Rothman dismisses demands of UW protesters (MADISON)
Pro-Palestinian protesters say their UW campus encampments will remain until their demands are met. Among those demands, getting police off campus. On WISN’s “UpFront” on Sunday, UW System President Jay Rothman was dismissive of that, calling the demand “ludicrous.” Rothman also indicated that divesting the UW System from Israel is also a “red herring” and stating that the issues that are being protested are ones of foreign policy, not of university investment. Rothman reiterated that encampments on the Madison and Milwaukee campuses are illegal and “ultimately they will be gone,” but did not offer specifics on that.
Non-protesting students meet with UW officials (MADISON) . Non-protesting UW Madison students meet with campus officials. The Daily Cardinal first reported that students on the Madison campus met with Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and other members of the administration on Monday. In the meeting, students shared personal experiences of intimidation, harassment and antisemitism they experienced from encampment protestors and outside agitators. While pro-Palestinian protesters have issued a set of demands, the non-protesting group has a set of requests, including defining and condemning antisemitism, and allowing representatives of Jewish and Israeli students and unaligned groups in any negotiations.
Evers again requests JFC special meeting (MADISON)
Governor Tony Evers is again calling a special meeting of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, to approve funding to address hospital closures and PFAS contamination. WisPolitics reports that while the Democratic governor can call a special meeting of the Republican controlled budget panel, he can’t force the committee to meet. Co-chairs Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Mark Born quickly rejected Evers’ call. The committee is already set to meet Tuesday on the Department of Health Services Plan for opioid settlement dollars and funding for Department of Transportation driver Ed grants among other requests. Evers has repeatedly pushed JFC Republicans to approve the $125 million set aside in the budget to fight PFAs contamination and $15 million to address hospital closures in western Wisconsin.
Police work to identify body pulled from river (APPLETON)
Appleton Police are trying to identify a person found dead in the Fox River last week. Police say the body appears to be of a middle-aged man, but that the body has been in the water for some time. A kayaker found the man’s body on Friday, and police and Outagamie County deputies were part of the recovery efforts. An autopsy is scheduled, but it’s unclear how soon an identification may be made.
Dane County judge tosses challenge to Wisconsin wolf management plan (MADISON)
The fight over Wisconsin’s wolf management strategies continues as a lawsuit against the Department of Natural Resources is dismissed. A Dane County judge on Monday threw out a challenge by the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance that the Natural Resources Board failed to follow open meetings laws while penning the management plan. The group claimed board members improperly met with other advocacy groups outside of board meetings, even if no quorum was ever together at once. Judge Stephen Ehlke rejected the claim, saying that ruling in favor of the Alliance would invalidate most proceedings of any government committee if members couldn’t get information on their own.
Woodall replaced as MKE Elections director (MILWAUKEE)
Milwaukee has replaced the head of its Elections Commission. Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced on Monday that current Deputy Elections Director Paulina Gutierrez will replace Claire Woodall, pending city council approval. Mayor Johnson says he isn’t firing Woodall, but that she left after being offered another position in the city. Woodall faced criticism from Republicans and supporters of former president Donald Trump following the 2020 presidential election. She recently took part in testimony against her former Deputy, Kimberly Zapata, who was sentenced to probation for election fraud for illegally sending military absentee ballots to a state representative.
Teacher charged for inappropriate behaviors with student (HUDSON)
A teacher in western Wisconsin has been charged for having an inappropriate relationship with a student. 24-year- old Madison Bergmann is a teacher in the Hudson School District. She is on leave following allegations that she “made out” with a 5th grader. School officials and police were tipped off to the relationship between the teacher and 11-year-old when the boy’s parents found intimate text messages between the two. Bermann was to be married this summer, but the wedding appears to have been called off.