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Vukmir is a ‘no’ on running for Sensenbrenner’s house seat

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Former state Senator Leah Vukmir will not run for the U.S. House.

Vukmir lost a race for U.S. Senate to Democrat Tammy Baldwin last year, and has since taken a job with the National Taxpayers Union. In a statement, she said that’s allowed her to “enjoy some personal freedom.”

She’s the third Republican to pass on a bid for the 5th District seat being vacated by Jim Sensenbrenner.

WisPolitics has reported that state Senator Chris Kapenga plans to enter the race. Other Republicans considering it include Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Matt Walker, son of former Governor Scott Walker.

State Patrol reminds drivers to stop for school bus red lights

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School is back in session, and the State Patrol is reminding you to stop when you see a school bus with its red lights on.

You might think that’s a no brainer, but D O T Spokesman Rob Miller says a lot of people just either don’t seem to care about stopping for buses, or are in too much of a hurry to wait.

“Last year in Wisconsin there were over 1000 traffic convictions for failure to stop for a school bus.”

Drivers must stop for stopped buses at all times, unless there’s a median or curb between them and the bus. Miller says failing to stop is not only dangerous to kids, it’s also pricey. 

“The citation for that totals 326 dollars, and also carries the potential of four demerit points against the person’s license.”

You can also get a ticket even if officers aren’t around, because bus drivers can report you to the police to follow up on a violation.

AG Josh Kaul not satisfied with Purdue Pharma settlement

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Wisconsin is not part of a tentative settlement between Purdue Pharma and 22 states that sued the company over its role in the opioid crisis. The Washington Post reports that an executive committee of attorneys representing cities, counties and other groups in a federal lawsuit is recommending the deal be accepted.

But some state attorneys general, who sued Purdue and its owners, the Sackler family are not on board. That includes Wisconsin’s Josh Kaul, who releasded the following:

“The Sackler family has made billions of dollars from the sale of opioids. Wisconsin has alleged that two Purdue Pharma entities and Richard Sackler contributed to the opioid epidemic through unlawful conduct. We’re committed to getting justice and, in my view, Purdue’s current position doesn’t achieve that.”

The co-chairs of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, Representative John Nygren and Senator Alberta Darling, also released a statement:

“Through media reports, the attorney general stated Wisconsin is not one of the states agreeing to settle the Purdue Pharma case at this time.

We hope those reporters have signed non-disclosure agreements, because they are getting ‘confidential’ information from the attorney general that he refused to share with members of the Joint Committee on Finance.

It’s clear the attorney general did not need signed secrecy agreements to share case information. Now we know there wasn’t an ’emergency’ settlement to present to the committee two weeks ago. The attorney general should stop playing games, follow the law, and work with the Joint Committee on Finance.”

Kaul and the JFC co-chairs are currently involved in a dispute over lawsuit settlements. A law passed during last December’s lame-duck session requires the AG to get the approval for settlements from the Joint Finance Committee – but there is no process in place determining how that would work.

The Post reports that under terms of a plan negotiated for months, the Sacklers would relinquish control of Stamford, Conn.-based Purdue Pharma. The company would declare bankruptcy and be resurrected as a trust whose main purpose would be to combat the opioid epidemic.

State’s first 2019 human case of West Nile Virus confirmed

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The year’s first confirmed human case of West Nile Virus in Wisconsin has been reported. That case is reported in Northeastern Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is advising residents to continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites. West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito and is not spread person to person.

Mosquitoes get the virus by feeding on infected birds. The majority of human WNV cases occur during the months of August and September. But the risk of contracting WNV and other mosquito-borne illnesses is present any time mosquitoes are active, so be vigilant throughout the rest of the summer and into early fall.

Study finds housing shortage for Wisconsin workforce

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Not enough places to live – a new study from the Wisconsin Realtors Association finds housing availability has not kept up with a growing workforce. “The situation has been slowly developing, but basically over the last ten years in our fast-growing counties and in small towns, we’ve not built enough housing units to accomodate our population growth and the job growth, said study author Kurt Paulson.

“When you don’t built enough housing units of any type . . . obviously then prices rise, rents rise, and people have difficulty finding any sort of affordable or decent housing options in the communities where they work.”

Paulson said there are changes that are helping in some states. “A lot of them do have to do with altering zoning regulations, and other sorts of local government land use regulations that kind of limit the ability of housing construction, whether that be reducing lot sizes or decreasing parking requirements, other sorts regulations that drive up the cost of housing that ere not related to public health and safety.”

The study found that many lower-income residents are paying more than 50 percent of their income on housing.

Bipartisan lawmaker group seeks to increase funding for UW-System MIA recovery program

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The UW System’s Missing In Action Recovery and Identification program could be getting a boost from lawmakers.

State Senator Mark Miller is part of a group that wants to help secure more state funding to bring home lost and missing soldiers. “Most of us recognize the significance of bringing back out missing members of the military. This legislation will provide additional resources to help make that happen.”

State Senator Dale Koyenga says it’s a mirror to efforts being made by the Defense Department.

“Wisconsin will be the only state in that country that has a designated funding source and statutory language to help out the University of Wisconsin to support these efforts.”

MIA-RIP team leader Charles Konsitzke says they’re working to help identify and bring home Wisconsin’s 15-hundred M I A soldiers. 

“With this bill it is time for the state of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin to lead this great nation to recover, repatriate and identify our lost service members.”

The bill would increase funding for the program by 180-thousand dollars a year and make Wisconsin the only state to have it’s own fully dedicated M I A recovery program. 

State Senator Tom Tiffany announces run for 7th CD

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State Senator Tom Tiffany is now officially running for Congress in northern Wisconsin’s 7th District – and he’s all in with President Donald Trump.

“I travel 50,000 miles each year across the state. I see the results of the Trump tax cuts. They have turbocharged Wisconsin’s economy, because people are optimistic. You see it all over the state, including here in northern Wisconsin.”

Dates for primary and general elections to fill the 7th District seat have not yet been set. Congressman Sean Duffy resigned in order to help with his family’s ninth child, who will be born with a heart defect.

Tiffany made announcements across the district, including one posted to a campaign Facebook page, in which he praised Duffy’s work on behalf of northern Wisconsin and  railed against what he called “the socialist crew” of House Democrats.

Nancy Pelosi and her squad have proposed things like getting rid of cows. Yeah. A lot of people, a lot of your friends don’t believe that. Take a look, they have proposed things like that. Are you kidding me? This is America’s Dairyland.”

Tiffany was first elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 2012 and was the principal author of legislation signed into law in 2017 which effectively ended Wisconsin’s moratorium on sulfide mining. Democrats were quick to point that out, referring to the lawmaker as “a mining industry shill.”

Tiffany is so far the only Republican to officially announce for the 7th, although others are considering it.

Data reveals impacts of suicide in Wisconsin

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If you or someone you know is struggling, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1.800.273.8255 or text “HOPELINE” to 741741.

New data shows the impact of suicide in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released findings from its most recent analysis of state suicide deaths and suicide-related injury. It’s part of an effort to update Wisconsin’s suicide prevention plan and reduce the number of suicide attempts and deaths.

This analysis found:

The state’s suicide rate rose 40% between 2000 and 2017.
From 2013-2017, suicide rates in Wisconsin were highest among individuals ages 45-54.
Of all state deaths by firearm from 2013-2017, 71% were suicide deaths.
In 2017, the majority of individuals who died by suicide in Wisconsin were male.
In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death among adolescents in Wisconsin.

Tuesday is Suicide Prevention Day, and September is Suicide Awareness Month.

State Representative Joan Ballweg says suicide remains a difficult topic for people to grapple with. “I think one of the things that prevents people from reaching out for treatment is that there is a stigma, that there’s something wrong with you that is not going to be solved, that people are not going to be able to overcome,” said the lawmaker, who chairs the Speaker’s Task Force on Suicide Prevention.

“Encouraging people to get into treatment, whether it is a behavioral health condition, or suicidal ideation, that conversation should be normalized.”

The task force held its last hearing this week. Members expect to have recommendations ready for the legislature to consider this session.

Reward offered for Avery’s ‘real killer’

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Convicted killer Steve Avery’s attorney has announced a 100-thousand dollar reward is being offered in the case. Kathleen Zellner represents Avery, who along with his nephew Brendan Dassey are in prison for there convictions in the October 2005 murder of Theresa Halbach.

Zellner posted on Twitter over the weekend that the reward Is being offered by a “concerned citizen” for the arrest and conviction of Halbach’s “real killer.” Last month a judge denied Avery’s request for a new trial. He’s serving a life sentence with no chance for parole.

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Baldwin wants action on expanded criminal backgrounds checks for gun purchases

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U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin says she’s a gun owner, and as Congress returns to Washington following the summer break, the Wisconsin Democrat says expanded criminal background checks for gun purchasers needs to be on the agenda.

“I think that makes common sense, and I don’t think any gun owner should have any concerns about that if they’re law abiding. This is not any violation or curtailment of the 2nd Amendment,” the Wisconsin Democrat said on WKOW-TV’s “Capitol City Sunday.”

After initially indicating support for expanded background checks, President Trump has since backed off, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he won’t bring anything to the floor that Trump won’t sign.