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Jayme Closs honored by Wisconsin lawmakers

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Kidnapping survivor Jayme Closs was honored Wednesday by the Wisconsin Assembly. Representative Romaine Quinn represents Jayme’s hometown of Barron. “Your strength, your resolve and your bravery is beyond incredible,” Quinn said.

The 13-year-old, whose parents were murdered, escaped her abductor in January after being held for three months. She appeared with family members and friends to receive her “hometown hero” honor. Her aunt Jen Smith accepted the award. “Speaking on behalf of her entire family, I have to say that Jayme is totally deserving of the hero part of this award.”

State advocates assist nursing home residents as closures increase

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As more and more nursing homes continue to close across the state, health care advocates are working to help ensure safe placements of residents.

Jennifer Fischer with the Dane County Aging and Disability Resource Center says local ADRC groups are involved any time a facility is scheduled to close.

“They’re very familiar with the resources in the community and know the different living situations.”

Under state law, facilities are supposed to give residents and families a month’s notice before a closure. Fischer says companies are supposed to give families thirty days notice before a closure so that residents can calmly transition into a new home.

“Because it can be very scary leaving a place where you potentially have lived for quite a period of time.”

If your loved one is in a nursing home that’s closing, be sure to contact your local ADRC to get involved. Eleven nursing homes have closed this year in Wisconsin and nearly thirty more are in either bankruptcy or receivership.

Mike Pence to visit Wisconsin on Thursday

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Vice President Pence will be in Wisconsin on Thursday. Pence will visit J&D Manufacturing in Eau Claire, which produces ventilation system products for agriculture, to push the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact which President Donald Trump wants Congress to approve.

This will be Pence’s first visit here since he campaigned during former Governor Scott Walker losing reelection effort last fall. Following the Eau Claire event, Pence will visit Fort McCoy to meet and greet soldiers and family members.

Wisconsin farmers already feeling pinch from China tariffs

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Wisconsin farmers are already feeling negative impacts from previous tariffs, as China announces more retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion dollars in U.S. goods. “It’s getting to the point now where just about everything produced in rural Wisconsin has got some kind of tariff on it, going into the Chinese markets,” said Wisconsin Farmers Union president Daren Von Ruden.

The Trump administration’s trade dispute with China follows on five years of falling commodity prices and losses from spring flooding. China is also establishing new trading relationships, as farmers in other countries learn how to cater to the Chinese markets.

Von Ruden said it’s difficult to see how a “trade war” helps Wisconsin farmers in the short-term, after they’ve spent years working to enter those same Chinese markets. “It took is 15-20 years to get into those markets,” he said. “It’s going to be another 10 to 20 year process to get back into those markets.”

Don’t transport firewood this camping season

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Spring camping season is here, and the state agriculture department is reminding people not to transport firewood.

Moving fresh firewood from place to place can spread pests and diseases. Spokeswoman Donna Gilson says it’s not just emerald ash borer or gypsy moths that they’re worried about.

“There could be insects or diseases that we aren’t even aware that are here. They might have crept up on your firewood and you don’t want to be the first one to introduce it to the state.”

You should be using firewood from directly near your campsite, or buying treated firewood. Spokeswoman Donna Gilson says you want to look for a stamp from either the state ag department or the USDA.

“Either one of those ensures it’s been treated, probably dried for a couple of years, to kill anything in it before it’s been sent out into the marketplace.”

Gilson says that can help stop the spread of diseases, bugs or pests that can damage Wisconsin’s forests and woods.

No spoilers! Aaron Rodgers cameos on Game of Thrones Sunday night

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Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers got a chance to be part of Sunday night’s penultimate episode of Game of Thrones.

Rodgers was drafted to play the role of an archer in the Lannister army. Rodgers says he was only on for a few seconds, but he was happy to have a part.

This isn’t the first time he was connected with the series. He also shot a promo ad last year where he sat on the Iron Throne and declared himself Lord Aaron of the House Rodgers of Greenwater Bay, the True King of the North.

Kohl donates $10 million to UW’s La Follette School of Public Affairs

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Former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl is donating $10 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs. The donation, announced Sunday during the Class of 2019 graduation ceremony, is the largest in the La Follette School’s history and will fund research, public outreach and teaching.

Kohl donated $1.5 million to the school in 2106 to launch the Herb Kohl Public Service Research Competition. His most recent gift will extend the research competition and support several new efforts. Kohl graduated from UW in 1956.

Efforts underway to stem measles outbreak in Wisconsin

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With concerns about measles across the country, efforts are underway to make immunizations available in Wisconsin, and to encourage parents to get their kids immunized. This week, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is opening nearly two dozen measles clinics across the state. Parents can make an appointment at any clinic to get their kids an MMR shot. Children’s Hospital says the idea is keep kids out of the hospital.

On Thursday, the Journal Sentinel reported that more than 11,000 children in Milwaukee are not vaccinated, creating risk for measles outbreak. The University of Wisconsin in Madison said it may require students to get measles shots. Administrators say they’re looking into what other Big Ten universities are doing.

And on Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced the launch of a statewide campaign to encourage parents to get their children immunized. The campaign includes advertisements on radio, the web, and social media platforms, and is targeted to parents of kids up to three years old, and pregnant women who are making decisions about immunizing their babies. State Public Health Officer Jeanne Ayers said that while measles is on everyone’s mind with outbreaks across the country, it’s important for parents to know immunizations protect children from 14 serious illnesses, some that could be deadly. In 2018, the statewide vaccination rate for children two years old and younger was just over 72 percent.

Budget panel begins process of cutting Evers budget proposal

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As expected, the Wisconsin legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance has made major alterations to Governor Tony Evers’ proposed two-year state budget. A Democrat on the budget panel, state Senator Jon Erpenbach, called out Republicans on the committee who voted to strip Medicaid expansion money out of Evers’ plan.

“This is fiscally irresponsible,” the Dane County Democrat said. “We trip over ourselves to hand out money we don’t have to the largest corporations, but when money is there on the table, we’re saying no because it helps poor people.”

Evers has said that taking federal money for a Medicaid expansion would free up $320 million in state funding over the next two years. “When you have the opportunity to cover more people and save the state money at the same time, it’s a no brainer,” said state Senator LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee.

Joint Finance Committee co-chair, state Representative John Nygren of Marinette, defended the move. “Obviously we’re not going to agree on this issue, but I do believe that we need to stop on the rhetoric. We both want people to have access to care. Your perspective is government is the solution.”

“This is a popular item supported by the people of the state of Wisconsin and every single day it’s getting more popular,” said Representative Evan Goyke of Milwaukee. Evers called the vote was disappointing but claimed it was not the end. “I’m going to keep reminding Wisconsinites what’s at stake and I’m going to keep fighting to expand Medicaid,” he said.

The Republican moves will create a $1.4 billion hole in the budget, which is approximately the amount of money Evers has proposed spending on K-12 schools in Wisconsin. The JFC also voted on partisan lines to strip dozens of policy items from Evers’ budget, including eliminating criminal penalties for recreational marijuana use, and allowing people living in Wisconsin with legal immigration status to apply for state issued licenses or ID cards.

Finance Committee to begin budget work

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The legislature’s Joint Finance Committee will have their first votes on the proposed state budget on Thursday. Republican leadership is ready to pull out all of Governor Evers policy provisions.

Democratic State Senator LaTonya Johnson says one key provision they want to keep is the expansion of federal Medicaid funding. “It’s money that already belongs to the taxpayers, and it’s time that we start taking advantage of those funds.” The GOP has said that expanding BadgerCare is a non-starter.

Republicans also say they will strip out all non-fiscal policy items from the budget, including marijuana provisions and a proposal to give drivers licenses to illegal immigrants.

Johnson says that despite Republicans having control of the committee, they will have to negotiate with Governor Evers and that compromises will be found.

The first budget votes will take place without committee co-chair Senator Alberta Darling, who is recovering from a fall during a trip to Washington DC. She expects to return shortly. The GOP still holds a majority on the committee.