Wisconsin News and Sports
Governor Jim Doyle eulogizes his friend, Ag Secretary Rod Nilsestuen at Bethel Lutheran church. (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
He’ll be forever known as one of the great agriculture leaders in the history of Wisconsin. That’s what Governor Jim Doyle says about Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen. “He was truly my favorite scandhoovian. And like many of you, I feel like I’m in a dream. Who could have ever imagined just one week ago today that we would be here at this moment?” [Read more...]
President Barack Obama is coming to the Milwaukee area on August 16th. A White House official said Tuesday the president will host an event related to the economy, and headline a fundraiser on behalf of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and the Democratic Party. Barrett is the Democratic candidate for governor.
The trip will be Obama’s fourth to Wisconsin as president. His most recent visit was to Racine June 30th, to host a town hall meeting on the economy. This will mark Obama’s first fundraising stop for Barrett, who got into the governor’s race after being urged to do so by White House officials. Barrett will face Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker or former Congressman Mark Neumann, the Republicans contesting the GOP primary in September.
The “Summer of Marriage Tour” made a tumultuous stop in Madison on Tuesday. Approximately two dozen traditional marriage supporters were outnumbered by some 200 members of the LGBT community and their supporters, as speakers in support of traditional marriage rallied on the Capitol steps. The counter protest began on the Library Mall at UW Madison, where John Becker of Milwaukee defended his marriage to Michael Knoppen. “We know what it’s like to have our loved used as a political weapon,” said Becker. “But love is stronger than hate. Their hatred of our marriage will never be stronger than my love for my husband.” Counter protesters marched down State Street to the Capitol, where the Tour stop, a project of the National Organization for Marriage, took place.
Wisconsin K-12 education has lost out in the race to the top for a second time. Wisconsin is one of 35 states that applied for phase two Race to the Top education reform money provided through the U.S. Department of Education. President Barack Obama announced the competition, which rewards states for having comprehensive, state-supported school reform plans, during a visit to Wisconsin in November, 2009. State officials here were initially optimistic about Wisconsin’s chances, but Federal education officials announced Tuesday that the Badger State is not among the 19 finalists that will advance towards $3.4 billion in education funding. Wisconsin also failed to make the cut in phase one of the Race to the Top competition. [Read more...]
Carroll University in Waukesha has named Menasha native and former Pioneer standout Derek Hassell as the schools new baseball coach. Hassell played at Carroll from 1998 through 2001.
Hassell hit .415 in 2001, collecting a school record 56 hits that season. He takes over a program that has posted just three winning seasons since 1960.
Hassell spent one year as an assistant with the Pioneers once his playing career was over. From there, he worked on coaching staffs at Pomona-Pitzer College, Gardner Webb, Charleston Southern, Texas Christian and Furman.
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