There is a lot happening at the State Capitol and it is my hope that this email will help you stay in touch with your government. As your Senator I truly believe in public service, so if there's anything my office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us.
In Service,
Senator Lena Taylor
Wisconsin's 4th Senate District
Glendale School Board Meeting
On Monday, Sen. Taylor continued discussions regarding the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake juvenile facilities at a meeting of the Glendale school board. Sen. Taylor was on hand to provide information regarding the entire process since the signing of ACT 185, which called for the closure of the facilities due to abuse, federal lawsuits, and the need for regional care. There have been many concerns raised about the location of this new facility, as the constituents who are affected by its positioning were not offered a voice in the discussions. Intended to house 32 serious-level juvenile offenders, there has been disinformation that the Senator was on hand to address.
Glendale Common Council
On Monday, Sen. Taylor attended a Glendale Common Council meeting. Their agenda include discussion and possible action regarding Governor Evers’ decision to locate a youth detention facility near North Teutonia Avenue and Mill Road. By now many residents have heard of the state’s decision to close the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake juvenile correctional facilities. In an effort to create smaller facilities and closer to the districts that youth are from, a bi-partisan study committee identified seventy state owned land parcels that could be used for this purpose. The committee, by unanimous vote, decided on state land near 74th and Mill Road.
Without consulting the study committee, Governor Evers announced that he had selected a contaminated parcel of land and structure at the Teutonia Avenue location, which is owned by the City of Milwaukee. In addition, impacted residents were not afforded an opportunity to weigh in on the site selection. The council wanted to hear from members of Evers’ cabinet to include Kevin Carr, the Secretary of the Department of Corrections, and also invited legislators like Sen. Taylor who were apart of the study committee. The council felt that the City of Glendale far more will be greatly impacted by the decision, pointing out that the site is adjacent to the Oak Leaf Trail, where bikers, rollerbladers, walkers and runners frequent, is near Glendale businesses and close to a high-density Glendale neighborhood. Council members were rightly upset at the lack of consideration, engagement and notice provided to their residents and governing body. Ultimately, the Glendale Common Council passed a position statement to register its opposition to the proposed site, although it supports the need to close the current juvenile detention centers.
Madison Action Day
On Tuesday, Senator Taylor attended the Madison Action Day. Over 1,000 people from Wisconsin gathered at the State Capitol to advocate and educate representatives about issues in the proposed state budget. The citizens emphasized their lack of support for the budget funding new prisons. They hold that the money being used for the construction of new prisons should be reinvested back into the community. The citizens also aimed to discuss criminal justice reform, increases to public transit, and drivers cards for those without documentation.
Hemp Legislation Meeting in Denver
On Wednesday, Sen. Taylor travelled to Denver, Colorado to participate in a national conference on HEMP. Hemp includes all varieties of the Cannabis genus that contain negligible amounts of THC, the chemical that makes marijuana psychoactive. Hemp actually refers to the industrial, non-drug variant that is cultivated for its fiber, hurd, and seeds. The seed is mainly used in dietary products. Hemp seeds are typically hulled and use in variety of ways. Seeds can be eaten raw, ground into a meal, made into milk, and is even used to make protein powder. Hemp seeds can also be pressed and made into oil. Hemp seed oil can be used as salad dressing, paint, ink, and is a core ingredient in many body care products. When you slice a hemp stalk in half, you’ll see, nestled in a snug hollow tube, a long, string-like band running the length inside. This is hemp’s famous bast fiber. When harvested correctly, the fiber is actually stronger than steel. The stalk and its fiber are used mainly in clothing, construction materials, paper, and more.
Finally, the hurd can be used in two different forms: as untreated and unrefined chunks, it can be used in a wide variety of industrial and everyday products, such as cement, insulation and paper and as a form of pulp, it can be used to make biodegradable plastics that can be easily broken down and recycled. The last running hemp mill shut down in 1957, so there is no historical data to show what yield to expect in Wisconsin. On the other hand, Denver has been a leading player in United States’ hemp industry. The state cultivates the most hemp out of any state with 30,825 registered acres, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Wisconsin, however, only recently had hemp legalized. In November 2017, a bill legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp, which contains less than 3% THC, was unanimously passed by the Wisconsin legislature. Currently, hemp in Wisconsin is fairly unregulated. Sen. Taylor traveled to Denver to learn more about Colorado’s hemp program. The provisions changed in the 2018 farm bill, classifying hemp as a crop and not a drug, is expected to help create jobs and generate millions of dollars in revenue. Senator Taylor will be at the conference through the end of the week.
Intern Spotlight: Hailey
Hailey Kertscher is a Casework Intern for Senator Lena Taylor. She is currently a junior at UW-Madison studying Social Welfare and Criminal Justice. With her educational pursuits, she hopes one day she can serve as a correctional social worker. Currently, Hailey hopes she can gain experience working with Senator Taylor to gain a better understand the policy surrounding criminal justice reform. She decided to work for Senator Lena Taylor to hear first-hand people’s experience in the criminal justice system. In Hailey’s free time, she enjoys staying active and catching up on the latest Netflix documentaries.
Community Action Alerts
Richards Street Workforce Connection Center is offering several onsite recruitment sessions in April 2019 for those interested in pursuing different jobs. Interested candidates must register at the Richards Street Workforce Connection Center prior to the scheduled event.
Address: 3903 North Richards
Wednesday, April 3rd at 10:00 AM: Potawatomi Hotel & Casino
Tuesday, April 9th at 10:00 AM: Clean Power
Wednesday, April 10th at 1:00 PM: Aramark
Thursday, April 11th at 10:00 AM: LGC Hospitality
Wednesday, April 16th at 10:00 AM: Ritus Corporation
Thursday, April 25th at 10:00 AM: Goodwill TalentBridge
Thursday, April 25th at 1:00 PM: Walnut Way Conservation Corporation
Thursday, April 25th at 1:00 PM: Adecco
Thursday, April 25th at 1:00 PM: SourcePoint Staffing
This is a great opportunity for candidates seeking employment. If you have additional questions, please call the Center at (414)962-4148.
