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Farmers have concerns as state considers new permitting rules for livestock operations

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Public hearings have begun on changing state regulations on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOS. Proposed changes to Wisconsin’s livestock facility siting regulations, known as ATCP51 include eliminating odor scoring, changing building setbacks standards and more opportunities for local governments to restrict farm expansion.

Peter Koles with the Wisconsin Towns Association supports the proposed changes. “The equipment has gotten bigger. So you have bigger equipment, more repetitive trips. And we need to take into account that impact on the roadways.”

Raymond Hansen of Wautoma chairs the Central Sands Water Coalition, and testified that where CAFO’s exist, water quality problems soon follow. John Holevoet with the Dairy Business Association said the proposed regulations won’t improve water quality. “If you think you’re going to get better water quality by pushing animal agriculture out, you’re wrong. What you’re going to be left with is probably as bad of an environmental situation, if not worse.”

Several dairy farmers told the hearing, which was held in Oshkosh on Friday, that the existing rule is better, and that changes allowing more local government oversight would defeat the purpose of having the statewide guidelines.

Larry Lee, Brownfield 

 

Evers wants to eliminate carbon-based fuel in Wisconsin by 2050

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Governor Tony Evers has signed an executive order which aims to eliminate use of carbon-based fuel in Wisconsin by 2050. It’s an idea the Republican controlled legislature has already rejected

“We reallocating resources, as we always have to do,” Evers said Friday. “Unfortunately this should have been a priority for the entire legislature, but it wasn’t. And so we’re making it a priority.”

Evers and other members of his administration were joined by young people at a Capitol press conference. Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who will be overseeing the effort, said it’s about them. “Because in their eyes, and in reality, their future may be bleak. And it’s unfortunate, because there may be no future at all for their generation if we don’t act now.”

The order also creates an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, responsible for carrying out the goal and putting the state on a track to achieve the 2015 Paris accord on climate. It does not place any state mandates on Wisconsin businesses or utilities. “But I am extremely confident that the utilities in the state of Wisconsin are moving forward on this issue already,” Evers said.

DNR developing cleanup plan for fugitive’s bunker

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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is in the process of developing a cleanup plan, for a bunker used by a fugitive for three years. The bunker was a quarter of a mile into the Ice Age Trail in Marathon County. People are being asked to stay away from the area.

The bunker used by 44-year-old Jeremiah Button included a bicycle powered generator and solar panels, an antenna for TV, a supply of non-perishable food and a makeshift stove. Investigators believe Button made trips to a local landfill for most supplies.

Button is facing charges in Portage County, including first-degree sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography.

RELATED: Wanted Portage County man arrested after three years

A tip led investigators to Button’s hideout in the Town of Ringle. He’s currently being held in the Portage County jail.

Drug deaths in Milwaukee County on record pace

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Drug deaths statewide were down in 2018, but Milwaukee and Milwaukee County are on pace for a near-record high number this year. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office tweets that if the pace of overdose deaths continues, 423 people in Milwaukee will die from drugs this year.

That would be the highest number in almost a decade. District Attorney John Chisolm calls the spike in drug deaths an “imminent public health crisis.” The Journal Sentinel reports that the Medical Examiner’s Office has responded to 14 probable overdose deaths since Friday morning, including three people dying in less than one hour Sunday.

Make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date

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If you’ve moved recently, one thing you might have forgotten to do is update the contact information for your pet’s microchip.

Wausau/Weston Humane Officer Ashlee Bishop says that far too often, when she’s looking up a pet’s owner in a database, the information is out of date.

“I find them on completely opposite sides of town, the phone numbers don’t work. It’s extremely frustrating because all we want to do is be able to get the pet home.”

Bishop says those chips can also fail, something she saw recently. “We know the cat was microchipped, the Humane Society had the microchip number, we could not find the microchip anywhere in that cat’s body.”

That’s why it’s important make sure your pet has a collar with tags on it, even if it’s an indoor pet. “If your pet has their tags on, I can look it up in my computer and bring them right home. I don’t have to take them out to the shelter or anything, I can just bring them right to your doorstep.”

If you’ve forgotten which service you got your chip from, just get the number from your vet or humane society. They’ll be able to direct you to the right service. 

Wisconsin opioid deaths dropped in 2018

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Drugs (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)

Wisconsin opioid deaths dropped 10 percent in 2018. The 838 opioid deaths in the state were the fewest since 2015, according to the Department of Health Services. DHS has also unveiled a new online tool, Data Direct: Opioids. It includes the most up-to-date information the agency has collected on opioid use, hospitalizations and deaths.

The data shows:

  • emergency room visits for opioid-related overdoses increased by 64 percent from 2014-18. Still, inpatient stays for overdoses dropped over that period by 15 percent.
  • the 838 deaths were down from 932 in 2017. In 2015, there were 850 opioid-related deaths.
  • an estimated one in six Wisconsinites were prescribed and used an opioid in the past year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control released preliminary data for 2018 which indicates that the number of Americans who died from drug overdoses fell in 2018, following years of increases. That includes about 47,600 opioid deaths in 2018 compared to 49,000 in 2017.

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Evers and Democrats propose universal background checks for gun purchases

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Gov. Tony Evers and Democrats WRN photo

Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers have proposed universal background checks for gun purchases. It’s something Republicans have so far shown little interest in.

“I’m calling on the Republicans, and the Democrats in the legislature to pass a bill requiring universal background checks,” Evers said. “The bottom line is that the vast majority of gun owners and Wisconsinites across our state agree with us. No matter what kind of firearm you’re buying or where you’re buying it from, the process should be the same for everyone.”

Evers urged Republicans, who hold majorities in both chambers of the legislature, to support the bill. “And if they don’t, they need to answer why they think firearms purchases should be different for different people. So that they’re constituents understand why they won’t take a reasonable, moderate step to make our communities safer. Time to stop waiting for permission from the NRA.”

Attorney General Josh Kaul said the state Department of Justice runs thousands of such checks annually, without infringing on the rights of law abiding gun owners. Kaul said the Democratic proposal will close what’s commonly referred to as the gun show loophole. “There is a loophole that allows people – and that includes anybody – somebody who has been convicted of a violent felony, somebody who is subject to a domestic violence restraining order, to evade a background check and buy a gun without going through the process that the vast majority of firearm owners go through.”

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos was on WISN radio in Milwaukee prior to the Democrats’ press conference Thursday morning, and the Republican leader said he’s not too interested in a universal background check bill. “If, you know, in your will you want to leave your old shotgun down to your son, I don’t think you should have to go through some sort of gun registry to be able to prove that you are worthy of getting that weapon,” Vos said. “So, there’s got to be some common sense in the middle and I think that’s what we are trying to find.”

The Democrats’ bill includes several exemptions, including sales to members of the military or law enforcement, and guns transferred as gifts, bequests or inheritance to family members. “Republicans said they couldn’t weigh in on universal background checks, because there wasn’t a bill,” Evers said. “Well by god we’ve got one. And we have it today.”

More than 80 percent of people who responded to a 2018 Marquette University Law School poll were in support of universal background checks.

Criticism as application of Endangered Species Act is weakened

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George Meyer WRN photo

The Trump administration’s weakening of the Endangered Species Act is being criticized. “This is the wrong time to be weakening the federal Endangered Species Act,” said George Meyer, a former Wisconsin DNR Secretary and President of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

Under the enforcement changes, federal officials for the first time will be able to publicly attach a cost to saving an animal or plant. “And in most situations, a particular species, while it may be valuable for biological reasons and diversity reasons, isn’t a big moneymaker in terms of economics,” Meyer said.

Meyer said the changes will make it more difficult to protect critical habitat. “As we’re being impacted by climate change, habitat for species changes.” The action could allow the government to disregard the possible impact of climate change. “So land or water areas that need to be protected for the future for species, will not be able to be protected under the act,” Meyer said.

The Endangered Species Act is credited with helping save scores of animals and plants from extinction since President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1973. The act currently protects more than 1,600 species. In Wisconsin, animals listed as endangered include the American Marten and Piping Plover.

Farmers need to work together during Chinese embargo, says head of soybean association

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State agricultural leaders are looking to help farmers after China announced a full stoppage of agricultural imports.

Wisconsin Soybean Association director Bob Karls says he and his colleagues are already hard at work in the halls of Congress. 

“Our legislators, our elected congresspersons and senators know the issues this causes us, they have talked to the administration.”

They aren’t hopeful right now. “There’s just many angles, and we don’t see it improving. We see things more or less going the opposite direction.”

Karls says they’re also keeping in contact with their farmers in Wisconsin and keeping an eye on them. He reminds farmers to check up on each other and find ways to help keep their stress down.

“We are concerned for some farmers that are having some stresses, and encourage them to talk to people. Mental health is far more important. 

He says one bright side this season is that there’s expected to be a strong harvest, which means plenty of product coming this fall. 

 

Johnson says gun legislation must protect 2nd Amendment rights

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U. S. Senator Ron Johnson said any gun legislation still needs to protect the 2nd Amendment. Johnson said he is a strong defender of 2nd Amendment rights and Government’s job is to do no harm.

“I will insist on very strong due process regardless of what is being proposed,” the Wisconsin Republican said Wednesday.

Talk of new legislation to help prevent mass shootings has become front and center after recent mass shootings in Ohio and Texas. Johnson said legislation has not stopped the threat. “I will be insisting on whatever we might pass actually have some impact and some effect.”

Johnson said there’s no law that will stop mass shootings completely. He was on WTAQ’s “John Muir Show.”