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WEDC to offer micro loans to businesses affected by last month’s storms

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The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation will be distributing a million dollars in loans to companies and businesses affected by last month’s severe weather.

WEDC vice president Mary Gage says these loans are designed to help get businesses back on their feet until full disaster relief comes. 

“That could be their building, their inventory, their belongings. If there’s flooding in their basement and everything’s floating. If they’re displaced for a little bit of time. We want to help these businesses when something unforeseen impacts them. We want to keep them going and keep the employees employed.”

Governor Tony Evers is in the process of trying to get federal disaster aid. If you want to sign up for the loans, log on to http://wedc.org/disasterrecovery to find out how to apply.

Winnebago County coroner resigns

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Winnebago County’s longtime coroner is making it official that he’s resigning at the end of October. Barry Busby sent a letter to Sheriff John Matz, saying that his last day will be on October 31st. He said his retirement date coincides with what would’ve been his late mother’s birthday.

Busby spent 22 years in office, and he’s been under fire for the past several months. The county board decided last night to censure Busby, and members approved a vote of no confidence in him.

Busby is facing accusations of sexual harassment, and spending too much time out of state. Matz will notify Governor Tony Evers of Busby’s decision, and the governor will appoint a new coroner.

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After shots fired outside his home, Milwaukee alderman condemns GOP inaction on guns

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Milwaukee Alderman Cavalier Johnson says his 9-year-old son was traumatized when shots were fired just outside his home on the city’s north side on Tuesday. “He was fearful, and he had tears in his eyes, and he was afraid, because somebody decided to act recklessly with a gun,” the District 2 Alderman said during a press conference at City Hall Wednesday.

“He just turned 9 two weeks ago. He just got a brand new bike. And now he’s afraid to go outside and ride his bike, because somebody decided to go out and shoot guns in our neighborhood.”

And Johnson criticized Republicans in the legislature who, he said, have been unwilling to even consider actions to restrict access to guns by people who shouldn’t have them. “Our leaders in Madison, those who control the Assembly and the Senate, they continue to allow this to happen. They won’t try to do something different. Even though the vast majority of people in this state say that they want to see some different action.”

Johnson was home with his children when two shots were fired at around 5:00 PM Tuesday. No one was hit, but police found a bullet hole in his car and shell casings on his property.

Rep. Gwen Moore calls for Senate to vote on House-passed gun control bills

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Wisconsin congresswoman Gwen Moore is calling on the Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up debate and votes on House-passed gun control measures. 

Moore says that in the wake of mass shootings, it’s time to reflect on who is actually doing the shooting. 

“These murderers have a history of domestic violence, more so than mental illness. So I get nervous about describing this violence as ‘mental illness’.”

She says the House has already passed bills on background checks and ‘red flag laws’ but that doesn’t matter unless the Senate brings them to the floor.

“There was some discussion about the House coming back, but really there’s no point in us coming back until the Senate just takes up the bills we’ve already passed. It’s really low hanging fruit.”

She says those bills might just end up in a pile of other bills passed by the House that Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell refuses to bring up for votes.

Evers pick to lead DHS gets Senate committee approval

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Another appointee of Governor Tony Evers has gotten committee approval. Andrea Palm has headed the state the Department of Health Services since Evers appointed her in January. On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted to approve the appointment.

Palm has been criticized by some Republicans for hiring Nicole Safar, a former vice president at Planned Parenthood, as a deputy in DHS.

Earlier this month another Senate committee approved Evers’ appointment of Craig Thompson – who’s also been criticized by Republicans – to head the Department of Transportation. Both could be approved later this month by the full state Senate, although Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has not confirmed when that might happen.

Bills could add protections for vulnerable elderly

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Bills being circulated at the Capitol could help prevent abuse of the elderly. Proposals include increasing penalties for abusers, requiring courts to prioritize cases of elder abuse, and allowing financial advisers who worry that an elderly client is being victimized to delay withdrawals from their accounts.

One of the bill’s Assembly Sponsors, Representative John Maaco, said in a statement that his mother-in-law has been victimized financially by a relative.

Report says Ryan will rent home in D.C. suburb

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Paul Ryan is making a move. The former House Speaker and one time Republican running mate to presidential candidate Mitt Romney never moved his family to D.C. while he served in Congress, but now Politico reports that Ryan is leaving his hometown of Janesville to rent a house in the Maryland suburbs of Washington.

A spokesman said it’s temporary, and that the Ryans will continue to spend time at their home in Janesville. The move will place the Ryan family close to the sisters of Ryan’s wife Janna, who live in the D.C. area.
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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.

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.