The Wisconsin Supreme Court will rule on a lawsuit against the Madison Metropolitan School District for a policy that does not tell parents if a transgender student chooses to use a different name at school.
The suit, brought by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), argues it is a parental right to be informed and make important healthcare decisions in their child’s life.
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Colby cheese is up for another day of debate in Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The state Senate’s Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection is scheduled to hear the arguments for and against making Colby cheese Wisconsin’s official state cheese yet again.
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Wisconsin legislators are proposing making May “Law Enforcement Appreciation Month.” The resolution was introduced on Friday and is written and co-sponsored by over three dozen lawmakers in both the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly.
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Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) responded to the recent spike in inflation, calling it a “tax on the middle class.” Johnson said in an interview with Fox News that “Biden and the Democrats have spent trillions to pay people to sit at home and not work.”
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The lawmaker in charge of one of Wisconsin’s election investigations is asking more questions about the state’s Elections Commission after they refused to provide her answers about the state’s voter rolls.
Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, on Wednesday asked why the Elections Commission is fighting a request for information about who has access to the state’s voter database.
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Several Wisconsin Representatives joined the call for President Joe Biden to fire Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for his involvement in a letter that labeled concerned parents “domestic terrorists.” The letter was spearheaded by Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI-10).
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There are no real explanations as to how race and “equity” will come into play in deciding who gets the new coronavirus antiviral pills.
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services earlier this month said “equity” would be at the heart of the state’s strategy to distribute the new pills from Pfizer and Merck.
“We are committed to distributing these pills equitably across the state, and access will increase as Wisconsin receives more allocations from the federal government,” DHS said in a statement.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers will dispatch the National Guard to battle the surge of coronavirus cases in the state, according to a release from his office.
In their capacity, the National Guard members will work to address staffing shortages across the healthcare industry, expanding capacity at hospitals and nursing homes.
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Wisconsin Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) introduced a motion to protect veteran G.I. Bill benefits from the Biden Administration’s COVID vaccine mandate. Fitzgerald shared his concerns on the floor, saying, “the Secretary of Defense issued a directive requiring mandatory COVID vaccination for all service members, including those in the Ready Reserve, and the National Guard. Despite the challenges this vaccine mandate currently faces in court, the Defense Department has proceeded to discharge those who refuse the vaccine.”
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There’s another challenge to another coronavirus stimulus program that gives more benefits to non-white families in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sent a letter to Gov. Tony Evers urging him to change the specifics of the Wisconsin Help for Homeowners program.
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Empower Wisconsin, a conservative political organization, has claimed that Governor Tony Evers (D) hired a lawyer to “go after” citizens who were petitioning for the removal of District Attorney (DA) John Chisholm.
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School kids across Wisconsin will likely miss fewer days because of a change in the state’s coronavirus rules.
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services on Monday sent a letter to every school in the state, informing them of new guidance for coronavirus isolations and quarantines.
“Science shows that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission happens early in the illness, so CDC has shortened the recommended length of isolation from ten days to five days for people with COVID-19 who do not have any COVID-19 symptoms or symptoms have resolved or are improving after five days,” DHS wrote in its letter.
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Dominick Black, the friend of Kyle Rittenhouse who helped him purchase his AR-15, has taken a plea deal of a $2,000 fine. Black was charged with two counts of intentionally giving a dangerous weapon to a person under the age of 18.
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Wisconsin GOP gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch collected more than $3 million during the first four months of her effort to defeat Governor Tony Evers, according to a release from her campaign.
Kleefisch hauled in approximately $3.3 million during the fundraising quarter, a number that outpaces previous campaigns for the state’s top position.
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Tommy Thompson is leaving the University of Wisconsin to a round of applause and congratulations.
Thompson on Friday announced that he is leaving the UW System as interim president in March.
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now studying COVID within the deer population. Tami Ryan, the chief of the DNR’s wildlife health section told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that “Wisconsin officials recently received guidance, funding and supplies from USDA to look for the virus in deer in the Badger State.”
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Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are moving to allow people who’ve already had COVID-19 to get credit for overcoming the virus.
The Assembly Committee on Constitution and Ethics is discussing AB 675, which would require businesses in the state to accept proof of natural immunity instead of vaccination proof or regular coronavirus testing.
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Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson announced Sunday that he would run for a third term in 2022, setting up a race that could potentially determine control of the chamber.
Though Johnson said during his 2016 campaign that his next term would be his last, he remained noncommittal throughout 2021 as other Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, urged him to run.
Johnson wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal saying that the decision to run was not “made lightly,” discussing how the fact America is in “peril” influenced his choice. “Much as I’d like to ease into a quiet retirement, I don’t feel I should,” he wrote.
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Milwaukee Public Schools voted to extend virtual learning another week, after making the last minute decision to not have in-person classes following Winter Break, which Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) said is based on ‘outdated science.’
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Wisconsin Representative Thomas Tiffany (R-WI-07) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) joined Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) in demanding answers from the Biden administration regarding the use of COVID funds to house illegal immigrants.
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Former Republican Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy said that he would not run for governor Thursday despite former President Donald Trump urging him to do so.
Trump first sought for Duffy to run in October, declining to endorse Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish, the current GOP frontrunner, in her bid to oust Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. But Duffy, who resigned from Congress to care for his child and now lives in New Jersey, told conservative radio show host Jay Weber on Thursday that now was not the time for him to reenter politics.
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Wisconsin politicians responded to the anniversary of January 6 and President Joe Biden’s remarks on Thursday. Both Democrats and Republicans had differing opinions about what the nation’s perspective should be, with some calling it an “armed insurrection” and others saying that they believe the nation has more important things to focus on.
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A Wisconsin university has announced that they will be requiring the COVID booster shot for their students and “strongly recommending” it for faculty and staff. Marquette University, located in Milwaukee, has announced that all eligible students will need to have received a booster shot of the COVID vaccine by February 1.
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The Mayor of Green Bay is asking for sanctions against Michael Gableman, with the Wisconsin Office of Special Counsel, for his actions in the election investigation. Eric Genrich’s attorney Jeffrey Mandell made the request in Waukesha County Circuit Court, claiming Gableman made “incorrect statements.”
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Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch on Wednesday released her first campaign ad in 2022, pledging to allow in-person learning in the state.
The video, entitled “Open Schools,” knocked incumbent Governor Toney Evers for allowing districts across the state to remain closed and force students to learn virtually.
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Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) responded after backlash regarding his view on COVID vaccines. Johnson said, “I won’t apologize for being in awe of creation or for the assumption that immunity from COVID infection might outperform immunity created in a lab.”
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A new statewide Wisconsin law will now require law enforcement officers to stop other officers from using excessive force. TMJ4 reported that this law has been in effect in the city of Milwaukee since 2013, but the data on its effectiveness is “inconclusive.”
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Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) criticized distance learning, saying that it’s “not a substitute” for in-person learning. Gallaher made the comments about distance learning following the announcement that Milwaukee and Madison schools reverted to online schooling for the first several days back after Christmas break.
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Multiple Wisconsin school districts on Monday announced a return to remote learning for students, citing a spike in positive coronavirus cases.
School systems in two of the state’s largest cities, Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), detailed that students will be forced to learn from computer screens when the new semester begins.
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) on Thursday urged students to return to masking amid a surge in positive coronavirus cases.
As most classes are scheduled to begin in January, DHS recommended wearing a mask, even if it is not required by the school district. Furthermore, the officials advocated for vaccinations and a quarantine period if exposed.
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The Wisconsin Office of Special Counsel election investigator Michael Gableman filed 70 subpoenas in the Wisconsin election investigation in a surprise move. As reported by The Western Journal, Gableman filed subpoenas for state entities, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), state employees, mayoral staffers, and IT departments.
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A severe childcare shortage is affecting Dodge County in Wisconsin. Some practitioners are telling parents that if they don’t line up child care immediately after finding out they are pregnant, it might not be available when the time comes.
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Three Wisconsin urgent care clinics within the Advocate Aurora Health network were closed down temporarily due to staffing shortages. A spokesperson for the clinics told The Minnesota Sun that the closures are due to “managing the COVID surge combined with staffing shortages.”
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A letter, dated December 21, from the St. Croix County Public Health Department threatens legal action against residents who do not quarantine properly after testing positive for COVID. The letter goes on to detail all the recommended “voluntary” actions the person should take following a positive COVID test.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Tuesday pardoned 30 individuals that were convicted for a host of violations, including drug distribution.
With the added numbers, Evers has now released 337 convicted criminals in his first three years leading the state.
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State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) on Monday launched a campaign for mayor of Milwaukee, joining a crowded field of more than a half dozen individuals.
Taylor made the announcement following her decision to suspend her campaign for Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor.
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Wisconsin’s financial picture continues to improve.
Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday said the state is ending the most recent fiscal year with a $1.8 billion surplus.
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The freshman Wisconsin Republican congressman who traveled to witness the mass migration through Panama’s Darien Gap told The Wisconsin Star President Joseph R. Biden Jr., is responsible for thousands of deaths and other abuses suffered by migrants he invited to the United States.
“What’s very clear is that every state is how a border state and people are being resettled across America—it doesn’t matter if they are coming from across the Southern Border, part of the Afghanistan evacuation—these migrations are going to affect every community,” said Rep. Timothy P. Tiffany, who sits on the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee.
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Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) announced on Thursday that she will suspend her campaign for Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor.
According to a statement provided by Taylor, she believes she may serve best in a separate position to have a “direct impact on the concerns of constituents.”
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Former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett officially resigned from his position on Wednesday, allowing Common Council President Cavalier Johnson to become acting mayor of the city.
Barrett’s resignation, which was initiated by accepting a position in the Biden administration, allowed the Common Council to formally adopt a timeline for a special election to replace Barrett.
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The City of Waukesha has announced that they will be removing the memorial that had been erected for the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade killing. The city said that they will be removing the items on Wednesday, accompanied by a ceremony. According to Wisc News, the city will be considering requests to install a permanent memorial sometime in the new year.
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A Wisconsin school district walked back its original claim, admitting that one student did access “inappropriate content,” according to a statement from the district provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“Following a report in November of a misconfiguration of Securly on our KG-1st grade iPads when used at home, the District has concluded its investigation that revealed only one device out of 1,200 iPads accessed inappropriate content,” according to an email from Elmbrook Public Relations that was sent to families and staff Wednesday. “We appreciate the parent who brought this to our attention and our technology team’s fast response to resolve the problem before it became a bigger concern.”
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The parents of two Wisconsin college students who died from fentanyl overdoses are speaking out, calling it a “public health crisis.” The two students who died in unrelated incidents were freshmen, living in the same dorm at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Madison.
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Not everyone is convinced UW-Madison’s chancellor warrants a $900,000 annual salary.
UW Regents this week voted to increase the salary ranges for most top leaders.
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A complaint filed with Gov. Tony Evers (D) seeks the removal of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm who approved the low bail for the alleged Waukesha parade killer Darrell Brooks. “The devastation resulting from Chisholm’s dereliction of duty to protect the public has reached outside the borders of Milwaukee County,” the complaint reportedly says.
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Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly are looking to a younger woman as their next leader.
Democratic lawmakers on Monday unanimously elected Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, as their new Minority Leader.
Neubauer is 30-years-old, she replaces 48-year-old Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, who has served in the legislature for 15 years.
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It’s now the Wisconsin Assembly’s turn to consider what to do with the staggering 55,000 regulations for hunting and trapping in the state.
The Assembly’s Committee on Sporting Heritage on Wednesday held a hearing on AB 676, which would require the state’s Department of Natural Resources toss three regulations for every new rule it puts into place.
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There is a growing list of people and groups who are not fans of the idea to scrap Wisconsin’s personal income tax.
Former Gov. Scott Walker, University of Wisconsin economist Noah Williams, and a host of conservative reform groups on Thursday proposed eliminating Wisconsin 6.27% personal income tax and replacing the lost revenue with a slight increase in the state’s sales tax.
Walker, and Williams’ analysis, say most Wisconsin taxpayers will save about $1,700 a year with that swap.
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The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to a position in the Biden administration as U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.
Barrett, who has served in the position since 2004, is expected to vacate his role by the end of the year while transitioning to the new job.
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The nationwide truck driver shortage is leading to instant hires for some truckers graduating from Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). “We have 50 to 75 employers that hire our students the day after graduation,” said Douglass Clarks-Pritchard, a trucking instructor at WCTC. “Several students in my last class, they were hired before they even completed the class.”
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