The Green Bay Packers have unveiled detailed plans to expand Lambeau Field. The $130 million dollar project includes about 6600 new seats in the south end zone, on four different levels. “The way this is designed . . . it will be like a wall of fans or a wall of sound,” said Packers president Mark Murphy. The Packers will pay for the project themselves, through traditional bonding. It won’t impact the half-cent Brown County sales tax that was created for the 2003 renovation. The team is also considering another stock sale to help pay for the project. “The last stock sale we had was ’98, and we netted about $20 million,” said Murphy. The project will break ground on September 1st, but they’ll start much of the work after this season. The north end zone and the new Jumbotrons will be ready for the 2012 season, and the south end zone will open in 2013.
No charges in Supreme Court altercation
The special prosecutor looking into an alleged physical confrontation between two state Supreme Court justices has decided no charges will be filed.
After reviewing the investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Sauk County District Attorney Patricia Barrett says she did not feel there was enough evidence to justify criminal charges. Barrett says she reviewed the case with an eye towards whether she could meet her ethical obligations as a prosecutor in filing charges, and did not feel she could do so. [Read more...]
Scocos back on board at Veterans agency
A new Secretary was sworn in Thursday for the state Department of Veterans Affairs. Governor Scott Walker has picked John Scocos to be Secretary of the agency, a post he held before he was fired two years ago. He becomes Secretary again under a new state law which makes the post a cabinet position appointed by the governor. “I see some tremendous challenges for us,” said Scocos, referring to the need to find jobs for returning service personnel. “We need to work with our state partners, which makes this so important. Being a cabinet secretary, now you’re at the table. You have the governor’s support and you have the agency’s support, versus the board.” A veterans board controlled by appointees of then-Governor Jim Doyle fired Scocos as Secretary in November of 2009, shortly after he returned from a second tour of duty in Iraq. He promises to continue pursuing a lawsuit against that dismissal. “To this date I’ve never been told why they let me go,” he said. “We’re going to win that in court, and I’m looking forward to it.”
John Colbert, WIBA
Workers’ Compensation celebrates 100 years
It’s been called a “watershed moment” in America’s attitude toward government social programs. The workers’ compensation system provides medical and wage replacement benefits for individuals who get hurt on the job. Workers don’t have to prove their innocence and employers don’t have to defend themselves in court. “We call it the grand compromise. Workers basically gave up their right to sue their employers for injury and employers, on the other hand, agreed that they were going to pay their injured workers for any accident that caused disability and medical costs” regardless of fault. [Read more...]
Gomez looks ready to return soon
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez, who has been on the disabled list since July 21 with a broken left clavicle, is expected to be examined by team doctors on Friday.
If Gomez is cleared, he is expected to begin a rehab assignment with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Saturday. If all goes well there, Gomez would most likely be activated to the Brewers active roster on September 1, when the roster limit expands to 40.
