The Joint Finance Committee continued its work on the 2019-2021 biennial state budget this week by debating the education portion of the budget. The committee approved increasing state funding for the University of Wisconsin system by $93 million over the biennium. JFC also voted to successfully continue the widely praised UW-System tuition freeze for in-state students. The tuition freeze, first implemented under Governor Walker, is estimated to have saved the average student $6,000 over four years. With the cost of higher education increasing across the country, the tuition freeze provides Wisconsin students and their families a much needed financial reprieve.
Additionally, the Joint Finance Committee discussed funding for our criminal justice system resulting in an increase in the number of prosecutors statewide, increasing compensation for prosecutors and public defenders, and increasing compensation to private attorneys who take public defender assignments. I was happy to see Forest County in my district will receive an additional District Attorney through JFC’s recent investment. These efforts will contribute to safer communities by further supporting a fair and speedy criminal justice process.
The Joint Finance Committee.
Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation
The Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation met this week for a public hearing. On the agenda was Assembly Bill 134, related to funding amounts obligated under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program for water infrastructure projects in state parks.
The bill would require the Department of Natural Resources to spend up to $5,200,000 in authorized but unobligated Stewardship funds to complete critical healthy and safety-related water infrastructure projects in Wisconsin’s state parks. The bill also provides an additional $300,000 in spending authority for additional projects. Anticipated projects include replacing water fountains, repairing water lines and plumbing fixtures, and constructing new sanitary facilities throughout our great state parks.
With a successful public hearing, the bill will now be eligible to be voted on in the committee in an executive session at the discretion of the committee Chairman.
The Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
Wisconsin Turns 171!
May 29thmarked Wisconsin’s 171stBirthday! On that day in 1848 President James K. Polk signed a bill making Wisconsin the 30th state in the Union. I am proud to call this great state home and believe that our best days still lie ahead!
In honor of Wisconsin’s Birthday, Wisconsin Eye featured a short video on our great State Capitol titled “Treasurers Beneath the Dome.” Please click here to watch the video.
Free Weekend in Wisconsin
The first full weekend in June is Free Weekend in Wisconsin! The following outdoors activities are free for Wisconsin residents and visitors alike!
* Free entry to state parks and forests * Free fishing * Free DNR trails * Free ATV/UTV riding on public trails open to such uses
This past weekend I was honored to have been asked to speak at Rhinelander’s Memorial Day ceremony. While Memorial Day is always a somber occasion, I was proud to see so many in the community come out to support our fallen American heroes.
The ceremony was held at Rhinelander High School. Great to see so many take time to pay their respect to our fallen service members.
Honored to have been asked to give remarks at the ceremony.
A special thanks to the Rhinelander High School Band and Show Choir who performed throughout the ceremony.
I also had the opportunity to attend the annual Veterans Ceremony at Union Grove Cemetery in Harshaw. The event also drew a large crowd, and I would like to thank the organizers for putting on another tremendous event in honor of our fallen soldiers.
Our nation will be forever grateful to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. Thank you to all who wear the uniform.
The event included a helicopter flyover tribute in honor of our fallen.
Great to see such a large Memorial Day crowd in Harshaw.
This weekend, June 1-2, is Free Fun Weekend in Wisconsin when no state park admission stickers or trail passes are required, and people may fish without fishing licenses or state trout stamps. Non-resident all-terrain vehicle operators do not need a non-resident trail pass to ride state ATV trails this weekend.
More than a dozen fishing clinics will be held at properties across the state, including one at Governor Dodge where you can learn to prepare your catch for a fish fry. Pike Lake is holding discovery day with geocaching, archery, kayak demos and more. There is a National Trail Day Celebration on the Red Cedar. On Sunday enjoy breakfast in the park at Harrington Beach and Richard Bong is holding a family fair along with a fish shocking demonstration, a method used by biologists to assess fish populations. With a new moon, this should be a great weekend to view the Milky Way at Wisconsin's only dark sky park, Newport in Door County.
Rivers are still running high so the waterfalls at northern state parks and forests are still spectacular. Staff at Pattison State Park counted almost 1,400 vehicles over Memorial Day with a lot of people enjoying the beautiful weather and waterfalls.
With the high amounts of rain and flooding this spring, trout and bass fishing on inland streams and rivers has been difficult. Fisheries crews are just finishing up spring electrofishing surveys in the Wautoma area and were finding bass are on their beds. Bluegills are starting to feel the warming waters and getting ready to start their spawning.
There was heavy fishing pressure over the weekend on Green Bay with many anglers prefishing for an upcoming walleye tournament. Early week weather included winds that increased wave action to rolling waves and whitecaps especially at the mouth of the Fox River.
There was little fishing pressure this week on the bayside of Door County. Anglers fishing from shore were catching smallmouth bass, including a few 5-pounders. Lakeside fishing pressure was focused out of Rowleys Bay, where anglers reported averaging 10 to 25 smallmouth bass caught per boat.
Lake Michigan again had some strong wind and waves over the last week but conditions improved for the holiday weekend. Although the weather was nice the fish did not want to work with the anglers. There were some lake trout caught out of Kewaunee and Two Rivers. Most boats out of Milwaukee were pleasure boaters, but the fishing boats that came in reported hit-or-miss success with lake trout, coho and steelhead.
Fawns are starting to be seen following after their mothers. Black bears and cubs are being seen along roads in the north. Turtles will soon be laying eggs.
Trillium are still in full bloom in Door County along with dwarf lake iris, bellwort and columbine and yellow lady slipper orchids are starting to bud. Juneberry and pin cherry are in bloom at the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest.
The past week saw a shift in peak migration activity finally bringing big numbers of warblers to northern counties. Loon chicks are hatching, great horned and barred owls, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, and hooded mergansers are fledging young.
Community Events
Please click the following links for upcoming community events!
