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State GOP hopes to fund dairy research centers to find new dairy products

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State Republicans are pushing for the creation of a network of UW based Dairy research facilities.

State Assemblyman Travis Tranel says the state produces more milk than it can handle, and that we need more markets and products for that dairy.

“We are very good producing milk. We are very good at producing high quality milk, and we are very efficient at producing lots of high quality milk, to our own demise, unfortunately.”

The 8 million dollars a year would fund UW based research locations in Madison, River Falls, and Platteville.

“And I think it’s the least that the state can do to show its commitment to an industry that we have a significant amount of our heritage tied to.”

The bill came up for a public hearing at the state capitol on Wednesday.

New bill would remove personal conviction exemption from child vaccination laws

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A bipartisan group of legislators is looking to remove the Personal Conviction exemption from vaccine requirements.

State Representative Lisa Subeck says there’s just too many people preventing their children from getting vaccines. 

“Over the last 20 years, we’ve gone from just one percent of families opting their children out of vaccines, to now more than five percent of Wisconsin children opting out of vaccinations.”

That’s more than double the national average, and Subeck says that puts the state at a severe risk of losing basic group immunities to entirely preventable diseases. Subeck says social media hoaxes are somewhat to blame for the rise unvaccinated children.

“These days it’s been harder and harder for people filter out misinformation from real information, and as a result more people are opting out out of fear, and that needs to stop.” The bill would still allow exemptions for religious reasons, and for children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.

Supreme Court says Walker lame duck appointees should go back to work

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The State Supreme Court has ordered a group of Walker appointees to go back to work for state agencies and commissions.

In a 4-3 decision on Tuesday, the court’s conservative justices said that a Dane County judge should have stayed the section of his ruling that allowed Governor Evers to fire those appointees and put his own people before up for nominations.

The Court did not rule on the underlying cases against the lame duck sessions. Those cases are set for oral arguments in May.

Private prison company ditches plans to build immigrant detention center in Wisconsin

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A private prison company is rethinking its plans to build a immigrant detention center in Wisconsin after two attempts fell through.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Virginia-based Immigration Centers of America attempted to build private prisons in both New Richmond and Baldwin.

New Richmond city staff recommended against the zoning for a prison, and the Baldwin location was scrapped when infrastructure couldn’t be put into place. Protests against both plans was fierce, with both the ACLU and Voces de la Frontera calling the practice of jailing asylum seekers inhumane.

Congressman Ron Kind pushes for full release of Mueller Report

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Congressman Ron Kind says the Mueller report continues to raise questions as congressional oversight committees start their own investigations.

He says the report is clear in its statements that Russian agents did their best to conspire with the White House to get President Trump elected.

“I mean there were over 137 contacts between Trump campaign people with Russian agents. And just because it didn’t rise to a level of criminal conspiracy should nonetheless worry all of us. And it should worry the White House too.”

He also says President Trump needs to take Russian interference in the elections more seriously. “He and all of us in Congress take a Constitutional oath to defend our country against enemies, foreign and domestic. And right now he’s refusing to live up to that responsibility to protect us from another foreign attack in our election system.”

Kind wants to see a full, unredacted version of the Report soon.

State Democrats continue push for legal marijuana

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State Democrats are continuing their efforts towards various levels of marijuana legalization.

A new report from the UW Public Affairs center says Wisconsin could stand to see a windfall through marijuana legalization.

State representative David Bowen says the report shows that legalization would generate over 200 million dollars a year in benefits and revenue for the state.

“That would benefit the state of Wisconsin, benefits residents and taxpayers that are looking for more revenue to be there to take care of important services, but also to have some savings as well on top of that $1.1 billion.”

Bowen says it would also reduce costs on policing and jailing users. “It’s a benefit for our state coffers, it’s a benefit for a more just criminal justice system that can be more efficient as well.”

Legalization of medical marijuana is also part of Governor Evers’ budget. The Marquette Law School Poll showed that 83 percent of residents support medical marijuana. 

Republican leaders in both the Senate and the Assembly remain opposed to the issue.

Sen. Johnson defends President Trump’s comments on NBC’s Meet The Press

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Wisconsin’s Republican senator is defending President Trump after he called former members of the FBI ‘scum’ at Saturday night’s rally in Green Bay.

On NBC’s Meet the Press, Senator Ron Johnson says he understands the president’s frustration at the Mueller investigation.

“I would use different words, but I certainly question the possibility, now that I think there’s a proven fact there was definitely corruption at the highest levels of the FBI, and that’s one thing that Senator Graham, Senator Grassley and myself, are going to try and uncover now that the Mueller investigation is over.”

Johnson says the firing of acting FBI director Andrew McCabe over allegations that he leaked information to the press shows there’s been an effort at the FBI to sabotage the President.

Johnson also says the Obama Administration told him not to worry about Russians hacking the vote totals. 

“‘We have this covered. We want you to go out as members of Congress and say the election results will be legitimate.’ That’s what they wanted us to say, but then the wrong person got elected.”

Johnson says there’s no evidence that Russian agents actually changed vote totals in the 2016 election. He says that social media was influenced, but that’s much harder to police.

Green Bay prepares for Trump rally, protestors

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Protester guidelines have been released prior to President Donald Trump’s Saturday night visit to Ashwaubenon.

A designated protester area has been created on the south side of Armed Forces Drive, along the Don Hutson Center.

Ashwaubenon police say that they understand individuals and groups have a right to assemble and peacefully protest under the First Amendment, but they do ask those individuals and groups to do so peacefully.

Officers say that everyone and everything will be screened prior to entering the venue and they recommend anyone attending the rally should refrain from bringing large purses or backpacks.

Authorities will not be releasing the motorcade route to the public and more road closures should be expected during the president’s arrival and departure.

President Trump is expected to take the stage at 7 p.m. and doors to the Resch Center will open at 4 p.m.

WTAQ

State legislator says Powerball taxes should go towards roads

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A state legislator is pushing to put the state’s share of the Powerball winnings to road funding.

That tax windfall is 36 and a half million dollars, and state senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) says cities and counties have projects that are ready to go, if they only had the funding.

“The state should go ahead and send it back to local units of government, because I know there’s a backlog of projects that need to be done.”)

Carpenter says sending lottery funds to the municipalities would mean some relief, even if it can’t fix all the problems.

“I would leave it at their discretion to go ahead and take care of their top projects, the biggest headaches out there.”)

He says that’s money that politicians can use, rather than arguing about where it came from.

Merrill residents file recall petitions against city council members

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Residents in Merrill don’t want to wait for the next spring election to purge their Common Council.

After turmoil in the city’s budget office last year, including an unexpected seven percent hike in property tax values, a citizen’s group in Merrill says they want to oust over half the common council.

Recall petitions have been submitted in 5 of the 8 alder districts, and city clerk Bill Heidemann now has 31 days to verify those signatures. If they’re successful, a recall election for all or some of the districts would be set for later this summer.

The group says they already have candidates lined up to run against those on the council they’re trying to oust.

WSAU