JFC co-chairs object to Evers state Corrections plan (MADISON)
Republican leaders on the Legislature’s budget panel say Democratic Governor Tony Evers plan to overhaul the state’s prison system needs work. Joint Finance Committee co-chair Representative Mark Born is pleased Evers wants to close the Green Bay prison, but said the plan is “half baked” and “needs a lot of work.” Born and committee co-chair Senator Howard Marklein expect there will be more conversations with the governor’s office. Under Evers’ plan, the maximum-security Green Bay Correctional Institution would eventually be shut down, and the hundreds of men housed there would be moved to other institutions. Evers also wants to convert changing the maximum-security Waupun Correctional Institution into a medium security prison that focuses on job training. In all, the $535 million reorganization would reduce the capacity of Wisconsin’s prison system by about 700 people.
Be on the lookout for deer this time of year (UNDATED)
Be on the lookout for deer this time of year. State Patrol Sergeant Aaron Gross says motorists should be on high alert for the next several weeks as deer become more active and does begin to look for places to give birth. Gross says to avoid hitting a deer, eliminate distractions, drive at a safe speed, and scan the road ahead. Gross says if you do hit a deer, try to get your vehicle off the road and contact local law enforcement. If someone is hurt or the deer is in an active part of the road, call 911. There were more than 17,000 crashes involving deer in Wisconsin last year, and nine people were killed.
Filmmakers push for tax incentive to film in Wisconsin (MADISON)
Wisconsin filmmakers tell lawmakers that a tax incentive to make films in the state would have a positive cultural and economic impact. Hayden Mauk is an executive producer from Middleton and says film crews are an economic boom to the communities they film in because they shop locally and do their best to support those communities. Stacy Nash, a documentary filmmaker based in Milwaukee, says Wisconsin has the scenery and the talent to have a good film industry, but it needs to proper infrastructure to succeed. Under a proposed bill, companies could apply for a 30% credit equal to the costs of salary or wages of Wisconsin residents paid to produce a film.
Four horses die in Dane County barn fire (FITCHBURG)
Four horses died in a Sunday morning Fitchburg barn fire. Fire crews were called to a farm around 4:30 am Sunday after a pole barn caught fire on the property. Crews were able to keep the fire spreading to any other buildings, but were unable to save the animals inside. The fire is under investigation, but no foul play is suspected.
Extreme fire risk for far northern Wisconsin (UNDATED)
Red Flag fire warnings are in effect for far northern Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources has issued extreme fire risk warnings for 19 counties, including Vilas, Ashland, Iron, Langlade and Lincoln Counties. The D N R has responded to almost 100 wildfires in the past week, and is expecting dry conditions to continue through the first half of the week. Do not use outdoor grills, do any yard waste burns, or use ATVs or UTVs in brushy or woody areas.
Bill would allow Scouting to recruit during school day (MADISON)
At the Capitol, proposed legislation would let the Scouts recruit new members in Wisconsin schools. Lucia Cronin, President of the Milwaukee based Three Harbors Council of Scouting America, spelled out the issue to the Senate Education Committee. Cronin said while there are more than 760 schools in Wisconsin that still have a scouting program, but the inability to effectively recruit new members means those programs are dying. Tim Molepske with the Chippewa Valley Council described the same situation in northwest Wisconsin. He said the bill would simply allow Scouting to continue to invest in young people. Molepske said access has been an issue for about the last ten years, driven largely by legal concerns rather than objections by superintendents and principals. Governor Tony Evers vetoed similar legislation last session, citing concerns over local control and possible conflicts with federal law.