Bill would help recover Wisconsin service members Missing in Action (MADISON)
Legislation that could help identify Wisconsin’s Missing in Action will be reintroduced this session. Tuesday was Veterans Day at the Capitol, and Jordan Tilleson with the Wisconsin VFW spoke about the importance of the University of Wisconsin Missing in Action Recovery and Identification Project, calling it important for MIA families and for the mental health of surviving veterans. The volunteer group generally receives no state or federal funding, and searches for missing personnel as assigned by the Department of Defense. Representative Christine Sinicki said her bill would establish a program to allow the UW team to focus on Wisconsin MIAs. Currently they must search for the MIAs assigned to them by the Department of Defense. There are approximately 81,000 Americans who remain missing from World War 2, Korea and Vietnam. Roughly 1500 of those are from Wisconsin. This will be the fourth session in which the Milwaukee Democrat has introduced the bill to provide annual funding for teams to search specifically for Wisconsin’s Missing in Action.
USDA: Farmers planting fewer soybeans because of tariffs with China (UNDATED)
Farmers are changing what they are planting this year because of the tariffs with China. A new report from the US Department of Agriculture shows that farmers are looking at the tariffs from the Trump Administration, and expecting to export fewer soybeans. In Wisconsin, 12 percent fewer acres of soybeans are being planted. That’s because China makes up the bulk of soybean purchases in the world, and there’s no alternative markets to sell those beans. Farmers may be moving to corn or other crops to cover the difference.
More residents, more staff at Wisconsin youth prisons according to federal monitors (RHINELANDER)
A federal monitor says more children are being held in Wisconsin’s youth prisons than earlier this year. The federal task force that monitors Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools in northern Wisconsin says there are about 30 more residents at the facilities than in January. W J F W TV in Rhinelander reports that agents say the state should be doing more to use administrative justice to handle youth crime. However, staffing levels are up, and the state is meeting 90 percent of the goals the federal government wants in the wake of the 2017 investigation that started the monitoring.
Dane Co. airport resuming nonstop LA flights (MADISON)
The Dane County Regional Airport is resuming nonstop flights to Los Angeles. The flights will resume May 21st, with service running twice a week through August 30th. Airport Marketing Director Michael Reichers says the return of the seasonal route to LA is a testament to the community’s demand for convenient air service. Dane County Regional Airport now provides nonstop flights to seventeen destinations. The airport also recently expanded its south terminal to include new restaurants, a bar, and family amenities like a Mother’s Lounge and Children’s Play Area.
Baldwin, Moore demand action from Trump on lead issues in MPS (UNDATED)
A letter from Wisconsin Democrats demands the Trump administration assist with lead remediation in Milwaukee Public Schools. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congresswoman Gwen Moore are asking the administration to approve the MPS request for federal assistance. The Centers for Disease Control denied the request earlier this month, citing staffing shortages after Health and Human services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. eliminated the agency’s response team. Baldwin and Moore are also urging the administration to reinstate fired lead poisoning experts at the CDC.
Dem lawmakers introduce abortion rights legislation (MADISON)
Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to establish a statutory right to abortion in Wisconsin. State Senator Kelda Roys of Madison says Republican lawmakers have been focused on making abortion as difficult for people to access as possible. The Abortion Rights Restoration Act would remove the state’s 1849 abortion ban, abortion medications restrictions, and abortion coverage bans. It’s unlikely to advance in the Republican controlled legislature.