A special session bill would provide for sweeping revisions of the process for the Department of Natural Resources to issue permits. Although a public hearing on the measure at the Capitol on Wednesday was seen by many as being about mining, the bill’s author, state Senator Neil Kedzie, insisted that wasn’t the case. “There’s been a misconception, misinformation that has gone out over the media, and we’ve received several calls and I’m sure many of you have also that this is a mining bill or what’s being called the mining bill,” said Kedzie. “There is no mining bill at this time. When you see it, you’ll know that it’s the mining bill. This is not it.” [Read more...]
GOP moving forward on mining efforts up north
October 26, 2011 By
Assembly Republicans say mining iron ore up north can create thousands of good-paying jobs for many years to come. Representative Mary Williams (R-Medford) is chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business. “When we go into session, what I hear from the other side is ‘you’re not talking about jobs; you’re not talking about jobs’ over and over and over. I finally decided, as chair of the jobs committee, that it was time to do something.”
Even though there’s no bill just yet, Williams wants to hear ideas and concerns about a proposal to dig tons of iron ore from the ancient mountain range in Iron County.
Representative Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee) is confident about the ability of new mining legislation to create jobs across Wisconsin. “Iron mining is gonna be bigger than GM in Janesville; it’s gonna be bigger than Mercury Marine.”
Optimistically speaking, Honadel says the Badger State could see the jobs in a year. “There will be 800 to 1,000 full time jobs at the mine, probably 2,000 to 2,500 ancillary jobs created when the entire operation is running.”
Williams says Thursday’s public hearing in the tiny city of Hurley is a great way to get public input on all sides of the issue, weigh the options, and work on creating legislation. She says their two primary goals are to ensure iron mining is economical and it must have reasonable environmental protections.
Conservationists and outdoors groups want lawmakers to seriously consider the environmental consequences of weakening state mining laws.
Williams says the committee will convene in the Hurley High School auditorium starting at 1:00 on Thursday and will likely continue into the evening. She plans to have more hearings on this issue after legislation is written.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:41
Ban on texting and driving marks one year
October 26, 2011 By
(WRN file photo) Simulated texting and driving
The message is clear; no text is worth a human life.
Lawmakers and the State Patrol mark the upcoming first anniversary of the ban on texting while driving. The bipartisan group reminds motorists of the deadly consequences of distracted driving.
Representative Peter Barca is the Assembly author of the bill. He says it was not initially an easy bill to pass. “One of the fundamental things that help to pass it, unfortunately, was a woman died here in Madison that they attributed to texting and driving I think just a couple days before the vote came up.”
Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Stephen Fitzgerald says if you text and drive, your hands are not on the steering wheel, your eyes are not on the road, and your mental focus is not on traffic and road conditions. “Without a doubt texting while driving will increase your risk to cause a crash and your failure to avoid one. You’re putting yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road in grave danger.”
In 2008 nearly 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries were due to distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fitzgerald says officials don’t want to issue more tickets, but they will if they have to.
For those who want to reduce the temptation to text and drive, there’s an app for that. AT&T’s “DriveMode” automatically informs the texter that the intended recipient is driving and will respond later. Scott VanderSanden is president for AT&T in Wisconsin. “Our message is really simple; no text message is worth risking your life or someone else’s.”
Then-Governor Jim Doyle signed the legislation in May of 2010. Wisconsin’s law went into effect December 1, 2010. Since then, there have been 162 convictions statewide reported by DMV. Violators can be fined up to $400.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is teaming up with the State Patrol, AAA and AT&T in an effort to educate the public, especially teens, on the angers of texting while driving. As a primary enforcement law, officers may stop and ticket drivers solely for texting and driving.
Representative Peter Barca, a Democrat, says the measure was a great example of bipartisanship, pointing out that former Senator Alan Lasee, a Republican, was the lead author in the Senate while Barca was the Assembly author. (PHOTO of signing)
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:56
Wisconsin’s Rumpel is WCHA’s Rookie of the Week
October 26, 2011 By
University of Wisconsin goaltender Joel Rumpel, who made 38 saves to lead
Joel Rumpel
the host Badgers to a 5-4 win over defending conference champion and No. 5-ranked North Dakota last Saturday night, has been named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Week.
The freshman from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Rumpel came through with 38 saves in the Saturday evening contest at the Kohl Center in Madison, including 15 in both the first and second periods, and helped keep the Sioux scoreless on all four power-play chances as Wisconsin completed the sweep following a 5-3 victory last Friday.
Rumpel has been rotating the goalie duties with fellow freshman Landon Peterson.
AUDIO: Joel Rumpel said he has no problem rotating with Peterson :22
Rumpel’s uncle, Roy Schultz, was an All-American goalie at the UW back in 1980.
Union head: Pay plan will lead to cronyism
October 26, 2011 By
The Governor’s pay plan – unveiled Tuesday – would remove separate state agencies ability to give merit raises, giving that job to the Office of State Employment Relations.
The head of the state’s largest employee union criticizes the changes. “There are no thresholds, there’s no criteria for who gets merit. It’s solely a very subjective, arbitrary decision on the part of the director of OSER,” says Marty Beil, questioning how an official in Madison knows the quality of work going on at sites across the state.
Beil claims it is an open door to cronyism. “It’s all about giving friends money or not. Either punishing people or rewarding people.”
The plan also freezes basic pay for two years. Republican Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says most state workers would see few changes.
AUDIO: Beil says state workers will have fewer protection. (2:30)
