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Assembly passes five year-old kindergarten.

September 16, 2009 By

Legislation mandating kids complete kindergarten before entering first grade passes the state Assembly. The problem, said the bill’s author, Eau Claire Democrat Jeff Smith, some parents use five year-old kindergarten like day care, bringing their kids only when it suits them.

“The only way that we are able to enforce truancy rules . . . is to also include kindergarten, just like any other grade level, as a preresquisite to enter the next grade level above,” said Smith. And that, said Whitewater Republican Steve Nass, is precisely the problem with this latest state mandate. “You have to complete five year old kindergarten before you can enter the first grade. That is a requirement,” Nass said. “The only way to circumvent that is to go and beg before a school board to have an exception.”

Nass said it should be up to parents, not the state, to decide whether or not their five year olds are ready for kindergarten. According to the Department of Public Instruction, fewer than 200 kids enter the first grade each year without first having completed kindergarten. The bill now goes to the state Senate.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Education, Politics & Government

Wind energy bill heads to governor

September 16, 2009 By

The state Assembly has passed legislation which backers say will make the placement of small wind turbine projects easier in Wisconsin. But debate Wednesday turned largely around whether the measure will or won’t create hundreds of new jobs in the state.

Proponents of the bill to give the Public Service Commission authority to regulate wind turbine siting pitched it as a jobs creator, an argument Elkhart Lake Republican Steve Kestell wasn’t buying. “It’s a job creator I guess for the folks in France who build all those wind generators that are sitting my district,” said Kestell. “Maybe (it’s) a job creator for all those folks who unload them off the boats.”

But Madison Democrat Spencer Black insisted wind technology jobs are already here. “People who are working right now . . . because you’re building the machines here, the turbines here,” said Black, adding that a friend of his recently got a job producing electrical equipment for wind turbines – and bought a round of beers to celebrate.

The bill, which passed the Senate on Tuesday, passed the Assembly on bipartisan 65-31 vote and now heads to Governor Jim Doyle’s desk.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:65 MP3)

Filed Under: Economy, Environment & Conservation, Politics & Government

Panel examines Gableman complaint

September 16, 2009 By

Attorneys for Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman say an ad run by his campaign in 2008 is protected by the First Amendment and he should not be punished for running it.

The ad targeting then-Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler focused on his time as a public defender, when he represented a convicted rapist. Wisconsin Judicial Commission attorney James Alexander says the ad implied Butler got the man out of jail, allowing him to rape again. Alexander says the ad implies Butler found a loophole that got Reuben Lee Mitchell out of jail.

Butler won a new trial for Mitchell, although the decision was eventually overturned by the state Supreme Court and he served his sentence. Mitchell then committed another rape after his release.

Jim Bopp, Gableman’s attorney, says the ad does not state there is a connection between Butler and the second rape.

A three judge panel heard arguments Wednesday on whether Gableman’s campaign ad violated the state judicial code. If the panel rules Gableman did violate the code, they would then forward a recommendation on to the remaining members of the state Supreme Court. Justices could then decide if Gableman should be reprimanded, removed from the bench, or face other disciplinary action.

The judges gave no indication when a decision could be made.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:19)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Assembly GOP unveils jobs agenda

September 16, 2009 By

Republicans in the state Assembly want a focus on jobs during the fall legislative session. “About six months ago, Assembly Republicans and Senate Republicans decided to go and ask the people of Wisconsin what we could do to help job creation,” said Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald. Members of the Wisconsin Jobs Now Task Force traveled the state. “Time and time again,” said Fitzgerald, task force members heard that taxes and regulations are hampering the state’s ability to compete economically and attract and retain jobs. Recommendations made to the task force have been incorporated in a number of legislative proposals.

State Representative Mary Williams of Medford said the state Jobs Tax Credit enacted as part of the budget, needs to start immediately. It’s currently set to go into effect in 2010, with credits to businesses in 2012. “The problem with that is, I have had the two highest unemployment counties in the state,” said Williams. “We need the jobs now. Providing funding two years from now doesn’t help the people in business now.” Williams said she’ll propose a bill to push up the start date for the tax credit. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Economy, Politics & Government

Ochocinco says he wants to Lambeau Leap

September 16, 2009 By

He may play for an average football team and may not have the same hard competitive drive that he once had, but Cincinnati’s Chad Ochocinco can still light up a crowd.

You never know what’s coming next.  He has more than 58,000 Twitter followers, just waiting to read what’s next.  Ochocinco loves to entertain.  His Twitter page says, “Hey, it’s me, the real Chad Ochocinco.  You can’t cover me, you can only hope to contain me.  I’m my biggest fan”. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sports, Titletown Report Tagged With: ,
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