Evers announces theme for State Capitol Holiday Tree (MADISON)
This year’s State Capitol Holiday Tree will honor educators and school support staff. Governor Tony Evers is inviting students to contribute handmade ornaments celebrating and thanking Wisconsin’s educators, childcare providers, administrators, custodians, school bus drivers and other support staff who help them learn and support them. “The Learning Tree” will be displayed in the rotunda of the Wisconsin State Capitol throughout the holiday season. Students and families should mail their ornaments by November 21st.
Lawmakers introduce bill to expand ignition interlock devices (MADISON)
Wisconsin lawmakers introduce legislation that would expand vehicle ignition interlock device requirements. The bipartisan bill would allow people convicted of operating while intoxicated to get a restricted license sooner after installing an ignition interlock device. The bill also would require people to use their device for 180 days without tampering or trying to bypass it. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, in 2023 182 people died in Wisconsin crashed where alcohol was a factor. The bill had a public hearing in a Senate Committee this week at the Capitol.
Madison realtor responds to Trump’s “50-year mortgage” idea (MADISON)
President Donald Trump recently said banks might have a solution to lowering the price of home ownership for new buyers: a 50-year-mortgage. Madison-area realtor Dave Stark says one of the real issues with the market is that mortgage rates were too low for too long. That lead too many people to buy out homes and take them off the market, which pushed up prices. Now that rates are back to “normal levels” Stark says that’s priced a lot of buyers out of the market. It’s unclear if any bank will take up the President’s suggestion. Stark says adding another 20 years on the existing 30-year mortgages would significantly raise the price of that loan over the long term.
One dead, one arrested in apparent Shawano County property dispute (TOWN OF GERMANIA)
One man is dead and another under arrest in Shawano County after what deputies say is a dispute over hunting land. The shooting happened Wednesday night in the Town of Germania. Police arrested a 74-year-old Clintonville man who allegedly shot and killed a 67-old-man in his garage. A 911 caller who reported the shooting says the suspect attempted to get to him, but he fired a weapon to scare him off. Deputies say the suspect and the victim had mutual ownership of some hunting land. The suspect and the victim have not been identified pending charges and notification of the family respectively.
When is Lake Mendota going to freeze this winter? Guess right and win! (MADISON)
How long is it going to take Lake Mendota to freeze over this winter? That question is the heart of an annual contest by the Clean Lakes Alliance. The Alliance says the contest is a chance to both have some fun as winter arrives, but also highlight the work that conservation groups have done to restore Madison’s lakes. You can sign up until December 15th at Clean Lakes Alliance dot Org. Winners will be put in a drawing to get gift cards to Madison area businesses.