State Journal: Madison Metro faces $5.8 million budget shortfall (MADISON)
Covering a budget shortfall for Madison Metro. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the city’s bus system is $5.8 million in the red, a shortfall that’s attributed to an increase in salaries and benefits for Metro employees along with lower-than-expected fare revenues. The city’s original $18.4 million 2025 Metro budget failed to account for costs associated to the new Bus Rapid Transit Line or the updated union contract. The Madison City Council’s finance committee proposed spending roughly half the city’s $10.6 million budget surplus to cover the shortfall at Metro.
New law expands “Move Over” requirements to disabled vehicles (MADISON)
A new state law could make Wisconsin roads a little safer. Governor Tony Evers signs a bill that expands Wisconsin’s “Move Over” law to require drivers move over or slow down when approaching disabled vehicles on the side of the road, if flashing its warning or hazard lights, if emergency flares have been placed near the vehicle, or if one or more visible persons are working on or “attending to” a vehicle on the roadside. It also makes it a requirement to slow down or change lanes when disabled vehicles are “parked or standing on or within 12 feet of a roadway.” Wisconsin DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said the new law gets the state closer to its goal of zero deaths on Wisconsin’s roads.
Black and yellow specialty license plates available in January (UNDATED)
Wisconsin’s newest state license plate options include a blackout design and a retro yellow design. The new blackout plate features an all-black background with white letters and numbers, and the Wisconsin DOT estimates over half a million could be on the road within three years. The retro yellow or “butter” plate harkens back to the 1970s – black on a yellow background. Both come with a one-time $15 fee, plus a $25 annual registration fee. The DOT fast-tracked the two new license plates so they will be available beginning in early January 2026. The 2025-2027 state budget included $5.5 million to support the new plates, which are estimated to generate more than $25 million for the state’s transportation fund in the first three years.
Democratic lawmakers introduce bill allowing 16-year-olds to get vaccinated without parental consent (UNDATED)
Democratic lawmakers propose legislation to allow 16-year-olds in Wisconsin to get vaccinated without parental consent. State Representative Lisa Subeck, who serves on the Assembly Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care, says Wisconsin was once a leader in vaccine rates, but that has changed over the last two decades. Republican lawmakers oppose the idea, arguing parents should be involved in the decision to get vaccinated or not. The bill’s authors are seeking co-sponsors. If it does make it to committee, it faces likely challenges in the Republican controlled Legislature.
Bird flu detected in central Wisconsin backyard flock (MARQUETTE COUNTY)
Bird flu has been found in a Marquette County backyard flock. The Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer protection says all the birds in the backyard flock died and won’t enter the food system. The highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is very contagious and often kills domestic poultry. DATCP says when the bird flu is detected in a backyard flock, risk factors are evaluated, and a 10-kilometer surveillance zone may be implemented. Livestock owners are encouraged to practice strong health measures to protect their animals from disease.
Cellcom back online after outage on Tuesday (GREEN BAY)
Cellcom customers were without service for parts of Tuesday. An outage was reported around 1 am Tuesday, and services were fully restored around 9 am. Customers were unable to make calls, send texts or use mobile data. Cellcom says the issue was a localized equipment failure. Cellcom customers suffered a major outage last May, with service down for over a week following a cyber attack on the company’s systems.
Man convicted in 2022 Fox River boat crash appeals the case (OSHKOSH)
The man convicted in a 2022 boat crash on the Fox River is appealing. Jason Lindemann was convicted in June of 2024 of recklessly endangering safety and multiple counts of failure to render aid after running into the back of a paddleboat on the Fox River, injuring over a dozen people and doing significant damage. Fox 11 Green Bay reports his lawyer filed an appeal Tuesday, claiming that the judge unfairly biased the jury and that what Lindemann did wasn’t “reckless”. He claims Lindemann simply did what “every boater does” when seeing open water, and drove fast. He also said the judge never defined what “careless” meant in jury instructions. Prosecutors will have a month to respond to the filing.