Tiffany enters race for Wisconsin governor (MILWAUKEE)
Wisconsin 7th District Wisconsin congressman Tom Tiffany’s entry into the race for Wisconsin governor has been widely expected, and he’s made it official. Tiffany broke the news on a Milwaukee radio station Tuesday afternoon and released a statement and campaign launch video a short time later. Tiffany called running for governor a great challenge and great opportunity, and said he believes he has the best opportunity for Republicans to win after two terms of Democratic Governor Tony Evers. Tiffany also has a campaign event in his district scheduled for Wednesday evening in Wausau. Tiffany has held the seat representing much of northern Wisconsin since winning a 2020 special election to succeed Sean Duffy. Prior to that he served one term in the state Assembly and two terms in the state Senate and served on the budget writing Joint Committee on Finance. He joins Republican candidates including Washington County Executive Josh Schoeman and Milwaukee area business owner Bill Berrian. Several Democrats have entered the race as well. Partisan primaries are next August.
Republican candidate for governor followed explicit accounts online (MILWAUKEE)
A Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor has his online activity exposed. On the ‘X’ social media platform, Milwaukee area business owner Bill Berrian calls reporting by Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice “garbage political hits.” The Journal Sentinel reported that the 56-year-old political novice unfollowed several sexually explicit accounts after being asked about them. Berrian, a supporter of President Donald Trump did not refute the allegations but said in a statement that “there are a lot of important issues that are affecting our state and nation.” There was no comment from the other announced Republican candidate, Washington County Executive Josh Schoeman, or from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
County board chair’s spending questioned (MILWAUKEE)
Some questionable spending by a Milwaukee County official. The Journal Sentinel reports that County Board chair Marcelia Nicholson’s campaign has spent about $13,000 on food and rideshares since 2018, including more than 400 rides on Uber or Lyft despite running unopposed. Nicholson has not been accused of violating campaign finance laws and her spokesman said Nicholson uses funds to maintain relationships, attend events, and “remain visible and accountable to the public she serves.” A Journal Sentinel review found no other current or former supervisors have filed a campaign expense for rideshares since 2020. Nick Ramos, executive director of nonpartisan political watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, called Nicholson’s spending habits “troubling” and said Wisconsin has some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the nation with a variety of loopholes.
Bird conservation urging Wisconsinites turn off non-essential lights to help with migration (UNDATED)
Wisconsin residents are being urged to turn off non-essential lights Wednesday night to help migrating birds. Bird conservation groups say roughly twenty-one million birds will be migrating through Wisconsin overnight Wednesday into Thursday. Residents, businesses and municipal officials are being urged to turn off non-essential outdoor lights from 11pm Wednesday until 6am Thursday. Most migrating birds fly at night and the glow from lights can disorient them and attract them to land in urban areas where they face greater threats, including window collisions. Lights Out Alerts are also issued for eastern Wisconsin Tuesday night and Northern Wisconsin Thursday night.
Make sure to properly install child car seats (UNDATED)
Make sure you’re properly installing your child car seats. This is Child Passenger Safety week, a reminder that a properly fitted child car seat can save lives. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids younger than two years old be secured in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat. Kids age two to four can switch to a forward-facing car seat with a harness in the back seat until they reach age four and forty pounds. Kids should be sitting in the back seat until they turn thirteen. More information on Wisconsin’s car seat laws can be found on the state Department of Transportation website.
WEC Energy Group, Utah company seek to restart shuttered nuclear plant (KEWAUNEE)
The parent company of We Energies is proposing to restart a shuttered Wisconsin nuclear plant. WEC Energy Group and Utah based EnergySolutions are exploring a reactivation of the Kewaunee Power station that was shut down in 2013. EnergySolutions purchased the property in 2022 to decommission the site, but has since reached out to WEC Energy to build a new generation facility that would be smaller and more efficient than the one built there in the 1970s. The plan would require permitting from the US Department of Energy to start, along with several state agencies. Lawmakers in Madison have already floated the idea of increasing nuclear power in the state, with several bills aimed at exploring the energy option currently in the committee process at the Capitol.
New security policies in place in Green Bay schools following gun incident earlier this month (GREEN BAY)
Monday marked the beginning of new safety protocols in the Green Bay Area Public School District after a student brought a gun to school earlier this month. Preble High School sophomore Jaxon Degrave thinks bullying may be a critical factor in school violence. The new rules require all students to use clear backpacks and also expands district suspension and expulsion policies. Additional conversations around school safety will happen at the next school board meeting on October 13
WI DNR hopes more hunters bring CWD testing samples this deer season (UNDATED)
The Wisconsin D N R is hoping to get more deer carcass samples to test for chronic wasting disease this hunting season. Herd health specialist Erin Larson says they’re targeting areas that only recently tested for C W D. That includes most of the Highway 51 and 29 corridors, and counties on a line from La Crosse to Sheboygan. You find out more and find a local testing site online at D N R dot W I dot Gov, and search for C W D Testing.
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/registersample