Weekly Columns

This week Senator Smith writes about the public health risks of vaping and ways our state government needs to do more on this issue, including banning flavored e-cigarettes. Sen. Smith includes findings from the 2022 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey, including that 92% of high school kids said they would not use unflavored tobacco products.

This week Senator Smith writes about the difficulty couples face when trying to plan a family and making the costly decision to pursue In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as a solution for infertility. Sen. Smith includes the political realities facing couples who are planning their families and how supporting IVF should transcend political infighting and incivility here in Wisconsin and across the country.

Ahead of our Labor Day celebrations, Sen. Smith highlights the glaringly obvious gap between our legal minimum wage and what we all know it takes to make ends meet – a living wage.

With the groundbreaking of Eau Claire's new PFAS removal facility, hope may be in sight for getting rid of forever chemicals from our drinking water. 

This week Senator Smith encourages everyone to find ways to support our young learners as they head back into the classroom. Teachers, parents and kids alike need to know that the community is rooting them on.

This week Senator Smith reminds voters to do their civic duty and cast their ballots in the upcoming Primary Election next Tuesday, August 13.  

This week Senator Smith points out the real-time consequences playing out again as a result of inaction by the Joint Finance Committee, which last year ignored requests by the Governor for the Department of Natural Resources, including a measure to increase the Trout Stamp to support stream habitat improvements.

This week Senator Smith highlights the record-breaking gains we are seeing from our tourism industry statewide, which is fueling small businesses in small towns all over Wisconsin, and especially in the Chippewa Valley.

Since 2017, the University of Wisconsin System has been under what we might call a restructuring. It began with integrating the UW 2-year campuses with UW four-year institutions and assigning divisions within UW-Extension to UW-Madison and UW System Administration...

If you plan to cast a ballot in the primary election on Tuesday, August 13^th y0u need to know what to expect. Your ballot may not even have a single contested race of candidates for state legislative seats or county offices, but buried at the very end it will for sure have two questions you are expected to answer...

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate the country we call home. We celebrate with fireworks, burgers, ice cream or show our red, white, and blue colors. Regardless of our specific traditions, we all find unique ways to show our patriotism...

“Not all heroes wear capes” is an expression you hear frequently to describe everyday folks doing extraordinary things without asking for credit or even boasting about their good deeds. That could easily fit the description of Lyle Orsch...