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News from Nancy

I hope you’re having a great summer so far! In the 70^th district, we're blessed to have extraordinary access to some of the most beautiful parts of our great state in addition to some of the best local festivals and community events around.

Locally, the Tomah Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center has opened a brand new location at 310 N Superior Avenue in Tomah, at the site of the former DNR Ranger Station. I had the chance to attend the grand opening ceremonies and also tour the new location. The new building is amazing and I wish the President and CEO of the Tomah Area Chamber, Tina Thompson, and her team, all the best as they move forward in their new location. We're very fortunate to have such an outstanding group of professionals committed to doing great things for the Tomah and Monroe County Area.

In addition, the Town of Knapp in Jackson County has been certified as a ‘Broadband Forward!’ Community by the state’s Public Service Commission. That’s exciting news! I'm committed to continuing to support efforts to foster greater access to broadband in our rural areas.

Also, Representatives Nerison, Petryk, Pronschinske and I had the opportunity to recognize Brian Winnekins from Durand, for being elected to serve as the president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting for the 2016 term as well as the tremendous contributions he's made to agriculture in our state throughout the entirety of his professional career. We were able to present him with an official citation from the State Legislature and also recognize him on the floor of the State Assembly. You may remember Brian from earlier on in his radio career when he started at WKTY in La Crosse and later moved on to farm radio gigs at WBOG in Tomah and also WCOW in Sparta. Click here for a link to the press release I issued related to the event.

As you may be aware, the state budget has not yet been completed. Negotiations between the Governor, State Senate, and State Assembly are ongoing. Transportation funding, short and long term, as well as how much to borrow vs. how much to pay for up front is the biggest point of disagreement right now between the two houses of the legislature. The Governor has offered a potential compromise and I remain optimistic that we will be able to address transportation issues for the state both in the immediate future as well as long term. I will continue to advocate for transportation solutions for our local and rural roads while still also advocating for the state to be responsible stewards of your hard earned tax dollars.

I’ve spent the first part of this week at the US Army War College. It has been an extremely enlightening and enjoyable experience and I'll look forward to sharing more with you about it in the near future.

I hope you and yours enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to seeing you this weekend at the Monroe County Fair!

Please continue to utilize my legislative website, legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/70/vandermeer, and follow Rep. Nancy VanderMeer on Facebook to communicate with me and receive up to date information and communication.

Sincerely,

VanderMeer Sig.png

Nancy VanderMeer
70th Assembly District Representative

Department of Workforce Development Announces WisConnect - Your Source for Wisconsin Internships

Click on the graphic below to learn more!

As the summer gradually comes to a close and students prepare to head back to campus, it may be a good time to start thinking about internships for the fall. Interns can also be valuable resources for employers seeking to bolster their teams.

Recently, the State Department of Workforce Development announced the creation of WisConnect. WisConnect is a mobile-responsive and user-friendly website designed to help Wisconsin employers create, market and find the best and brightest college talent for internship opportunities throughout the state. The site is open to all college students with an active .edu email address to create an account, upload their resume and search for Wisconsin internship opportunities by geography, college major and more.

Resource for college students include:

Access vital resources on how to search, apply, interview and prepare for an internship position
Search employers by company name and search internship opportunities by location
Upload a resume and other portfolio items such as references, cover letters and more to market themselves to potential employers

WisConnect makes it easy for employers to develop profiles and internship openings that market to college talent. Specific features include:

Employers with existing JobCenterofWisconsin.com profiles can use the same sign in information to access WisConnect; internship openings on JobCenterofWisconsin.com are automatically featured on WisConnect at no charge
Access to key resources and assets to start an internship program and post openings, including options to develop an advanced employer profile
Search for internship candidates by location, by major and by key skills and competencies

August 1 deadline approaches for fall hunting and trapping seasons

Click on the graphic below to learn more!

Aug. 1 is an important deadline for hunters and trappers who wish to pursue wild turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, bobcat, fisher and otter this fall.

Permit applications for fall hunting can be purchased for $3 ($6 for bobcat applications) online at GoWild.wi.gov, at Department of Natural Resources service centers, and at all license agents.

License sales are not available by phone, but live operators at the DNR Call Center are available to answer any questions hunters may have about the permit application process. The call center is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, at 888-WDNR-INFo (1-888-936-7463).

2017 fall season dates are as follows:

Fall wild turkey
Zones 1-5: Sept. 16 through Dec. 31*
Zones 6 & 7: Sept. 16 through Nov. 17
Sharp-tailed grouse: No permits available

Bobcat hunting and trapping:
Period 1: Oct. 14 through Dec. 25
Period 2: Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, 2018
Fisher (trapping only): Oct. 14 through Dec. 31*

Otter (trapping only):
North Zone: Nov. 4 through Apr. 30, 2018
Central & Southern Zones: Nov. 4 through Mar. 31, 2018
*Fall turkey (Zone 1-5) and fisher seasons may extend to Jan 7, 2018 - visit dnr.wi.gov, keywords "hunting regulations" for updates.

Wild Turkey

For fall 2017, 102,100 wild turkey permits are available to hunters, an 800-permit increase from the 2016 levels. Permit availability was increased by 200 in Zone 5 and by 300 in zones 6 and 7 in order to better meet hunter demand and maintain sustainable levels of harvest. Any fall turkey permits remaining after the initial drawing will be available for purchase beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26. Leftover fall turkey permits will be sold by zone until sold out or the season ends.

The 2017 fall season will run from Sept. 16 through Dec. 31 in zones 1-5, with the possibility of an extension through Jan. 7, 2018, pending legislation. For important updates, be sure to search keywords "hunting regulations."

Sharp-tailed Grouse

No sharp-tailed grouse permits or applications will be made available for the 2017 season based on current population data. For more information, search keywords "sharp-tail."

Bobcat, Fisher and River Otter

The statewide harvest quota for bobcat has been approved and set at 750 for the 2017-18 season, which mark the fourth year of statewide bobcat harvest. Hunters and trappers successful in receiving a harvest permit for the 2017-18 season will be notified by mid-September.

The statewide fisher quota for 2017 is 985 (the same level as last season), and a combined 3,535 fisher permits are available within the six Fisher Management Zones. A statewide river otter quota has been set at 2,000, with 9,800 permits available for trappers this season.

Quotas and specific permit levels for each bobcat, fisher and river otter zone are available at keyword "trap."

*All permit levels for bobcat, fisher, and otter are based on success rates from previous years. Drawings will take place in August, with permits issued in September. Applicants can check their online account in mid-September to see if they've been awarded a permit by visiting GoWild.wi.gov.