From the daily archives:

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The state Assembly approves legislation (AB-138) that would restore DNR Secretary appointment authority to a citizen board.

Lawmakers again debate whether the governor should retain power to appoint the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. Madison Democrat Spencer Black points out that five past DNR secretaries support having the Natural Resources Board make that decision.

“Now these are people who are no longer subject to hiring or firing but can speak their mind. And it’s really extraordinary that they all agreed.”

Black says some of those secretaries were appointed by the governor and some by the board, serving under seven governors — both Republicans and Democrats. Despite those differences, Black reiterates, the former secretaries show unity in their support to change the law.

Merrill Republican Donald Friske says the issue isn’t so much whether the Secretary would do a good or a bad job; the issue is whether politics will be taken out of the equation simply by having a board. He doesn’t think so.

“There’s no way you’re gonna remove politics … because the existing governor is going to make appointments to that board with people that actually favor that governor, and he’s gonna put pressure on the board [click to continue…]

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Kindergarten mandate passes Senate

by Bob Hague 09/22/09 4:53 PM

The state Senate has passed legislation requiring kindergarten for every five year old in Wisconsin. The bill passed on a party line 17-15 vote Tuesday, following Assembly passage of the legislation last week.
The problem which the problem is designed to address – kids whose parents enroll them in kindergarten but don’t see to it they attend [...]

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Student athlete mourned

by WRN Contributor 09/22/09 3:29 PM

A Wausau-area school district is remembering a top cross-country athlete who died during practice this week. Fourteen year-old Forrest Goetsch of Ringle collapsed during the second lap of warm-up exercises Monday afternoon and later died at St. Clare’s Hospital in Weston.  
D. C. Everest Superintendent Kristine Gilmore offered condolences to the Goetsch family as well as [...]

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Groups gather behind domestic partner law

by Brian Moon 09/22/09 2:29 PM

There’s a push for the state Supreme Court to intervene in the state’s domestic partner registry battle. Lambda Legal, along with FAIR Wisconsin, filed papers today asking the high court to toss out a lawsuit filed in July by the Wisconsin Family Council.
The Council says the registry is a violation of a 2006 state constitutional [...]

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Milton filters through ethanol regulations

by WRN Contributor 09/22/09 1:56 PM

Emissions from a Rock County ethanol plant has locals sounding off. Some Milton residents say their health is suffering from emissions from the nearby United Ethanol Plant.
AUDIO: Montage of locals (MP3 :21)
But United Ethanol President Dave Cramer says his company is vigilant.
AUDIO: Dave Cramer (MP3 :18)
Mayor Tom Chesmore says even though only a few neighbors [...]

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