Category: The Upper-Midwest

U.S. Reps. Grothman and Biggs to Hold Joint Committee Field Hearing on Humanitarian Crisis at Southern Border

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06) will hear from real Americans impacted by President Joe Biden’s border policies at a congressional field hearing on Tuesday in Arizona.

Grothman, chairman of the House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, is teaming up with U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, in holding the joint-committee hearing in Sierra Vista, AZ.

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Hillary Clinton’s Political Fixer Leads Legal Effort to Restore Drop Boxes in Wisconsin

M.D. Kittle

The liberal D.C. law firm behind a legal challenge to the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in the Badger State was founded by Hillary Clinton’s political fixer, the man who helped bankroll the infamous — and bogus — Trump-Russia dossier.

Marc Elias and his Elias Law Group filed a lawsuit last week in the liberal Dane County Circuit Court demanding the return of the widespread use of unsecured drop boxes, just as the Wisconsin’s high court is about to be led by liberals for the first time in a long time.

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$13.5 Million in Grants Going to Train 8,500 Michigan Workers

The Center Square

About $13.5 million in taxpayer grants from the Going PRO Talent Fund will help train 8,500 workers across nearly 300 Michigan businesses to earn industry-recognized credentials and strong wages.

“The Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in our state’s greatest asset – our people – helping them develop the skills they need to advance their careers and ‘make it’ in Michigan,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “These grants help us put thousands of Michiganders on paths to good-paying jobs and empower hundreds of Michigan businesses across the state develop the talent they need to compete in the global economy.”

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Educators Lay Out How Public Schools Are Failing Minnesota’s Kids at Groundbreaking Town Hall Event

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Alpha News journalist Sheila Qualls recently hosted a townhall panel discussion on the failures of Minnesota’s public education system.

Qualls is the host of the podcast “Trapped!: Chaos in the Classroom,” in which she investigates the public school system in Minnesota through interviews with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members.

The townhall panel she hosted consisted of retired teachers, a school board member, a current private school educator, and a parents group director.

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Wisconsin Governor Seeks Prosecution of 2020 Alternate Electors

Just the News

Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Friday contended that a group of alternate electors for the state who supported former President Donald Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election ought to face prosecution.

Amid allegations of election fraud in key battlegrounds, Trump allies put together alternate elector slates in the swing states who asserted that the former president won reelection. 

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Progressive Third-Party Candidate Gives Trump Edge over Biden in Michigan: Poll

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Former President Donald Trump would win Michigan if the 2024 presidential election were held today against President Joe Biden when Green Party candidate Cornel West is included on the ballot, according to a new poll released on Friday.

Michigan was a critical swing state for Trump’s 2016 victory, where he won by 0.2%, and Biden’s 2020 victory, where he won the state by 2.78%. Should West be on the ballot, he would draw votes away from Biden and enable Trump to win the state, according to the new poll conducted by Emerson College.

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CCP-Linked EV Company Buys Land in Michigan for Factory

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On Tuesday, an electric vehicle (EV) company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced that it had purchased 270 acres of land in the state of Michigan to build a factory for battery components.

According to the Daily Caller, the planned factory near Big Rapids, Michigan will be located roughly 100 miles away from an American military facility, and within 60 miles of military armories. The factory will be built and operated by Gotion, an EV company that could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in both state and federal grants, as well as tax incentives, to complete the project.

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Minnesota Catholic Church, School Vandalized in Separate Incidents

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A Catholic church in Duluth and a school in Minneapolis were vandalized in separate incidents in late July.

St. Charles Borromeo School told families this week that two individuals broke into the school on the evening of Saturday, July 22, creating “an extensive mess that required 700+ hours of clean-up work and is still ongoing.” The school said its clean-up efforts “after this disaster cost thousands of dollars.”

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Blasts Liberal Majority’s ‘Secret Discussions’ to Fire Conservative Director

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler criticized the newly sworn-in liberal majority Wednesday after they fired the court’s longtime director, according to a statement.

Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in Tuesday to replace retiring conservative Justice Pat Roggensack and create a liberal majority on the court for the first time in 15 years, and immediately fired Director of the State Courts Randy Koschnick, who ran for a seat on the court in 2009 with the support of many conservatives. Ziegler released a scathing statement Wednesday, condemning her “colleagues’ reckless conduct” and “unauthorized action.”

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Gov. Whitmer Signs $23 Million in Michigan Outdoor Recreation Grants

The Center Square

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill funding 45 outdoor recreation projects with $23.3 million in Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants.

“From camping and kayaking to swimming and snowmobiling, Pure Michigan offers us world-class recreation right in our backyard,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Since 1976, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has helped us protect our precious natural places and invested in accessible outdoor public recreation.”

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High School in Minnetonka Among First in Minnesota to Use New AP African American Studies Course

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Amid declining academic test scores, Hopkins High School will be one of the first schools in Minnesota to offer the George Floyd-inspired Advanced Placement African American Studies (APAAS) course this fall.

Less than 50 percent of Hopkins High School students are proficient in reading, math or science. It will be one of just a few schools in the state to offer the class this fall along with high schools in St. Paul and Edina, the Star Tribune reported.

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NBA Ref from St. Paul on Suing over Vax Mandate: ‘I Think the NBA Wants to Break Me’

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A St. Paul native is taking on the NBA to prove his rights were stolen when COVID-19 vaccines were mandated in 2021.

Kenny Mauer was a referee for the NBA for over 35 years; he never missed a game. Mauer grew up in St. Paul and was an athlete his whole life. He played baseball for the University of Minnesota and began refereeing high school sports in college.

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Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher to Lead House Committee on China Roundtable on CCP Ag Theft

M.D. Kittle

A headline-grabbing congressional committee will take its investigative work on Communist China to the Heartland this week.

On Thursday afternoon, U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), chair and Ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, respectively, will lead a roundtable discussion in the eastern Iowa farm community of Dysart.

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University of Michigan, National Institutes of Health to Spend Nearly $80 Million as Part of ‘DEI 2.0’

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The University of Michigan announced a new initiative to “enhance inclusion and equity across the biomedical and health sciences community,” which includes hiring 30 new professors.

With a $15.8 million investment from the National Institutes of Health and a $63.7 million investment from the University of Michigan, the Michigan Program for Advancing Cultural Transformation will “bolster U-M’s diverse academic environment by hiring tenure-track faculty with a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.”

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Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and GOP Colleagues Urge Democrat Committee Chairmen to Investigate Human Trafficking

Susan Berry, PhD

Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R) led the Senate Republican conference in a letter to Senate Democrat committee chairmen urging them to hold hearings and investigate human trafficking, a press statement from Johnson’s office stated Monday.

The letter, sent to Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations; Richard Durbin (D-IL), who chairs the Committee on the Judiciary; Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations, urges increased oversight and investigations into human trafficking.

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Racial Bias in Minnesota’s Criminal Justice System a ‘Myth,’ Report Says

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A new report released last week calls the popular narrative that Minnesota’s criminal justice system is biased against black offenders a “myth.”

“The narrative of unwarranted racial disparities in Minnesota’s criminal justice system is well entrenched but this new offender data from the BCA exposes this narrative as a myth,” said report author David Zimmer, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment and retired 33-year veteran of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

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Wisconsin Lawmakers Introduce ‘Tiny Tot Tax Cut’

M.D. Kittle

Taking a page from a Florida plan to bring tax relief to families, two Badger State Republican legislators are pushing a bill that would create a sales tax exemption on baby-related products.

State Representative David Steffen (R-Howard) and State Senator Jesse James (R-Altoona) recently introduced the “Tiny Tot Tax Cut” to help fight inflation where it can hurt families the most.

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GOP Minnesota Legislators Call for Special Session to Address Gaps in Cannabis Bill

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In a joint letter addressed to Gov. Tim Walz and other Democratic leaders, several GOP lawmakers expressed “deep concern” with a cannabis legalization bill that will take effect in just four days.

“Recent reporting has revealed serious concerns with the bill — including that it effectively legalized marijuana use for children — that these members believe need to be addressed promptly in order to protect our kids and communities,” a press release from the Minnesota House Republican Caucus explained.

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Accused 2020 Michigan False Elector Hires Kallman Legal

The Center Square

Ten days ago, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged 16 people with felonies for what she called “the alleged false electors scheme following the 2020 U.S. presidential election.”

The charges stem from a Dec. 14, 2020, meeting in the Michigan Republican Party headquarters where Nessel says each defendant signed several certificates claiming they were “duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan.”

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Signs Bills Boosting Solar Power, Allowing More Stringent State Regulation

The Center Square

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed six bills into law to boost solar power and allow promulgation of state environmental rules more stringent than the federal standard. 

Whitmer signed House Bills 4317 and 4318, and Senate Bills 302 and 303, 288, and 14, which she says advance her climate goals of reaching 2 million electric vehicles driving on Michigan roads by 2030.

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Parental Rights Groups to Protest Against Drag Queens Party in Park for ‘All Ages’: ‘This Is Sexual Grooming of Our Children, and That Is Not Okay’

M.D. Kittle

Wisconsin parental rights groups plan to demonstrate this weekend against a daylong pride event featuring a drag queen story hour and a children’s dance party.

Organizers with No Left Turn in Education, Parents Patrol, and Gays Against Groomers Wisconsin said they will be out in force at Pride in the Park, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Watertown’s Riverside Park. The protesters are planning a Classic Story Hour at the city park.

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Abortionist Allegedly Runs over Pro-Life Protester with Car in Michigan

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An abortion doctor allegedly ran over a pro-life protester with his car in Saginaw Township, Michigan, and now has a felony warrant out for his arrest, according to Michigan Live News.

The doctor, an 87-year-old abortion provider, allegedly ran over Mark Zimmerman, who was protesting the abortion clinic, and broke Zimmerman’s leg, which resulted in Zimmerman needing to be hospitalized, according to MLive News. The doctor also reportedly assaulted another pro-life protestor in 2012, Lynn Mills, director of Pro-Life Michigan, an incident for which he was charged with assault and received probation.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar Expresses Support for Woman Who Burned and Buried Aborted Baby’s Remains

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A Nebraska teenager was recently sentenced to 90 days in jail after she burned and buried the remains of her aborted baby, a case U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar called a “frightening violation of privacy and autonomy.”

Omar published a screenshot of a New York Times article about the case of 19-year-old Celeste Burgess, who was not charged “under Nebraska’s abortion law,” the article notes. At the time, Nebraska prohibited abortions after 20 weeks; that has now been moved up to 12 weeks.

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Wisconsin School District That Used Prepared Statement to Inform Students About Teacher’s Pending Sex Change Faces Open Records Lawsuit

M.D. Kittle

After school officials reportedly read a statement to students about a teacher’s upcoming sex change, the Eau Claire Area School District faces a lawsuit demanding it to turn over the document. 

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), a Milwaukee-based civl rights law firm representing parent Leah Buchman, claims the district has been sitting on the document for weeks, citing an ongoing investigation. 

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Former Minnesota Republican Gubernatorial Candidate ‘Re-Examines’ His Abortion Position

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Dr. Scott Jensen, former GOP candidate for governor, wrote in an op-ed that following his 2022 election loss, he is re-examining his position on abortion.

“Because millions of Americans believed that the Supreme Court’s ruling had had a decisive impact on elections across the nation, I decided to re-examine the abortion issue from both a historical and present-day perspective,” Jensen wrote.

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Wisconsin Lawmakers Pitch Strip Search Law Overhaul

The Center Square

A pair of Green Bay-area lawmakers want to rewrite Wisconsin’s strip search law to make it clear that underwear counts too.

State Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay (pictured above, left), and State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay (pictured above, right), told an Assembly committee on Thursday that the law needs to be updated after the superintendent in Suring Schools stripped five teenage girls down to their underwear to look for a vape cartridge in January of last year.

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Report: SSM Health Ends ‘Gender-Affirming Surgeries’ at its Wisconsin Aesthetic Center

M.D. Kittle

One of Wisconsin’s larger health care systems has ended sex reassignment surgeries for adults and children following a directive from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Liberal lawmakers blasted the decision, first reported by Channel 3000 in Madison, as “misguided and dangerous,” while a conservative lawmakers who have championed bills prohibiting the “mutilation” of children called SSM’s change in protocol a “brave” decision.

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Gov. Whitmer Signs Record $24 Billon Michigan Education Budget

The Center Square

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the 2024 education budget with a record per-student investment in which taxpayers will foot all public school students’ breakfast and lunch, as well as pre-kindergarten for some 4-year-olds.

Democrats holding a political trifecta for the first time in 40 years say Senate Bill 173 will improve student success through tutoring, extra school programming, and literacy support.

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Rochester Could Join List of Cities Imposing Moratorium on Marijuana Sales Until 2025

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As the calendar continues to creep closer to Aug. 1 — when it becomes legal for Minnesotans to possess, consume and grow limited amounts of recreational cannabis — cities across the state are preparing for the inevitable marijuana retail market that will (eventually) follow.

In Rochester on Monday, July 24, members of the public will continue to weigh in on a proposed ordinance that would prohibit marijuana sales in the city until Jan. 1, 2025. This comes after a handful of cities have already passed similar pot shop moratorium ordinances, including: Brooklyn Center, Ramsey, West St. Paul and Mankato.

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Wisconsin Congressman Scott Fitzgerald Introduces Bill Taking on National Education Association’s Political Clout

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) introduced a bill that would check the power of the National Education Association (NEA).

The Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today (STUDENT) Act aims to reform the NEA’s federal charter and “rededicate the organization to the pursuit of increased student learning and quality education in schools across America,” according to the congressman.

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Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley Says IRS Whistleblower Testimony in Hunter Biden Probe Shows ‘Two-Track’ System of Justice

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says Wednesday’s testimony from two Internal Revenue Service whistleblowers alleging political interference in the Hunter Biden criminal probe underscores the “two-track” system of justice in America.

Meanwhile, the Iowa senator is leading a group of Republican senators demanding the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation protect whistleblowers who disclosed records alleging a criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national.

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Minnesota Union Rescinds Endorsement of DFL Legislator Who Is Also Regional Planned Parenthood Executive

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A metro area DFL legislator who is also the CEO for the regional Planned Parenthood chapter based in the Twin Cities is continuing to navigate rough waters in her day job.

Ruth Richardson was named the top executive of the Planned Parenthood North Central States chapter in September 2022 — just weeks before she was re-elected to the Minnesota House to represent the southeast metro suburbs of Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake and part of Eagan. Her recent appointment as CEO of the most powerful abortion rights lobby organization in the upper Midwest drew criticism from some conservatives in Minnesota political circles who suggested a state legislator shouldn’t also lead such an organization because of inevitable conflicts of interest she would face in votes at the Capitol.

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