Month: September 2021

After two decades, the United States this week completed its withdrawal  from Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war and closing a sad chapter in military history.   Ripon College political scientist Marty Farrell says it’s likely to be remembered for colossal failures, unfulfilled promises and frantic final exit that cost the lives of 13 service members, some barely older than the war.  The goals were to drive the Taliban out of power and stopping […]

The Fond du Lac Police and Fire Commission meets this afternoon to discuss the hiring of a new police chief.  The commission will meet in closed session and could make a hiring decision at the meeting.  The finalists are interim Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein and Green Bay Police commander Kevin Warych.  The commission will also discuss a police disciplinary issue in closed session.

Hurricane Ida is sure to take a toll on the energy, chemical and shipping industries that have major hubs on the Gulf Coast, but analysts foresee modest damage to the overall U.S. economy.   Retired Ripon College economist Paul Schoofs says the impact to the U.S. economy will likely be modest so long as damage estimates don’t rise sharply and refinery shutdowns are not prolonged.   Schoofs says fortunately it appears most of the oil rigs […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin regulators have backed down on requirements that operators of a startup that allows private homeowners to rent their swimming pools by the hour said would kill their business. Wisconsin regulators told Swimply in April that pools offered for rent would have to be treated the same as large, public swimming pools. That meant a pool’s owner would have to obtain a license and meet tougher […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nearly half of the money being spent on a Republican-ordered investigation into Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election is earmarked for data analysis related to voting machines. That's according to a contract released Wednesday to The Associated Press under Wisconsin's open records law. It spells out how the $676,000 in taxpayer money will be spent. The contract was entered into by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former Wisconsin […]