Wisconsin News and Sports
The founder of Foxconn says the Wisconsin plant is still on schedule to open this year. Bloomberg News reports that Terry Gou made that announcement at a New Year’s Party.
He’s quoted as saying that he will be spending more time in the US this year. Gou recently stepped down as chairman of the company to run for office, but is still on the board of directors and is the largest shareholder.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is partnering with the Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, in an effort to help spot human traffickers. Attorney General Josh Kaul says employees working in places like gas stations and hotels can often be the first to spot trafficking.
“They can also allow law enforcement to make contact with a survivor of human trafficking and help that person get the services that are needed to help that person escape from trafficking,” Kaul said.
Partnership with @WisDOJ, @wistatepatrol, and @WisDCF to help end Human Trafficking. Our industry employs over 50,000 people at nearly 3,000 convenience stores across the state. We’ll use our resources & partners to be a part of preventing human trafficking. #HumanTrafficking pic.twitter.com/znCZ1qy4VP
— WPMCA (@WPMCA) January 21, 2020
The initiative is not the only effort to address human trafficking in the state. How to spot trafficking is now part of the training truck drivers receive at the state’s technical colleges.
New Year’s resolutions often include losing weight and getting in shape, but be sure you’re not about to get ripped off at the gym.
State consumer protection director Lara Sutherlin says there’s specific rules that gyms have to follow when they sell memberships.
“And the membership cannot be sold for more than two years. So if anyone’s trying to get you to sign up for more than two years, that’s illegal, they’re not allowed to do that.”
A gym also has to give you three days to back out of a membership contract. Sutherlin says the best thing to do is to ask for a trial and make sure the place is a good fit for you, before you commit.
“You don’t obviously want to sign up for a membership and then not be able to do the kind of workout you were looking forward to doing.”
As always, make sure to read the fine print and be comfortable before you sign that contract.
Support by Wisconsin’s House delegation for a reworked NAFTA was almost — but not quite — unanimous. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement passed the House Thursday on an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 385-41. Among those 41 nays, Democrats Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – and congressman Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.
Rep. Mark Pocan (WRN image)
In a statement, Pocan said “though this new deal is a definitive improvement from NAFTA, I cannot be confident that this trade deal would correct its core flaws that led to the outsourcing of hundreds of thousands of American jobs, as well as serious environmental concerns.”
Today, I voted against the USMCA.
Yes, it’s better than NAFTA, but I’m not confident it fixes core flaws that led to rampant outsourcing & it fails to take bold action on our global climate crisis.
Our trade deal must be a model for future deals—not just a marginal improvement.
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) December 19, 2019
In a tweet, Wisconsin Democrat Ron Kind said “This deal is a great example of what can be accomplished when people work across the aisle to get things done and should serve as the template for all future trade agreement negotiations.”
This deal is a great example of what can be accomplished when people work across the aisle to get things done and should serve as the template for all future trade agreement negotiations.
— Rep. Ron Kind (@RepRonKind) December 19, 2019
The USMCA now goes to the Senate for ratification.
Enbridge Energy has begun buying land, as it prepares to reroute its Line 5 pipeline around a northern Wisconsin reservation. The Ashland Daily Press reports Enbridge has opened an office in Ashland for staff members involved in relocating the line.
A company spokeswoman said Enbridge has purchased “a couple” properties in Ashland County, but declined to provide details.
The Bad River tribe has refused to renew leases with Enbridge for a portion of the pipeline on tribal lands, and has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force its removal because the tribe fears the line poses an environmental threat.
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.
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.
Your kids’ lemonade stand is now fully legit. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Monday signed a bipartisan bill allowing children to sell lemonade and other goods on private property without having to get a permit, as long as they don’t exceed two thousand dollars a year in sales.
The Democratic governor also signed legislation allowing gasoline with no ethanol and gas that contains up to fifteen percent ethanol to be dispensed through the same hose. Evers signed a total of 11 bills on Monday.
Senator Ron Johnson is asking President Trump not to push restrictions on vaping flavors. In a letter to the president, Johnson said he supports rules that ensure the safety of products for consumers but he’s also concerned about government action that stifles innovation and threatens jobs. He said the restrictions on flavored vape products are being “rammed through.”
“I am strongly opposed to far-reaching, unchecked government action that stifles innovation and restricts adults’ freedom to choose safer alternatives to smoking.”
The administration is also considering raising the age to buy vaping products from 18 to 21, an idea Johnson says he supports.
One of the country’s largest dairy companies is filing for bankruptcy.
Dean Foods will be working with Dairy Farmers of America to restructure. State ag spokesman Rick Hummel says for now, it’s business as usual for consumers and farmers.
“Under Chapter 11, that allows the company to continue its operations while they’re restructuring, as opposed to a Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy.”
Hummel says they haven’t gotten any reports of checks not being paid to farmers.
“Our department will be following up with Dean to make sure that payments to producers will continue to be made on time.”
Dean lost its biggest customer last year after Walmart took over its own milk production.