March 3, 2016

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As we approach the final session day of the year, Democrats in the legislature continue to push for common sense reforms that will help working families across our state. Republicans are planning to adjourn the legislative session for the year on March 15, so time is running out to address important school funding, student loan debt, infrastructure and health care issues.

This e-update highlights solar developments, recent poverty level figures, 2016 Youth Art Month at the capitol, the weekly Democratic radio address, the local business of the week and more.

I hope you find this information helpful, and don't forget to get out and enjoy all of the fun upcoming events in western Wisconsin!

Sincerely,

Jennifer K. Shilling
State Senator | 32nd District

Dairyland, Xcel announce plans to double Wisconsin's solar capacity

Western Wisconsin will see an influx of new jobs and economic development as a result of significant investments in solar power by local utility providers. Dairyland Power Cooperative announced a major investment in twelve new Wisconsin-based solar power facilities recently while Xcel Energy unveiled their plan to create Wisconsin’s largest community solar garden project.

I applaud these investment in solar power generation and the ongoing commitment from Dairyland Power and Xcel Energy to develop local, renewable energy solutions. These forward-looking projects are welcome news for workers, families and communities across western Wisconsin.

With an already diverse portfolio of renewable energy sources including wind, biomass, biogas, hydro and solar, Dairyland Power and Xcel Energy have contributed enormously to our region’s economic success. By continuing to invest in 21st century sustainable energy upgrades, we can improve utility services, support new economic opportunities and reduce our state's carbon footprint.

You can read more about the announcement here.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Poverty across Wisconsin reaches highest level in 30 years

Poverty in Wisconsin hit its highest level in 30 years during the five-year period ending in 2014, even as the nation's economy was recovering from the Great Recession, according to a trend analysis of U.S. census data just released by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

The number of Wisconsin residents living in poverty averaged 13% across that post-recession time frame — the highest since 1984, according to the analysis by UW-Madison's Applied Population Laboratory. In 1984, the poverty rate peaked at 15.5% as the nation was recovering from a double-dip recession.

The UW-Madison analysis dovetails with an unrelated study that identified pockets of the country faring worse as the economic recovery gains some traction, released Thursday by a national nonprofit research group in Washington, D.C.

That study, by the Economic Innovation Group, found the gap between the richest and poorest American communities widening, and ranked Milwaukee the seventh most distressed city in America, with 52% of the population considered economically distressed.

Poverty increased more dramatically across Wisconsin than in many other states, though 46 of the 50 states saw a significant increase in total population living in poverty between the five-year periods ending in 2009 and 2014, according to the UW-Madison analysis.

A five-year rolling average is considered more reliable and precise data than a year-to-year comparison. Five-year estimates also are the only census data available at the county and neighborhood level; one-year estimates are available for the state as a whole and the city of Milwaukee.

Using the five-year measure, poverty went up in both urban and rural parts of Wisconsin. It went up at every level of educational achievement, and across the employment spectrum.

You can read more here.
 

Supper Clubs Throughout Wisconsin

Supper clubs are a staple of Wisconsin culture, and Travel Wisconsin has put together this great list of supper clubs across the state. Be sure to check out Rocky's Supper Club in Stoddard, WI for an excellent dining experience! Rocky's prides itself in using fresh ingredients and homemade family recipes, including their famous bleu cheese dressing, potato salad and coleslaw.

Enjoy your authentic Wisconsin Fish Fry and Brandy Old Fashioned!

2016 Youth Art Month

Students from across the state have their artwork on display in the Capitol rotunda as part of Wisconsin Art Education Association Youth Art Month. It is great to see such talent coming from Western Wisconsin!

Artist: Kendrea Greenheck

Title: "Self Portrait"

School: La Crosse Central High School

Artist: Rachel Klinkner
Title: "Country Bouquet"
School: Cashton Middle School

Weekly Democratic Radio Address:

"Keeping children and communities safe"

Senator Lena Taylor (Milwaukee) recently offered the Democratic radio address. In her radio message, Sen. Taylor highlighted child safety concerns and under-staffing issues in Wisconsin correctional institutions.

“After more than four years of allegations of child abuse, assaults and worsening safety conditions, it’s time for Gov. Walker and Republican legislators to join Democrats in addressing this crisis. The time is now." - Sen. Lena Taylor

The audio file of last week’s address can be found here: http://media2.legis.wisconsin.gov/multimedia/Sen04/sentaylorradio_2.25.16.mp3

Local Business of the Week!

I always enjoy visiting locally owned businesses and nonprofits throughout the 32nd Senate District and will be highlighting a different local businesses in each e-update. This week I am featuring Star Valley Flowers!

Starting out small on two acres in 1986, owner John Zehrer always had a love for horticulture. The son of a farmer, John first dabbled in bee-keeping and dairy farming in California and Wisconsin before starting Star Valley like many other cut flower farms, producing annuals and perennials.

Later on, John partnered with longtime friend Phil Mueller and they found their niche growing specialty cut flowers. Consisting primarily of woody ornamentals and perennials, Star Valley now has a year-round offering to the floral, landscape, and events trades.

With 165 acres in production and with Chicago as their primary transportation hub, products are shipped as far west as Honolulu and as far east as Boston. Star Valley is the largest entirely field-grown cut flower producer in the Midwest – with no greenhouses, minimized fossil fuel use, and stringent soil conservation practices for hilly terrain.

So be sure to look out for these arrangements from one of the Driftless Region's finest farms. Thank you to the folks at Star Valley Flowers, we appreciate you planting your business in our community!
 

News Across the State

Wisconsin State Journal: Scott Walker signs 46 bills, including ban on county execs serving in Legislature

Gov. Scott Walker signed 46 bills on Monday, including a ban on county executives serving concurrently in the Legislature. -Read Full Article

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin uses Affordable Care Act but rejects funding for it

Wisconsin's decision last week to challenge a fee imposed by the Affordable Care Act set up a comparison not lost on advocates who support the law. The fee has cost the state about $23 million so far. In contrast, Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature's opposition to the law is projected to cost $678.6 million in state tax dollars through the 2017 fiscal year.  -Read Full Article

New York Times: Gov. Walker Resumes His War on Workers

What’s a politician to do after his ballyhooed campaign for the Republican presidential nomination flames out before the first vote is cast? In the case of Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, it means returning home to the anti-labor obsession that got him noticed in the first place — and signing into law, less than two weeks ago, a “reform” plan that promises to gut much of the state’s historic Civil Service system. -Read Full Article

Wisconsin State Journal: Thousands of students, workers amass at Capitol for 'Day Without Latinos and Immigrants'
Angered by bills in the state Legislature they consider anti-immigrant, thousands of Latinos and their allies descended Thursday on the state Capitol in what they hoped would be a persuasive show of unity and opposition. -Read Full Article

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley: Uncle who served at Iwo Jima unable to vote

A state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday urged Gov. Scott Walker to allow people to use veterans ID cards to vote after her uncle who fought at Iwo Jima was unable to cast a ballot in last week's primary election. -Read Full Article

USDA Seeks Grant Applications to Support Rural Businesses and Create Jobs

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Wisconsin State Director, Stan Gruszynski, announced that USDA is seeking applications for grants to support rural businesses and help create jobs.

“Our mission is to support and contribute to the economic viability of rural communities and help them build toward the future,” Gruszynski said. “Too often, rural businesses and the communities they serve lack access to the capital and resources they need to grow and thrive. These grants will help remedy that and provide access to planning, mentoring and other services that can help to ensure their success.”

Under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program funds can be used to acquire or develop land, buildings, plants and equipment; build or improve access roads, parking areas, utility extensions, and water and waste disposal facilities; provide technical assistance; establish revolving loan funds; and to support rural distance learning programs for educational or job training.

Eligible applicants include:
• Public bodies
• Government entities
• Federally-recognized Tribes
• Non-profit organizations
 

For example, Vernon Economic Development Association (VEDA), in Viroqua, WI, successfully assisted five businesses with a $43,000 grant award, creating and saving 27 local jobs in the process. The organization’s Food Enterprise Center, a state-of-the-art value-added food processing, aggregation, and distribution facility used grant funds to provide technical assistance to the small, rural businesses utilizing the Center.

You can read more here.

Action from the Capitol

Top Photo: Recently the Eagle Scouts representing communities throughout Wisconsin delivered the 2016 Boy Scouts of America Report to the State. Congratulations to Justin Holten from La Crosse Central High School, you did a great job!

Bottom Photo: Rep. Jill Billings, Rep. Steve Doyle and I had a great time meeting with the La Crosse Area Builders Association recently to discuss ways to improve and expand our communities. I would also like to thank the Wisconsin Builders Association for presenting me with a 2016 "Friend of Housing" award!

Wisconsin DNR updates

News from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway draft master plan available for review
The draft master plan for the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, including Tower Hill State Park, is now available for public review and comment through April 8, 2016. - Read Full Article

Donations to Endangered Resources Fund double the difference for rare prairies
For nearly a quarter century, Bob Swartz and other directors of the Paul E. Stry Foundation have helped save bluff prairies in Wisconsin and other nature areas by donating money directly to the Endangered Resources Fund. - Read Full Article

Head to the MacKenzie Center April 2 for this year's Maple Syrup Festival

Free guided tours of the sugar bush, demonstrations of how to tap a maple tree for sap and how to make syrup are among the fun-filled activities planned at the annual Maple Syrup Festival at the MacKenzie Center near Poynette. - Read Full Article

City tree champions from throughout Wisconsin lauded for outstanding community service

Six individuals and organizations earned recognition from the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council for their efforts to protect, preserve and increase the number of trees that line city streets, fill community parks and beautify neighborhoods throughout the state. - Read Full Article

2017 state park sticker design contest open

Wisconsin high school students have until April 13, 2016 to submit entries for the 2017 Wisconsin state park sticker design contest. The contest is open to all high school age students (ninth through twelfth grades) attending public, private or parochial schools in Wisconsin. - Read Full Article

DNR invites entries for trout and salmon stamp contests

Trout and salmon have been capturing the imagination of artists since at least the time of early cave paintings in France some 14,000 years ago, scholars say.
Will your fish art make modern history? - Read Full Article

Recently Introduced Legislation

If you are interested in legislation that is being introduced, the Wisconsin Legislative website posts bills as they are being introduced in the Senate and Assembly. Check it out and stay informed!  

 

Calendar of Events

I apologize if any upcoming events in the area were left off. If you would like me to include an event in future e-updates, please email me the date, location and a website with details.

Senator Jennifer Shilling
P.O. Box 7882 - Madison, WI 53707

phone: 608.266.5490   

email: sen.shilling@legis.wi.gov

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