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Consider Something Special From Wisconsin in your holiday shopping this season

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If you’re still looking for holiday gifts this season, why not find Something Special from Wisconsin?

It’s a program sponsored by the state Department of Agriculture that showcases Wisconsin made products.

Alice in Dairyland Abigail Martin says it’s important to shop local in a time when farmers are hurting.

“Your dollars are staying right here in our state. They’re supporting communities and local economies as well as farmers and processors who are working hard.”

Martin says one very important something is getting a natural Christmas Tree from a local grower. 

“They smell wonderful in your house, one of my favorite smells, but also trees that are real are recyclable and will decompose after the holiday season.”

Also noted on this year’s list of products are specialty soaps and lotions made from sheep’s milk that you can get from Maple Hill Farm in Ladysmith, packed cheese spreads and gourmet cheeses from Chalet Cheese Cooperative and Pine River Cheese, and ready made dessert with New York Style cheesecakes from Suzy’s Cream Cheesecakes.

You can find out more online at http://somethingspecialwi.com. 

 

Congressman Gallagher seeks blacklisting for Chinese tech company Huawei

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A new defense spending bill is set for debate, and Congressman Mike Gallagher says a provision he authored will help protect the future of the Internet.

The bill would put tech company Huawei on a government blacklist.

“We’ve restricted the ability of our companies to do business with the telecommunications company, because it is an appendage of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Gallagher says Huawei has been trying to position itself against US firms. 

“In a bid to dominate the future of the internet, the future of 5G. We have to stand up to that. This is actually an area of bipartisan support.”

That bill also creates a new Space Force arm of the US Military, extends a pay raise to enlisted personnel, and limits the military’s use of PFAS.

WI National Guard general resigns after scathing report on botched sexual assault investigations

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The Wisconsin National Guard’s commanding officer is stepping down as a response to a scathing report over the mishandling of sexual assault investigations.

Adjutant General Donald Dunbar will be stepping down at the end of the year after a request from Governor Tony Evers. That’s in the wake of a report from the Pentagon that the National Guard mishandled a decade’s worth of sexual assault investigations. 

The Defense Department says the Guard failed to refer reports of sexual assault to outside law enforcement and failed to properly report and investigate numerous cases of sexual harassment. 

“I am extremely upset and concerned with the National Guard Bureau Office of Complex Investigations’ findings, especially with how the Wisconsin National Guard investigates sexual assault allegations,” said Evers. 

“Our service members deserve to be safe and supported while carrying out their important mission, which is why I have ordered the Wisconsin National Guard to implement top-to-bottom changes to ensure a safe workplace in the Guard, one that is free of sexual assault and harassment and the fear they might face retaliation for reporting sexual assault or harassment when it happens.”

Senator Tammy Baldwin agreed with the decision. “Our Wisconsin National Guard service members deserve leadership of unmatched integrity and a work environment free of sexual assault, harassment and the fear of retaliation. This National Guard Bureau report makes clear they have received neither. 

“The failure of leadership, wrongdoing, and lack of accountability that has been uncovered demands change at the Wisconsin National Guard, including new leadership and implementing all of the report’s recommendations on how best to prevent sexual assault and harassment, and confront it with accountability when it occurs. Now that the first steps of change are being taken, I support Governor Evers’ executive order to work towards true justice for the survivors of sexual assault and accountability for those that committed crimes against them.”

Brigadier General Gary Ebben will replace Dunbar on an interim basis, until a new commanding officer is selected. 

GOP says state is undercharging employees for rent on state properties

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Legislative Republicans say the state is undercharging its own employees on rental fees in state-owned housing.

Employees for the DNR or the UW-System live on site in those properties at parks and research stations. Representative Samantha Kerkman says a number of properties haven’t had their prices adjusted since 1995.  

“They’ve been complying with some of the law, you know some of the statute, but they haven’t been following through on their own procedures to actually set the market rate for rent.”

Kerkman says there are both rental and tax implications here. 

“When somebody does receive a benefit for their employment, that does have tax implications as well, so again we need to make sure we’re checking all the boxes.”

Republicans say the state undercharged employees over 60-thousand dollars in rent last year. 

Baldwin backs bill to improve housing for volunteer first responders

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Senator Tammy Baldwin wants to make it easier for volunteer firefighters to find a place to live.

The Volunteer First Responder Housing Act will make it more affordable to find a home for people who volunteer as a firefighter or EMS.

“It would basically make two programs that already exist open to volunteer first responders,” says Baldwin.

Those programs offer low cost loans to the families of responders, and also allows them to purchase homes for half price in certain parts of the country. 

Baldwin says retaining volunteers is vital since 90 percent of the state’s fire departments include volunteers. 

“Many young families can’t afford to live in the communities in which they want to volunteer.”

The bill currently has bipartisan support in the Senate.

Research who you donate your money to on Giving Tuesday, says DATCP

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Giving Tuesday is here, but before you find a cause to donate to, make sure it’s a good one.

State consumer protection administrator Michelle Reinen says you have to be careful with efforts you see on social media or Go Fund Me.

“It’s not regulated in the same fashion, necessarily, as when you are giving to a nationally recognized and well known established charity.”

Reinen says you should research your charity online with Charity Navigator or Give.org. 

“So again, you can be comfortable with the funds you give to them if it aligns with what you expect or desire that charity do with the funds.”

Sadly, Giving Tuesday is also a chance for scammers to try and get some of your money. Reinen says one common scam is people calling you up to say you’re getting a gift or a grant or some other sort of donation. All you have to do, is pay for the so called processing fees or turn over personal data.

“And then you never see the thing you were enticed with: that grant or that gift card. But yet you’ve handed over all your personal information, and that has incredible value.”

As usual, if someone’s trying to sell you something or offer you something out of the blue over the phone, get it in writing first and then decide if you want anything to do with it. 

Walker says presidential impeachment inquiry is like the recall effort in Wisconsin

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The longer the impeachment inquiry goes, the less public support there appears to be for removing President Trump from office.

On WKOW’s “Capital City Sunday,” former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker said the public is getting turned off by single-minded opposition to the president. He says he’s reminded of the recall effort against him.

“There’s a long list of video clips out there of Democrats in Congress who’ve talked about wanting to impeach this president since the day he was elected.”

“The left so overreacted that it turned off swing voters. It got to the point where people said ‘is this all they care about?’ And I think that you’re starting to see the same thing when it comes to impeachment.” says Walker. 

Walker says the inquiries are only serving to divide the American people.

“If we want to move forward as a nation, as a country, we have to find ways to talk and communicate that isn’t just taking shots back and forth.”

On “FOX News Sunday,” Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries said it’s Congress’ job to follow the facts and apply the law according to the Constitution.

Walker says lawmakers should instead pass a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

We Energies opens first small scale solar plant in New Berlin

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We Energies is partnering with local schools and municipalities to help bring solar power projects online.

The project is called Solar Now, and Spokesman Brendan Conway says the projects are using existing properties to host arrays. 

“We install solar panels on their properties, so often times roofs or other land they’re not using, we pay them some money to lease that land, and then all of that clean renewable energy goes into our grid and is used by all of our customers.”

Conway says the first two megawatts of solar panels are now online. 

“We have partnered with the New Berlin School District to put solar panels on four of their locations: three school buildings and some empty space at one of their schools.” That’s enough power to run 400 homes.

Conway says they’re working out similar plans with the city of Racine, UW Parkside, and locations in Washington County. 

Man shot and injured at closed hotel in Stevens Point

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One man is injured and another was arrested in connection with an early Thanksgiving morning shooting at a closed hotel in Stevens Point.

Stevens Point Assistant Police Chief Tom Zenner says the department got a call around 3:20 in the morning at the Comfort Suites on Division Street. When officers arrived they found a man who had been shot several times.

The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.  A 24-year-old man was arrested at the scene on charges of attempted homicide.

Four other people were found in the hotel which is currently under construction and not open for business. Police say all of the men are from out of state and are temporarily residing in the hotel while working on the construction of the building.

The case remains under investigation.

WSAU

Get charity donations in order before end of year, says IRS

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It’s nearing the end of the year, and if you’re looking to make some donations to offset taxes, now is the time to do it.

IRS Spokesman Christopher Miller says you should be sure to keep a record of what’s been given. 

“And of course for larger donations, beyond a certain dollar amount, you should be getting a confirmation from the charity.”

You should also make sure that if you are looking to deduct your donations, that you’re allowed to do so, says Miller.

“You can go to our website at IRS dot Gov, and there’s a tool on there where you can find out whether or not an organization is a 501(c)(3) or qualified charity.”

Miller says they’ve been seeing many people forgo the itemized deductions for charity, simply because the standard deduction is now much larger for most people.