation extending jobless benefits. Read more about this news story and others on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/10/08) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to conduct a comprehensive damage assessment from this past weekend’s severe weather and flooding. Governor Doyle is expected to seek a Federal Disaster Declaration following the FEMA assessment. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/09/08) - This isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company, Hillary Clinton said as she started the weekend speech that would signify the end of her try for the presidency. Saturday, June 7th New York U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton officially suspended her presidential primary campaign and asked her 18 Million supporters to get behind Barack Obama. Read Hillary's speech at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/30/08) - USA Network will kick-off a summer of scripted originals by launching its new drama series IN PLAIN SIGHT with an aggressive interactive marketing campaign developed in conjunction with digital innovators Big Spaceship, Electric Artists and The Hyperfactory. The multiplatform effort will feature robust interactive, viral and mobile elements focused on aggressive promotional extensions to immerse viewers in the world of the witness protection program. IN PLAIN SIGHT, a new original series, premieres Sunday, June 1st at 9:00 Central Time on USA Network. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story and others. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/29/08) - Wisconsin business, unions and individuals have contributed a record $1.5 million in the first 15 months of the 2007-08 election cycle to unregulated groups most of which raise and spend unlimited amounts on negative advertising, mailings and other outside activities in state and national elections, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows. Total Wisconsin contributions to so-called 527 groups between January 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008 shattered the previous high for a comparable period ($1.03 million) between January 2005 and March 2006. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/27/08) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging Wisconsin lawmakers to address the state's drunk driving problem as they consider law reforms following the outcry from people demanding change. The outrage stems from the April 25, 2008 crash in Oconomowoc that killed a pregnant woman and her daughter by a repeat drunk driver. The offender, Mark Benson, had three prior OWI convictions and was driving impaired on prescription medication without a license when he slammed his SUV into the rear of Jennifer Bukosky's car, killing Jennifer, her unborn child and 10-year old daughter and injuring her son. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/23/08) - The Wisconsin Farmers Union celebrated as word came down that the U.S. Senate had voted to override the president's veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 by a vote of 82-13. This came after word that the U.S. House of Representatives vote (316-108) to override the veto may have been invalid due to an inadvertent clerical error, leaving one of the 15 titles incomplete. The error may have caused further delay in passing the bill due to the upcoming holiday weekend. Now Congress plans to vote on the omitted title after its recess. Senator Herb Kohl likes some of the bill. Representative Ron Kind sees room for improvement. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/16/08) - The Republican Party of Wisconsin is holding its 2008 State Convention this weekend in Stevens Point this Friday and Saturday. Two prominent leaders in the Republican Party were booked to address Wisconsin Republicans at the event. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was set to headline the Banquet Honoring County Chairmen on Friday, May 16th, at 7 p.m. and Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. “Mike” Duncan was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the state convention on Saturday, May 17th at 10:30 a.m. State Democratic Party Chair Joe Wineke says Republicans are celebrating GOP failures. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/15/08) - Democratic presidential primary frontrunner Barack Obama is gaining even more momentum following the Wednesday (May 14, 2008) endorsement of former candidate John Edwards. The United Steelworkers union endorsed Barack Obama for president Thursday, which should help attract more Democratic blue-collar workers. Others endorsing Obama the day after Edwards, include, United States Congressman Jim McDermott of the State of Washington, Congressional Representatives Henry Waxman and Howard Berman of California, and Communications Workers of America President, Larry Cohen. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/06/08) - Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is urging his Senate colleagues to support a national affordable housing trust fund to help create affordable housing for families facing severe housing costs around the country. In a letter to the Senate Banking Committee, Feingold called on the committee to pass the bipartisan National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 introduced by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) as part of broader housing legislation. The proposal would help low income families by providing housing solutions. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/05/08) - Wisconsin Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass says the fourth Unclaimed Property Auction on eBay brought in over 10-thousand dollars from bids submitted from several areas of the United States. The auction concluded on Thursday at 6:00 pm with bids from locations in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland. All of the 37 items up for bid sold totaling $10,119.02. The highest bid item was for a diamond engagement ring which sold for $4,383.33. By law the Unclaimed Property found in safe deposit boxes are turned over to the State Treasurer, then auctioned if they are not claimed. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/18/08) - Wisconsin Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass says the fourth Unclaimed Property Auction will be held on Ebay starting Monday, April 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm CST. 37 items are set to be auctioned off over the course of ten days. There are 36 lots of women’s jewelry which include individual pieces, matching sets and collections. Under Wisconsin Statute, after 5 years of inactivity, Wisconsin financial institutions are mandated to turn over all the contents of safe deposit boxes to the State Treasurer’s office for safekeeping. The Treasurer’s Office has 3 years to try and find the owner, then puts the items up for auction. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/17/08) - Even though there are pockets of higher job losses in some parts of the Badger State, the unemployment rate in the state of Wisconsin is overall holding its own. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman says Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for March was 5.6 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from February's 5.8 percent and equal to the rate one year ago. The national rate for March was 5.2 percent, same as the February rate, but seven-tenths of a percentage point higher than the March 2007 rate of 4.5 percent. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/15/08) - Wondering whether Hillary Clinton stays on the straight and narrow concerning the facts in her stories, and whether Barack Obama returns to the message of Hope, Change, Yes We Can, and the Feel Good feeling voters get from his message? The ABC Television Network is providing another debate between the two Democrats seeking the White House tomorrow night (Weds. April 16, 2008) so primary voters in Pennsylvania and remaining primary states can gain insight into which will be the best choice to be on the Democratic ticket in November. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/11/08) - The Dunn County Republican Party annual Lincoln Day Dinner keynote speaker will by Scott Harold Southworth who was recently honored as a CNN Hero. Major Southworth, who currently serves as Juneau County District Attorney, is also a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. After serving in the Military Police in Iraq, Southworth returned to Iraq to adopt a disabled Iraqi orphan. The Southworth story has been told to Montel Williams, Oliver North, and others on television. He is also remembered for the Supreme Court Southworth Decision. The Dinner will be held April 26th at the Whitetail Golf Course, Colfax. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/08/08) - If you'e one of those people who had a hard time paying their utility bills during the cold days of winter, it's time to catch up. Yes, tax deadline time is bringing with it the end of the Wisconsin Utility Bills Moratorium for this heating season. As of April 1, 2008, approximately 65,000 Wisconsin Power and Light customers are in arrears, up slightly from last year. Customers who weren't able to pay anything at all during the winter months owe 5.2 million dollars. Wisconsin Power and Light is giving customers until April 15th to bring accounts up to date. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/05/08) - State health officials are reminding consumers to cook raw poultry to safe internal temperatures before eating. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services has issued a public health alert due to illnesses from Salmonella associated with frozen, stuffed raw chicken products that may be contaminated with salmonella. There have been no confirmed illnesses related to these products in Wisconsin. Products linked to the illnesses were produced by Serenade Foods, a Milford, Indiana establishment. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/31/08) - The world’s largest trivia contest returns to WWSP 90FM at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). In its 39th year, the 54-hour event begins Friday, April 11. This year’s contest theme, Trivia 39: Trivia Invasion, will draw people to Central Wisconsin from as far away as Europe with nearly 500 teams competing for the title. The theme celebrates the British Music Invasion of the USA. Teams are being advised not to study up on any one topic, as the questions promise to include all areas of unusual and often marginal need-to-know information. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/26/08) - Starting this July all public workplaces in Eau Claire, including bars will be smoke free. The Eau Claire City Council voted 7 to 4 Tuesday in favor of an ordinance ending cigarette smoking in all public workplaces. The vote comes after a public hearing where council members listened to testimony about the health dangers of secondhand smoke including increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory problems. Thirty-three Wisconsin communities have now passed some kind of smoke free ordinance. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/19/08) - The convergence of the 5th anniversary of Shock and Awe with Christian Holy Week and Iraq Moratorium Number 7 has sparked hundreds of antiwar actions across the country, and three dozen in Wisconsin, this week. There are events scheduled today in Madison, Minoqua, LaCrosse, Appleton, Webster, Kenosha and Wisconsin Rapids. This weekend, additional events are to be held in Sheboygan, Racine, Viroqua, Wausau, Hayward, Madison, Janesville, Dodgeville, Ripon, Milwaukee, Fort Atkinson, as well as DeKalb and Duluth. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/17/08) - The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV) is hailing the passage of the Safe Housing Act, SB 269, a bill designed to remove barriers facing domestic violence victims in housing. Last Wednesday, the Assembly unanimously backed the bill, and the Senate gave its final concurring and also unanimous vote on Thursday, last week. The Safe Housing Act allows victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking to terminate a lease if they are in imminent physical danger and have an accepted form of documentation of the abuse. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/15/08) - A Wisconsin Congressional Representative from the Northeastern part of the state was in Philedelphia yesterday (March 14, 2008) to tell medical personnel that Constitutional rights should apply to health care. Congressman Steve Kagen, who is also a doctor, declared that to guarantee access to affordable care, it's important to end discrimination in health insurance. Kagen spoke at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) in Philadelphia, PA. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Kagen founded the Kagen Allergy Clinics in Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/14/08) - US Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) applauded the final version of the FY09 Budget Resolution, which the Senate passed late last night, for including major boosts in federal funds for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program and the Child Care Development Block Grant program – increases that would directly benefit Wisconsin if the plan is enacted into law. In addition, an ammendment supported by Kohl creates a new standard deduction for homeowners that will provide relief to more than 641-thousand Wisconsin taxpayers. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/12/08) - With Daylight Savings Time here again and Easter 2008 nearly upon us, women in Wisconsin and other areas of the country, are turning their attention to this year's wedding season. One of the things they're concerned about is, what hairstyle will make them most adorable. A bridal website now gives brides-to-be the ability to upload their photo and virtually try on five different wedding day hairstyles via the Brides.com Wedding Day Hair Studio. In addition, women can also experiment with the hairstyles of various celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba, Hillary Duff and Beyonce Knowles. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/10/08) - A new report from Citizen Action of Wisconsin documents large health care cost savings for Wisconsin families if a Wisconsin initiative called Healthy Wisconsin is enacted. The release of the report coincides with a hearing by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on a revised version of the comprehensive health care reform plan. Healthy Wisconsin, which has received national attention as a health care reform model, was passed by the State Senate this summer as a budget amendment, but was blocked by the State Assembly. The revised version, SB 562, is sponsored by Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), who is Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/08/08) - Wisconsin United States Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold (both D-WI) have called on President George W. Bush to end unfair trade practices by overseas paper manufacturers that hurt domestic producers. Kohl and Feingold are trying to make the Bush Administration understand that, because paper mills are major employers in some regions of Wisconsin, such unfair trade practices could result in fewer employment opportunities in Wisconsin and other areas of the country where paper manufacturing has been making it possible for workers to support their families. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/08/08) - Congress is looking into the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act to help promote new construction, preservation, and conversion of existing Section 202 facilities into assisted-living facilities. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development have introduced a bill designed to streamline the program and process. It is hoped the move would save the government money and make it easier for senior citizens. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/04/08) - Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has decided to not come back to the Packers for another year to break more records. He is instead retiring from leading the Packers on to victory, and from professional football. Packers General Manager Ted Thompson says Favre informed the Packer organization of his intention to retire from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL. Brett Favre has had one of the greatest careers in the history of the National Football League, and is walking away from the game on his own terms. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/03/08) - Jenna Bush will keynote the Wisconsin Women in Government (WWIG) organization’s 21st Annual Scholarship Recognition Banquet on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. Jenna Bush,the daughter of President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, became an inspirational international child rights advocate during her internship with UNICEF in 2006. Jenna Bush joins the ranks of Elizabeth Edwards, Donna Shalala, Mary Matalin, and many other famous women who have spoken at the annual event in the past. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/03/08) - Long before there was a United States, town government was active in America. By the early 1800s, New Englanders had brought it to Wisconsin. Today, Wisconsin is one of only 14 states outside New England with town government, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), a nonprofit public-policy research organization dedicated to citizen education. According to the WISTAX report, Wisconsin’s 1,259 towns (as of January 2007) cover approximately 94 percent of the state’s 54,310 square miles and are home to 30 percent of our population. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/01/08) - FSN Wisconsin's 135 game regular-season Brewers baseball schedule this year will include an increased number of games to be televised in high definition (HD schedule to be released at a later date) as well as 17 day games that will be re-broadcast in primetime. FSN Wisconsin will produce all of the 150 regular season telecasts, including the 15 over-the-air broadcasts on WMLW TV-41. Telecasts on WMLW will be simulcast by FSN outside the Milwaukee DMA on satellite and cable. FSN Wisconsin's coverage begins at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 31 against the division rival Chicago Cubs. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/27/08) - The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) has released its review of the bridge inspection program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). Democratic State Senator Jim Sullivan of Wauwatosa and Republican Assembly Representative Suzanne Jeskewitz of Menomonee Falls authorized the review after conducting a public hearing on bridge safety in September 2007. Sullivan and Jeskewitz are co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC). The report indicates the condition of state-owned bridges have improved. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/26/08) - Universal Pictures has committed to shoot portions of its upcoming film Public Enemies in Wisconsin. The motion picture will be directed and produced by University of Wisconsin alumnus Michael Mann and star Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. The company reached agreement today with the Wisconsin Department of Commerce on tax credits from the new Film Production Services Tax Credit Program. The movie script, director and actors, will bring to life the story of John Dillinger who robbed banks and was hunted by the FBI in the 1930s. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/25/028) - While awareness of human trafficking is not widespread, the number of victims in Wisconsin is far greater than previously thought, according to a new study by the Office of Justice Assistance. Over 200 cases of victims forced into sex acts or labor services in Wisconsin were reported in a survey of nearly 400 sexual assault service providers and justice system agencies. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/25/08) - Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton has announced that a public service announcement, featuring the Lt. Governor, will begin running over 85 cable television networks statewide this week to raise awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention. The 30-second announcement is being seen on Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable networks statewide from Thursday, February 21, through the end of 2008. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/22/08) - More than 1.5 million Wisconsin voters participated in Tuesday’s Presidential Preference Primary Election. That is about 37 percent of all eligible voters in the state. It is officially the largest Wisconsin presidential primary turnout in 20 years. Director of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board indicates, even though the number of voters was so large, the primary was carried out with relatively few problems across the state. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/19/08) - The Wisconsin Senate has passed legislation that is aimed at creating Child Product Safety regulations. The bill was authored by Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point). Senate Bill 37 creates a system to ensure that state licensed and certified child care providers remove recalled children's products. It also gives the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection added teeth to penalize retailers who do not stop selling recalled child products. WisconsinReport.com has more.
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