The Fond du Lac Animal Shelter manager says a puppy that was severely injured when its harness became embedded in its skin has recovered. Three Fond du Lac residents are accused of abusing the Pit Bull mix and faces charges in Fond du Lac County circuit court. Fond du Lac Animal Shelter Manager Renee Webb says the dog is living with a new owner. "The animal is living with someone […]
Wisconsin Emergency Management says Daylight Saving Time is a great time to spring forward with emergency preparedness. As people set their clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, Emergency Management’s Tod Pritchard says when you set your clock ahead an hour Sunday also take time to get emergency safety items ready for the spring storm season. Pritchard says a NOAA weather radio is like having a tornado siren in your home. […]
A Democratic state senator says a bill that would force guards at Wisconsin’s troubled Lincoln Hills youth prison to report child abuse doesn’t go far enough. Bill sponsor Democratic senator LaTonya Johnson calls the proposal a first step to fix what she calls a broke juvenile justice system. But senator Lena Taylor says the bill doesn’t do anything to stop the abuse at the youth prisons. Taylor says the legislature […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's unemployment rate fell below 4 percent in January, the lowest it's been since January 2001. Data the state Department of Workforce Development released Thursday shows the unemployment rate in January was 3.9 percent down from 4.1 percent in December. The national unemployment rate for January was 4.8 percent. Private-sector job growth remained essentially flat between December and January, however. The state added only 200 jobs.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A measure Democratic lawmakers say is the latest Republican attack on unions is set to become law. The bill passed by the Assembly on party lines Thursday prohibits state and local governments from requiring contractors bidding on their projects to use collective bargaining agreements called project labor agreements, or PLAS. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Rob Hutton, says it gives non-union firms more opportunities to bid on […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The co-chair of the Legislature's budget committee says Republicans remain "skeptical" of Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to switch to a self-insurance model for public workers. Republican Rep. John Nygren said Thursday that Republicans are asking for an actuarial study on whether the proposal will save the $60 million over the next two years that Walker promised. Under a self-insurance system, the state would contract with six […]
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The detection of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu at a Tennessee chicken farm has Midwest poultry farmers tightening procedures in an attempt to prevent an outbreak like the one in 2015 that required the destruction of millions of birds and cost at least $3 billion. Milder forms of bird flu have also been found in Wisconsin and at another farm in Tennessee, though no further […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former Democratic state Sen. Tim Cullen says he is on track for officially launching a run for governor by the end of April. Cullen said Thursday "I don't know" of any reason that would stop him from getting in the race. Cullen has been traveling the state for months and laying the groundwork for a run. Republican Gov. Scott Walker has indicated that he plans to […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats are questioning why Gov. Scott Walker thinks the state will need hundreds fewer contract prison beds than the Department of Corrections estimates. DOC requested $8.6 million to cover 1,239 beds in the state budget's first year and $31.4 million to cover 2,447 in the second. Walker's budget provides $17.3 million to cover 1,109 beds in the first year and 977 in the second. A Legislative […]