March 23, 2018

 

Assembly Passes the School Safety Package

 

I couldn’t be more proud of the way my colleagues and I in the Assembly have come together today to pass this incredibly important legislation.  The School Safety package invests 100 million dollars toward ensuring that school districts throughout Wisconsin have the resources they need in order to ensure the protection of Wisconsin’s youth.

 

 Among the many benefits this package will provide is the creation of the Office of School Safety, under the DOJ, which will work in conjunction with DPI and local schools to develop model school safety plans and provide resources to help implement them.

 

In addition to this, our School Safety Package will require purchasers of rifles and shotguns to go through the same stringent background checks through the state as those who purchase hand guns.  It is vital that we keep all guns out of the hands of dangerous people, regardless of what category the gun falls into.

 

The issue of safety in our schools is a complex problem which demands an equally complex approach.  These bills are not the end of our discussions on school safety but the beginning.  We need to focus both on protecting our children today and working towards preventing school shootings in the future.  After many discussions with the superintendents of the 1st Assembly District, I feel confident that this package of bills is necessary for the security of Wisconsin’s students.  I believe these bills will save lives.

 


Blue Ribbon Commission Hearing

 

The Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding, which I co-chair along with Sen. Luther Olsen, is continuing our tour of the state this coming Monday. The commission is traveling around the state to different regions to hear from local education leaders and members of the public, who have been invited to share their ideas for the school funding formula. I have found these hearings to be incredibly informative so far, and am excited to have one closer to home. The Monday hearing will take place at:

Monday, March 26, 2018

2:00 p.m.

Foth

2121 Innovation Court

De Pere, WI 54115

 

I encourage anyone interested in this issue area to come and share their thoughts with the commission. The hearing will last until 6:00 p.m.


Door Artisan Cheese Co. Wins World Championship!

Earlier this month, Door Artisan Cheese Co.'s Top Hat Cheddar won the world championship in the Natural Rinded Cheddar category! Door Artisan Cheese Co. is a young start-up artisan cheese factory in Egg Harbor. Congratulations to owner Mike Brennenstuhl and Cheesemaker Darrell Demeter for this impressive accomplishment. I have been fortunate enough to visit their facility and can attest to the incredible quality of their products!


Meeting an Olympian Gold Medalist!

This week, the Assembly was visited by several medal-winning Olympians from Wisconsin. I loved the opportunity to meet with these dedicated and inspirational athletes who have made our state and our country proud!

 In the photo above, I am with Alex Rigsby, Captain and goalie of the USA Women's Hockey Team which won gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.


Kewaunee County Ranks 8th Healthiest in the State!

It was recently announced that Kewaunee County ranks 8th out of the 72 counties in Wisconsin in overall health! The County Health Rankings are done by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

For a more comprehensive look at all the rankings, be sure to go to countyhealthranking.org. Congratulations to Kewaunee County!


Unemployment at an All-Time Low

 

This week, Wisconsin's unemployment numbers came out and the latest figures put the state's unemployment rate at 2.9%. This is the lowest it has ever been. The previous low was at 3.0% in mid-1999. This is great news for Wisconsin and a sign that our state is moving in the right direction!


Upcoming District Events!

What: Plum Bottom Demo Drive
Where: Plum Bottom Gallery, 4999 Plum Bottom RD, Egg Harbor, WI
When: March 24, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Details:
"Resident Porcelain artist Chad Luberger opens the doors to his studio. Come see live demonstrations of him at work at the potters wheel."

What: Cabin Fever Fundraiser
Where: Wave Pointe Marina and Resort, 3600 Cty Rd CC, Sturgeon Bay, WI
When: March 24, 1:00pm - 6:00pm
Details: "Featuring John Welch (6-10pm), a 50/50 and paddle raffles. Proceeds benefit B.U.G. Fire Department."

What: Roar Off The Shore
Where: Kewaunee County Fairgrounds, 625 3rd St, Luxemburg, WI
When: March 24, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Details: "The Dyckesville and Kewaunee Lions are pleased to serve you during their 12th Annual Roar off the Shore Brewfest at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds."


In Closing...

Thank you for taking the time to read my E-Update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office. Joe and Stamena look forward to working with you. Also, if you would like a State of Wisconsin 2017-2018 Blue Book or 2017 State Highway map free of charge, just send us an email!

                                Have a great weekend,                   

             Representative Joel Kitchens

 

 

      

As always, if you have any comments or thoughts regarding the subject of this
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State Capitol Room 10 West - PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-5350
Email: Rep.Kitchens@legis.wi.gov