I hope the time change did not start your Monday out more difficult than it needed to be, and that you had a great weekend despite it.
Last week at the capitol, the Governor signed several bills into law, the Jefferson Middle School Orchestra shared their musical talents in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday, and the Respect Women Act was presented at a press conference on Wednesday. Check out these items and more in this week's e-Update!
If you have any questions or need assistance with any matter, please feel free to contact my office.
Sincerely,
Lisa Subeck State Representative 78th Assembly District
Last Monday, Governor Tony Evers signed SB 500 (now 2019 Act 156), a bipartisan bill I authored with Rep. Jessie Rodriguez to modernize Wisconsin's licensing standards for Respiratory Therapists, into law!
Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCPs) provide vital respiratory care to thousands of Wisconsinites across the state suffering from a variety of lung diseases including asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and pediatric asthma. All four of those diseases have risen in recent years.
Wisconsin statutes outline accreditation and education standards that have not been updated in several years. With nearly 3,000 licensed RCPs in Wisconsin providing necessary, quality respiratory care, it is important that our statutes reflect changes in the field.
This legislation made the following minor changes to properly reflect current standards in the respiratory healthcare setting:
Eliminate the temporary RCP certificate created in 1991 when temporary licenses were needed to allow RCPs to continue practicing while awaiting test results that were tabulated manually.
Update the RCP examination name to “Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination by the National Board for Respiratory Care,” the current test used to become a RCP.
Update accreditation qualifications for Wisconsin-based institutions that provide respiratory care curriculum.
Last Week in Review Gov. Evers signed several bipartisan bills this week. The bills include supporting the safety of students, taking crucial steps to address the opioid, heroin, and methamphetamine crisis in Wisconsin, and encouraging local investments across the state. The full list of the bills can be seen here.
Also this week, legislative Democrats introduced the Respect Women Act to improve women's access to safe health care. One bill keeps politicians out of the exam room by repealing unnecessary abortion restrictions that are not grounded in medical science or widely accepted medical best practices. The other bill ensures all patients receive honest, medically accurate information when seeking health care by preventing politicians from dictating what doctors say to their patients. Wisconsin Democrats want to respect a woman’s ability to make her own health care decisions free from harassment, intimidation, and false information.
This week, Gov. Evers took a major step toward fixing our local roads by announcing that 152 local communities will receive $75 million in grant funding through the Multimodal Local Supplement (MLS) program. The program pays up to 90% of total eligible costs with local governments providing a minimum of 10% cost share. Funds are used for projects statewide related to roads, bridges, bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, railroads and harbors. For over 10 years, Republican leadership have allowed our road infrastructure to decay. Governor Evers and legislative Democrats are committed to taking swift action to build a strong, safe and reliable transportation network. The investment is critical for boosting economic development and creating good-paying jobs.
Reminder for Anglers on Shanty Tear Down Deadlines
Ice anglers are reminded that the last deadline in a series of March dates to remove permanent ice shanties from state waters is Sunday, March 15. Shanties must be removed from waters north of Highway 64 and all other outlying waters by the end of that day. Earlier March deadlines cover inland and boundary waters.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is urging anglers not to wait until the deadlines as possible warming temperatures and early spring rains could complicate removal.
Owners experiencing problems can seek local assistance from fishing clubs, vendors and other anglers. Also, any member of the public who is aware of shanty owners not taking responsibility for their shanties should contact the DNR Violation Hotline by calling or texting 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800-847-9367.
Deadlines to remove shelters help eliminate spring shoreline litter and boating dangers this spring. Abandoning the shelter or burning the shelter atop the ice does not satisfy the deadline. The debris then goes into the waterbody, impacting water quality.
After the shanty removal deadlines pass, anglers can continue to use portable ice fishing shelters if they feel the ice is safe - as long as they remove their shelters daily and when they are not actively used. Remember to consult with local fishing clubs, bait shops and outfitters who know the local ice conditions. Permanent shelters, meaning those normally not removed daily from the ice, must be removed from the ice no later than the specified removal date for that water body.
All ice fishing shelters must be removed from the ice daily and when not in use by these dates:
Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, and inland waters north of Highway 64 by the first Sunday following March 12.
Inland waters south of Highway 64 by the first Sunday following March 1.
Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters by March 15.
Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters by March 1.
The deadline for Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters was Feb. 20.
Wisconsin Air National Guard to Conduct PM Training Flights
The 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard will be conducting evening training flights Monday, March 9, 2020 through Thursday, March 12, 2020. During this time area residents may see or hear F-16 fighter jets taking off or landing until approximately 9:00 p.m. Training flights normally take place during daylight hours, but pilots and maintenance personnel are required to conduct nighttime operations as a part of their overall readiness. Pilots will follow flight paths designed to minimize noise to area residents. The 115th Fighter Wing appreciates the overall support we have from the citizens of Wisconsin and the greater Madison area as we continue to train in support of our state and federal missions.
In 1895 sculptress Jean Pond Miner received an unusual honor for a woman of her day: her seven-foot tall allegorical statue "Forward" was given a prominent position at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Miner completed her statue in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, fulfilling a commission to create art representative of her native state. "Forward" is an allegory of devotion and progress, qualities Miner felt Wisconsin embodied.
Miner was born in Menasha, Wisconsin in 1865 and grew up in Madison. She graduated from Downer College in Fox Lake and continued her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. Though she had planned to become a portrait painter, her classes with famous sculptor Lorado Taft convinced her to change her emphasis. In 1893, both Taft and the Janesville Ladies Afternoon Club recommended her for an artist-in-residence position at the Columbian Exposition.
Miner created "Forward" after the fire in her studio went out one night and the cold temperature completely destroyed another statue she was just about to cast. Later, though she had originally planned to cast "Forward" in copper, her funds ran out and the statue remained in its bronze form.
A souvenir pamphlet from the Exposition described the statue as follows: "'Forward', which stands at the south end of the main lobby [of the Wisconsin building], is the work of Miss Jean Miner, of Madison, Wis., and represents a female figure standing upon the prow of a boat, the figure-head of which is 'Old Abe.' The boat is surging through the water, and the figure, poised gracefully but firmly upon the prow, stretches forth the right hand, while the left clasps the American flag to its bosom."
In 1895 the statue was placed at the east entrance of the State Capitol. In 1916, the State rededicated "Forward" and moved it to the North Hamilton Street Entrance where it remained until 1995. Unfortunately, the delicate bronze had suffered in its 100 years of outdoor exposure. Despite major conservation treatment in 1990, the prognosis for preservation of the statue out-of-doors was not favorable.
Wisconsin women, who had raised the funds for the creation of "Forward" in 1893, provided the means for the figure's long-term preservation as well. Led by Wisconsin's first lady Sue Ann Thompson and Camille Haney, women from across the state funded the creation of a bronze replica of "Forward" (now displayed at the west entrance to Capitol Square at the end of State Street) and the conservation and relocation of the original work to an indoor location at the Wisconsin Historical Society's Headquarters building, where it was installed in 1998.
Jean Pond Miner married Alonzo J. Coburn in Madison in 1896. She continued to create sculpture and worked in a studio at her son's Wilmette, Illinois residence until about a week before her death at the age of 101 in 1967. via WI Historical Society
Things happening in the district & around Madison:
Mindful Moments Monday, March 9, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM Sequoya Library 4340 Tokay Blvd., Madison
Mindfulness is the art of paying attention, of listening to your heart. Rather than worrying about the future or ruminating about the past, mindfulness can help you enjoy life more fully, effectively and peacefully. Join us when you can to learn simple mindfulness and meditation techniques that can be incorporated into your everyday routine to reduce your stress and increase your well-being. Experience in mindfulness or meditation is not necessary. The group is led by Gloria Green.
2020 Census Applicant Days - Work for the Census! Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2 PM - 6 PM Central Library 201 W Mifflin St., Madison
April 1, 2020 is Census Day and only 2 weeks from now! The Census Bureau needs to hire a lot of Madison residents to ensure a complete count of everyone who lives here - especially people who will not initially participate by phone, mail, or website. Recruiters from the U.S. Census will be spreading awareness and helping people apply on the spot with Applicant Days. Following up with every missed individual requires the work of many Census Takers. It's a great part-time job that will pay $22/hour in Dane County. (ages 18 and up)
Seed Starting Wednesday, March 11, 2020 6 PM - 7 PM Verona Public Library 500 Silent St., Verona
Starting garden plants from seed can be a rewarding activity. A certified Master Gardener Volunteer will give you a solid foundation for growing your own garden plants from seeds.
You will:
Learn tips for successful seed starting
Learn how to purchase seeds, plant and care for them until they are ready to be planted outdoors
Leave feeling confident in your abilities to start seeds right in your own home.
Presented in partnership with the Sugar River Gardeners.
Knitting at the Library Thursday, March 12, 2020 3 PM - 4:30 PM Meadowridge Library 5726 Raymond Rd., Madison
Learn to knit or bring your current project. Supplies provided. Children under 8 must have an adult present.
Fabulous Friday Features: The Upside (PG-13) Friday, March 13, 2020 6 PM - 8 PM Alicia Ashman Library 733 N. High Point., Madison
Starring Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston & Nicole Kidman A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia and an unemployed man with a criminal record whos hired to help him.
Trinity Irish Dancers Saturday, March 14, 2020 2 PM Middleton Public Library - Archer Room 7425 Hubbard Ave., Middleton
Trinity Irish Dance has been sharing the power, grace and joy of traditional Irish Dancing since 1982. Come ready to be amazed at the complexity of the movements & rhythms!
