Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in the Wisconsin Dells. The conference brings together local leaders, tourism experts, industry stakeholders and legislators from around the state to promote all the great things Wisconsin has to offer. I was happy to see the new Secretary-Designee of the Department of Tourism, Sara Meaney, outline her vision to move tourism in Wisconsin forward. Tourism is an integral part of the Northwoods economy, and the amount of recreational opportunities we can enjoy is unparalleled. The tourism industry has seen remarkable growth over the past few years, and I remain committed to building upon that progress to promote the Northwoods as the premier vacation destination in the state of Wisconsin.
Great crowd as usual for the conference!
Great to meet with members of the St. Germain, Rhinelander, Minocqua and Vilas County Chambers of Commerce.
Rep. Swearingen with members of the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce.
Rep. Swearingen with Phelps Chamber of Commerce Director Celeste Hendrickson.
Wisconsin State Building Commission
This week saw the Wisconsin State Building Commission meet to take up Governor Evers’ proposed $2.5 billion capital budget. The capital budget encompasses a two year plan to fund state buildings, building repairs and renovations, and new construction. The Governor’s proposal is the largest in 20 years and calls for $2 billion in bonding.
Due to the excessive and unsustainable amount of bonding included in the Governor’s proposal, I along with my Assembly Republican and Senate colleagues offered twice a motion to move the Governor’s recommendations for the 2019-21 Capital Budget to the Joint Committee on Finance, without recommendation of the Building Commission. The Democrats rejected our motion-a plan that would have forwarded the Governor’s entire budget on to the next step in the process, simply without a rubber stamped, positive recommendation.
It is unfortunate that Governor Evers is not willing to work with the Republican legislature to address our very real concerns regarding the high level of bonding in the capital budget. I support many of the proposed projects, but we must make sure that we fund them in a responsible manner and don’t pass the burden on to the next generation. While all projects failed to receive a recommendation from the Building Commission, the capital budget will still be taken up by the Joint Finance Committee which will allow for increased public input. The legislature will now vet each proposal and prioritize projects to ensure that a reasonable level of bonding is implemented.
The full Building Commission Meeting.
The Higher Education Sub-Committee took up projects related to the UW system.
Tavern League of Wisconsin Legislative Day
The Tavern League of Wisconsin held their annual Legislative Day in the Capitol this week. As someone who has been in the hospitality industry for over twenty years, I was honored to have been invited to speak in front of hundreds of TLW members. It was great to see many familiar faces, and I enjoyed meeting with constituents and folks from around the state who continue to be integral members of our communities.
Rep. Swearingen speaking to TLW member from around Wisconsin.
Members of the Oneida County Tavern League.
Dan, Connie and Darin from the Sand Lake Pub in Phelps representing the Vilas County Tavern League.
The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations Advocacy Day
Great to meet with folks representing the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations. A very inspiring group came down from my district this week for their annual advocacy day and we had a great discussion on what the state can do to help improve the lives of individuals with various disabilities. I appreciate everyone for stopping by!
A great group of passionate individuals. Thanks for all the work you do and for visiting my office!
Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Legislative Day
I met this week with Jean Wagner, a representative of the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, to discuss the organization’s legislative priorities this session. We had a good discussion regarding the importance of school breakfast programs and healthy options for kids.
Jean Wagner, Sen. Tiffany's Policy Adviser Mitch Ohly, and Rep. Swearingen.
Wisconsin Family Council Meeting
Rod Ankrom, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Rhinelander, stopped by my office this week and offered a prayer for the community. I appreciate the support. Thanks for stopping by!
Rep. Swearingen and Pastor Ankrom in the Capitol Rotunda.
Northland Pines School Group
Students from Northland Pines School District came down to tour the Capitol this week. I hope everyone enjoyed their time in Madison!
A great picture of Eagle River elementary in the Assembly Chambers!
Land O' Lakes Elementary in the Capitol Rotunda.
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Had a lot of fun last weekend at Rhinelander’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Great to see the community come out and celebrate!
Big crowd enjoying the festivities.
A big thank you to the organizers of the parade. Looking forward to next year!
Discover Wisconsin Florence County Video
Discover Wisconsin filmed this beautiful segment in Florence County, WI featuring 4-seasons of outdoor activities. Florence County has a lot to offer and Discover Wisconsin did a great job highlighting all the recreational opportunities available. Please click the picture below or here to view the video.
For current statewide information on statewide snow conditions, log onto the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR).
Spring officially arrived March 20 with the vernal equinox and temperatures leading into it were very spring like, bringing a close to much of the outdoor winter recreation across the state.
Snowmobile trails now remain open in only a handful of northern counties on the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR) and more are expected to close with warm weather this week. Many state parks and forests have discontinued ski trail grooming, so even if a spring snowstorm arrives most trails will not be groomed. Most mountain bike and horse trails are closed and will remain closed until they dry out. There is still up to 2 feet or more of snow in some northern counties, making it a great time to get out and explore on snowshoes, which are a must for trekking out in the woods.
Flood waters were rampant last week in some areas of southern Wisconsin but many went down over the weekend. As of March 20, the Trempealeau River had dropped to minor flood stage and the Crawfish, Rock, Fox and Manitowoc rivers were expected to remain in moderate flood stage through next week.
Rain events during the week and warming temperatures pretty much cleared the snow cover off the ice of Green Bay making for slippery foot travel. Perch season closed on March 15 for Green Bay and its tributaries and anglers fishing the final day of the perch season report catching decent catches of keeper perch. There are still some anglers fishing for whitefish, walleye and northern pike along the east and west shore, but action was slow. The Oconto River is open and anglers were trying their luck for walleye and salmon, with reports of some salmon caught. The Fox River is also open and walleye were being caught there.
Ice fishermen have continued to use the south portion of the lagoon at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee but that ice will very soon be too thin for this to safely occur. They have been pulling some rather large brown trout out of the lagoon in high numbers. The harbor and Lake Michigan side at the park is open-water fishing already.
With the warmer weather squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, and deer have been out in abundance as well. Snowshoe hare coats are turning brown; river otters are giving birth; grouse have started drumming; and maple sap is flowing. Whitetail does and elk cows are getting heavy with fawns and calves, as they are in their third trimester of pregnancy. Otters are being seen feasting on fish and muskrats are out chewing on cattails.
Bonus turkey harvest authorizations, previously known as leftover permits, went on sale this week. After zone-specific sales, all remaining turkey harvest authorizations for all zones will be made available for purchase at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23.
With the arrival of spring, bird migration is on in full force. Sandhill cranes, red-winged blackbirds, killdeer, robins, and common grackles have arrived in earnest. Great blue herons, eastern bluebirds, and eastern meadowlarks have also returned, as well as the first eastern phoebes, song sparrows, white pelicans, and common loons.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - Spring is trying to come to the snow laden Northwoods. A few brave trumpeter swans and Canada geese have been sighted on the little open water available. A muskrat was spotted chewing on a cattail not anywhere near running water! Over knee deep snow is still making snowshoes a must for trekking out in the woods and outdoor enthusiasts need to be aware of extreme conditions from day to day during this breakup of the weather. - Rosalie Richter, visitor services associate
Community Events
Please click the following links for upcoming community events!
