Feature News

(May 20, 2013)...“I strongly supported the bipartisan Wisconsin Stewardship Fund,” a self-described Republican man from Eau Claire wrote to me. "Conservation issues are near and dear to my heart. I will oppose any politician who does not listen to all Wisconsin constituents and give these issues due process."... READ MORE

“There’s a heck of a lot of things they didn’t tell me when I signed on,” admitted the chief of the Governor’s lead jobs agency during a recent hearing before the Joint Committee on Audit.

“In Wisconsin, we don’t make excuses, we get results,” said Governor Walker as quoted by the Associated Press. The governor was unveiling his $75 million budget initiative earlier this year to economic development professionals across the state.

“What’s happening to the UW reserve money?” the woman asked. She was concerned about criticism of the University of Wisconsin. “It seems like they want to attack the UW,” she told attendees at the Mondovi Town Hall Meeting.

“Black River Falls is grappling with high phosphorus in the water,” the woman told me at the Town Hall Meeting. “The phosphorus is coming from farms up river. Why cut funding to conservation staff that help farmers keep manure out of the river?”

(Madison)—All four Democratic members of the Senate Agriculture, Small Business and tourism Committee today called for a public hearing on the recent sale of 9,800 acres of farmland in Grant County to a foreign investor and a provision in Governor Walker’s budget that would eliminate the current 640 acre cap on the sale of land to foreign businesses or individuals.

“Pardon my tardiness,” I told the crowd gathered at a Town Hall Meeting. “I spent 20 minutes stuck in the mud.” Rural folks nodded in understanding. Spring has turned many unpaved roads into mud.

“Why don’t these numbers add up?” the school board member asked me. He was looking at the summary tables on dollars for schools in the new state budget. “Because numbers are missing,” I told him, realizing there are a lot of missing numbers.

Town Hall offers an opportunity to learn and speak out

Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) is seeking citizen input on the proposed 2013-15 State Budget. Kathleen will be hosting five Budget Town Hall Meetings in April.

Madison- State Senator Kathleen Vinehout unveiled a package of five legislative proposals to protect local people’s right to know about sand mines and participate in local decisions to locate a mine.