Tuesday was an exciting day on the Capitol square: the much-beloved statues of Army Colonel Hans Christian Heg (a Civil War hero who raised a regiment of Wisconsin volunteers to fight for our Union and who fell leading them) and "Forward" (a symbol of Wisconsin's lead role in the women's suffrage movement) were reinstalled in their rightful places.  Both statues were extensively damaged by rioters last summer, but a combination of federal grant monies and private donations paid for their restoration.  I'm hopeful that many more generations will enjoy these physical reminders of the values that Wisconsinites hold dear.

Recently, we've all been reminded that first responders deliver indispensable services in our communities and deserve our recognition for their readiness to answer duty's call.  This fall, the Legislature will honor these men and women (professional and volunteer alike) in a special ceremony at the Capitol, and I need your help with this!  I'm requesting nominations for recognizing someone who serves Sheboygan County with our "First Responder of the Year" award.  More details and instructions for sending me a nomination are available on my website.

Finally, I can't help but point out the tremendous opportunity that is upon us in the Sheboygan area this week with the Ryder Cup golf tournament underway.  The best statistic I could find suggests that the total economic impact of France's 2018 Ryder Cup event was in the ballpark of 236 million euros.  Thank you, in advance, for whatever role you may have in welcoming the world to our backyard!  If you need a few trivia points to impress your friends this weekend, try these:

• There have been a total of six holes-in-one at Ryder Cup tournaments.  The first was in 1973; the two most recent both happened in 2006.

• There have only been three left-handed golfers who have played in a Ryder Cup: Englishman Peter Dawson in 1977 and, more recently, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.

• The oldest player to compete in the Cup was Raymond Floyd, who golfed for the U.S. team in 1993 at age 51.  The youngest was Sergio Garcia, who played for Team Europe in 1999 at age 19.

• Supposedly, folks attending the 2010 Cup at Celtic Manor in the United Kingdom consumed 20,000 pieces of fish and chips, 15,000 quarter-pounder burgers and 132,000 cans of beer.  No word on how many Sheboygan-style brats our British friends served that year.  Challenge accepted.

Best wishes on your weekend!

2021-22 Blue Books Are Here!

As I promised in my most recent newsletter, the new 2021-22 edition of the Wisconsin Blue Book is now available.  The entire 743-page book is accessible, for free, electronically on the Legislature's website.  I also have a supply of hardcover copies (which look really sharp!) available through my office at no cost to you.  Just let me know if you'd like one!  If you've already requested a book, it'll be on its way soon.

The Blue Book is a Wisconsin icon that has been in production since 1853.  It's a terrific reference on all kinds of things: state government, of course, but also such other topics as hunting and fishing harvest numbers, agricultural production, manufacturing and business performance data, school and university enrollment, and so much more.

By the way: I highly recommend that you set aside some time to enjoy this edition's feature article entitled Dueling Governors.  In the weeks following the November 1855 election for Wisconsin governor (which was just the third time our new state had held an election for governor), the Democrat incumbent led the Republican challenger in the official canvass by just 157 votes.  Angry allegations of voter fraud filled the partisan media.  On January 7, 1856, two men were sworn into office, each claiming to be the rightful governor.  The crisis landed in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  And then... you'll have to read the article to learn how things turned out!

Broad Public Input on Redistricting Effort

It is the constitutional duty of the State Legislature, once every ten years after each U.S. Census, to draw the boundaries of the state's political districts.  We, and you, want transparency, checks and balances and cooperation.

To this end, the Legislature has launched a website called "Draw Your District Wisconsin" where we are urging everyone and anyone to provide input on this project.  If you like, you may use the mapping tools to draw an entire set of statewide maps; just one district or one region; or a geographically distinct area with common interests.

With this broad public input, we are confident that we will create a map that the Governor can sign into law.

Office of Representative Terry Katsma
State Capitol, Room 306 East
P.O. Box 8952
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-0656
Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov|  |