Local News

MADISON, Wis. – It’s no secret that the agriculture industry is full of a lot of hard work. Our state’s producers, farm workers, and processors work hard year-round, day after day, to supply the food, fuel, and fiber that make up Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry. But there’s another category of small-but-mighty workers that also help keep our agriculture industry thriving: the honey bee.  In 2022, Wisconsin ranked 11th in the […]

Fond du Lac Marian University president Michelle Majewski is retiring.  Majewski is stepping down after 37 years with the university, including  four years as president.   She will remain at the university until a new president is hired.    According to a press release a succession task force of  current and past Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, will search for applicants to fill the position.  "I have relished my time here, supporting students, faculty and staff," Majewski […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court is raising the bar for religions to show that their charity arms deserve tax exemptions. The state Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Catholic charitable organization's claim that it doesn't have to pay unemployment taxes because it's a religious operation. The Superior-based Catholic Charities Bureau manages nonprofit organizations that serve older, disabled and poor people. Lawyers for the plaintiffs […]

There is little change in the local unemployment rate.  The Dodge County unemployment rate was 2.5 percent in January, up a tenth of a percent from December.  The Fond du Lac County rate was down a tenth of a percent to 2.3 percent.  The city of Fond du Lac's jobless rate dropped from 2.8 to 2.7 percent in January.    Unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in all but one of Wisconsin's largest cities […]

A GOP-authored bill  that would guarantee parents the right to determine their children's  pronouns and pull them out of any classes that conflict with  their personal beliefs has died in the senate.  The bill passed the assembly in January but did not get a vote in the senate.   Fond du Lac School District superintendent Dr. Jeff Fleig said he had concerns with the bill.  Dr.  Fleig says he's concerned about the unintended consequences.  […]

The Early Detection Saves Lives Coalition released the following statement upon conclusion of the state legislative session: "As patient advocates, physicians, and medical technology organizations, we advocated tirelessly throughout the 2023-24 legislative session to expand access to life-saving, evidence-based breast cancer exams. As introduced, Assembly Bill 117/Senate Bill 121, authored by Rep. Nate Gustafson (R-Neenah) and Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton), would have removed the financial barriers to accessing exams like […]

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced his appointment of Marcus Hawkins to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC). The appointment fills a vacancy created by Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate firing PSC Commissioner Tyler Huebner earlier this year. Hawkins’ appointment is effective April 8, 2024, and he will serve for the remainder of the term ending March 1, 2027.  “Marcus Hawkins’ experience working with utilities and his proven […]

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured a judgment against Missouri-based timeshare exit company RSI, LLC d/b/a Relief Solutions International and its owners, Philip Russell Turner, II, and Burton Cummings. The judgment requires the defendants to pay a monetary penalty of more than $2.5 million and refund all of their Wisconsin customers. The DOJ sued the defendants in August 2022 based on a referral from the […]

MADISON – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation’s Agriculture in the Classroom program has awarded $5,000 to educators and agricultural literacy programs. Grant dollars will support innovative core curricula initiatives that incorporate agriculture concepts while helping students meet academic standards and develop career readiness skills.   “Agriculture is one of Wisconsin’s largest sectors, providing nearly one in every nine jobs in our state,” said Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator Beth Schaefer. “We […]