Vance in Wisconsin on Wednesday (MILWAUKEE)
JD Vance will be in Wisconsin this week. The Vice President is scheduled to visit Milwaukee on Wednesday where he will deliver remarks on the Trump Administration’s work to combat fraud. Vance’s last Wisconsin visit was a February 26 stop at Pointe Precision in Plover, where he called on Wisconsin voters to not send “a bunch of crazy Democrats” to Washington in November. Also on Wednesday, Vance is scheduled to stop at the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Wing based at Milwaukee Mitchell Airport.
New details released in capsizing tragedy (LAKE GENEVA)
A Monday press release from Geneva Lake Police Department Commander Craig Rasmussen provides details on last Friday’s capsizing which resulted in the deaths of girls aged 10 and 7 and a 6-year-old boy. They were among nine people from Illinois and Wisconsin aboard a 25-foot boat, and initial investigation records show all juveniles on board were wearing life jackets of proper size and fit. The operator was a 47-year-old man with extensive experience. Despite his efforts to get the vessel to safety, large waves caused it to take on water and capsize, sending everyone into the water. First responders rescued six adults and one child. Divers were able to free the missing children but despite lifesaving efforts all three were later pronounced dead. No further details are available.
Wisconsin history part of America 250 time capsule (UNDATED)
Wisconsin’s history is part of the America 250 Time Capsule. An eagle feather and a photo of Old Abe, the bald eagle that served with a Wisconsin Civil War regiment, are among the items Wisconsin contributed to the capsule which was buried in Philadelphia July 4th and will be opened 250 years from now in 2276. Wisconsin’s collection also includes a Harley-Davidson challenge coin, tribal and veterans’ pins, letters from Governor Tony Evers and other state leaders, and artifacts representing Native nations, culture and military service across the state.
Friday’s downburst did damage across southeast Wisconsin (WALWORTH COUNTY)
A downburst is blamed for last week’s catastrophic damage in Walworth County. Much attention – and understandably so – was on the capsized boat on Geneva Lake leading to the drowning deaths of three children. Southwest of Delavan, two motorcyclists were injured when three empty silos collapsed and fell on them as they were seeking shelter from the storm. Between 5 and 10 barns were also destroyed and hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. This intense storm moved through just after noon. The National Weather Service says it was a downburst, which produces straight line winds. While they can sound and be just as damaging as a tornado, unlike a tornado, they don’t include rotating winds.
New records shed light on UW System president firing (UNDATED)
New records shed more light on the firing of UW System President Jay Rothman. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that newly released emails and text messages show University of Wisconsin Regents spent months privately discussing concerns about Rothman before firing him in April. Records obtained by the Journal reveal board members raised issues with Rothman’s leadership, including disputes over artificial intelligence guidance and management style. Rothman, who said he was never given an adequate reason for his dismissal, led the UW system for four years. A search for his successor is now underway and is expected to wrap up later this fall.