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Prepare your deer hunt property ahead of fall season

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Now’s the time to get your property ready for the fall deer hunt. While many people focus on simply observing gun safety on the hunt, state deer program specialist Jeff Pritzl says that’s not how most people are injured.

“The biggest risk is self injury due to falling out of a tree stand that breaks or some other piece of equipment that breaks or doesn’t perform properly,” said Pritzl.

Make sure you do a daytime run-through of all the equipment you’re going to use, because you’ll likely be coming back in the dark when it’s time to hunt.

Assembly Democrats propose bills to strengthen unions

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State Assembly Democrats want to make it easier for unions to bargain in Wisconsin. Stevens Point representative Katrina Shankland says union action has led to major wins for workers.

“The Teamsters recent historic UPS deal and the strike actions that led to ratified contracts at Leinenkugel’s and New Dairy Select Milk here in Wisconsin, powerfully demonstrate that labor unions are using their collective power to win big for workers,” said Shankland.

The new 10 bill package would ease requirements to qualify for union ratification and require companies to recognize unions. The bills are unlikely to see action in the Republican controlled legislature.

Evers awards grants to help veterans’ mental health

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Governor Tony Evers was at a Thursday night event spotlighting veterans’ mental health issues.

The gathering at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center announced the distribution of $650,000 in grants from the American Rescue Plan Act to 16 different organizations.

The grants for the groups provide mental healthcare services ranging from psychiatry to horse therapy, and are a part of the governor’s $10 million investment in veterans’ programs across Wisconsin.

Veterans are more susceptible to such ailments as suicidal ideation, PTSD, and depression than the general public is.

Wisconsin man arrested for actions during J6 Capitol riot

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A Wisconsin man has been arrested for actions during the January 6 riot in the U.S. Capitol.

Federal prosecutors say 40-year-old Joseph Cattani of Colgate was identified after surveillance images were released from the January 6 insurrection. Cattani is seen among the crowd of rioters at the Capitol, and later pulling a Capitol Police officer’s face shield up and down as the officer’s head twists and turns.

Prosecutors allege Cattani then pushed his way into the building and spent about 20 minutes inside. Cattani was arrested Thursday on felony and misdemeanor charges.

You can read the criminal complaint against Cattani here.

Evers says he’ll veto Republican tax cut

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Wisconsin’s Democratic governor will reject a Republican tax cut proposal if it reaches his desk. Governor Tony Evers posted Wednesday on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, calling the $2.9 billion tax cut that Republicans in the state Assembly plan to pass next week “irresponsible.”

Republicans in the state Assembly are likely to pass the tax cut on Tuesday. Evers rejected a similar Republican proposal when he signed the state budget in July.

Evers and Republican legislative leaders remain at odds over the state government’s projected $4 billion surplus, with the governor calling for investments in education, health care and child care. The governor has called a special session for September 20 to address that issue as part of a larger workforce development package.

Wisconsin Democrats launch effort to support Protasiewicz amid recall talk

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With Republicans at the Capitol threatening to impeach state Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz, Democrats are getting out to support her. “Volunteers with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin will be knocking on doors in Republican state legislative districts, to make sure that voters from this spring know what Republicans are publicly threatening to do, state party chair Ben Wikler said during a Tuesday press conference at the Capitol.

The party is spending four million dollars on the effort. Republican legislative leaders are demanding the liberal justice recuse herself from a case challenging Republican drawn legislative maps. In a statement, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the effort is “further indication of coordination” between Democrats and Protesiewicz.       

 

Lawmakers propose bill to criminalize possession of child sex dolls

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At the Capitol, lawmakers are proposing a bill to criminalize possession of child sex dolls in Wisconsin.

Senator Jesse James (R-Altoona) is the bill‘s author in the Senate. “I have a hard time believing that someone who possesses this kind of doll would not also be acting out their desire in a way that involved a real child,” the former police chief testified in a Senate committee on Tuesday. “In my conversations with child crimes investigators regarding this legislation, they confirm that these dolls have always been confiscated alongside child pornography, or in conjunction with a crime against a real child.”

Zach Jakel is a sensitive crimes investigator with the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety, also testified. “Nothing has flipped my stomach more than hearing about these dolls. My first thought were probably like most people’s thoughts – I did not even know these dolls existed. The fact these dolls do exist makes me squirm. These dolls are inherently gross and directly related to other pedophilic acts.”

The bill stipulates that those caught possessing such a doll would be guilty of a felony and up to 3 & 1/2 years in prison for a first offense, but If the doll resembles a specific child, a conviction on first offense would mean up to 15 years in prison.

Several other states have similar bills in place.

 

        

Assembly task force will examine human trafficking in Wisconsin

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A state Assembly task force will examine human trafficking in Wisconsin. Task force chair, Representative Jerry O’Connor (R-Fond du Lac) said that while many victims are transported through major cities in the region, human trafficking in our state is a bigger problem that most realize and also occurs in smaller communities.

“And it is a difficult problem,” O’Conner said. “Since a number of people that are involved as victims in human trafficking, this is also their pathway to just surviving.”

O’Conner said the goal of the bipartisan panel created by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos will be to craft legislation that targets those who take advantage of victims

“Obviously, politics is part of Madison. But there are certain issues that just transcend politics. I believe this is one of them.” Vos has named members of both parties to the task force, including Representative Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) as vice-chair. The Speaker has also named task forces on Artificial Intelligence, Truancy and Childhood Obesity.

State Attorney General Josh Kaul has also created a human trafficking task force within the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Office of School Safety funded through 2024

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Attorney General Josh Kaul (WRN file image)

Wisconsin’s school safety office remains in place, for now. The Office of School Safety and its Speak Up, Speak Out 24 hour tip line remain in place this school year. During a Tuesday news conference at Waukesha Catholic Memorial, Director Trish Kelton said they can make a difference.

“In previous acts of school violence, it often starts with a grievance or an upset,” said Kelton. “We believe that if we resolve those issues early, we can prevent tragedies.”

Attorney General Josh Kaul explained that long term funding for the office remains in doubt.

“We had asked in the current budget for approximately $2.2 million,” said Kaul.  “Just to put that in perspective, the state currently has a surplus of about $4 billion. So this is something that we certainly can afford. It’s a matter of priorities.”

For now, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has reallocated $1,340,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to fund the office through the end of 2024.

Inconclusive Senate committee hearing on status of WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe

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At the Capitol, the status of Wisconsin’s chief elections officer remains in doubt. A public hearing on Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe opened with Beloit Democrat Mark Spreitzer arguing there was no nomination for the Senate committee to vote on.

“This committee cannot take up a nomination that has not been made, and so I make a point of order that this nomination is not properly before us,” said Spreitzer.

Committee chair, Germantown Republican Dan Knodl, rejected the opinion by attorneys for the legislature. “And they’re just that, they are opinions. This is not a court of law, here it is a public hearing.”

Rock County Clerk Lisa Tollefson spoke in support of Wolfe, who was was appointed by the bi-partisan, six-member Commission in February of 2018 and unanimously confirmed by the Wisconsin State Senate in May of 2019 for a four-year term.

“Her strength and knowledge, her ability to run a tight ship and keep things running amid immense intense pressure is amazing,” Tollefson said.

But former state Supreme Court Justice Micheal Gableman – whose investigation failed to uncover malfeasance in the 2020 election – was critical.  “The record speaks for itself, and nothing speaks as highly as the fact that she didn’t come here today to tell you about all the good work she’s been doing.”

In the end, Knodl, said he hasn’t decided whether to hold a vote on Wolfe’s continued tenure at WEC. A vote to remove her would likely end up in court.