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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. 

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. 

Evers signs lemonade legislation

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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.

Ron Johnson letter to Trump urges him to abandon rules for vaping flavors

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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.

Dairy company Dean Foods files for bankruptcy

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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.

Sean Duffy’s new gig is with D.C. lobbying firm

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Another new job for former congressman Sean Duffy. The Wisconsin Republican will head the financial services practice at the lobbying firm BGR Group, according to a release from the firm.

BGR CEO Bob Wood stated, “Sean is a star in Wisconsin politics who quickly moved up in Congressional seniority and earned the respect of Congressional Leadership and the White House for his smart policies and his Midwestern work ethic. We are thrilled to have Sean join our bipartisan advocacy team to help clients resolve complex policy challenges.”

Duffy and wife Rachel Campos Duffy announced his resignation after learning that their ninth child would be born with a heart condition. The baby arrived in October and soon after, CNN hired Duffy as paid contributor. There he quickly made controversial and unsubstantiated claims, including a suggestion there’s a missing DNC server in Ukraine and questioning the allegiance of Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, an impeachment witness.

The former Ashland County D.A., MTV reality show star and lumberjack athlete is not able to lobby Congress for a year, but can lobby the administration.

We Energies Cookie Book 2019 edition now available

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The We Energies cookie book is back for 2019.

Spokeswoman Amy Jahns says the books track all the way back to 1928 when the Wisconsin Electric Company was just starting to hook up customers to electric appliances. 

“We needed to teach our customers how to use those electric appliances, and what better way to do that than show them how to bake cookies?”

Jahns says this year’s book honors the 91 years of the Cookie Book’s history. 

“We asked our customers to send in recipes and memories of baking with their grandmas over the years, and we got some really great submissions.”

500 recipes were sent in and over 30 of them made it to the print edition. You can request a copy or get a digital version of the book online at their website.

Report shows Wisconsin leading nation in farm bankruptcy filings

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A report from the American Farm Bureau Federation finds more bankruptcy filings by Wisconsin farmers than in any other state. The report puts the nationwide increase at 24 percent over the previous year, covering the 12 months ending September 30th.

Several weather incidents and trade disputes were the major factors. Wisconsin led the country for a second straight year. The USDA estimates farm revenue at $88 billion for the year – 29 percent below the record set in 2013.

Get your company ready for a data breach with a plan from DATCP

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It’s not a matter of if your company will face a data breach, it’s when; and state officials say you need to be ready with a plan.

State consumer protection administrator Lara Sutherlin says responsibly handling a data breach requires two main parts. 

“Make sure you’re doing everything you can to shut down further information from being released from your business, and that the people that may have been exposed are quickly notified and can act on that information.”

Sutherlin says part of any response to a data breach needs to be disclosure to consumer protection agencies. 

“DATCP can always help people who’ve been exposed to a data breach, the FTC can help, regulators can be a partner in trying to figure out what happened.”

Sutherlin says trying to hide a data breach will only work for a short time before someone notices what’s happened, and then not only will you have egg on your face, you could face penalties for concealing a loss of information. 

‘Truth in labeling’ food bills introduced at Capitol

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Three bills requiring truth in labeling of milk, dairy products and meat, got a hearing Thursday in the Senate Agriculture Committee. State Senator Marklien (R-Spring Green) is a sponsor on all three. “This legislation isn’t about what they call their product, it’s about what we call our products,” Marklein said. “Milk is milk, meat’s meat, and dairy products come from dairy.”

“As a farmer myself, I can tell you it’s very frustrating, when you go through the grocery store, and you see people choosing soy milk, thinking that it’s actually milk from a cow,” said Representative Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City).

 

The authors contend these bills will also bring pressure on the federal USDA to enforce existing food labeling regulations. Right now, that’s not happening.