“All of the focus on the legislative horse race has obscured the tremendous benefits of this bill for Wisconsinites who are suffering from skyrocketing health care costs,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Support is increasing steadily for the bill as more and more people understand that it will make health coverage more affordable and more secure for families and small businesses, virtually eliminate medical bankruptcies, and assure people cannot be denied coverage or have their policy rescinded just because they have been sick.”

The bill that Congress is about to vote on will have the following benefits for Wisconsin residents:

- Premium subsidies and tax credits for up to 1.369 million families and 123,900 small businesses in Wisconsin to help them afford coverage. The average family of four making $50,000 per year will be eligible for a tax credit of $5,800 per year, and small businesses will receive a 50% tax credit to provide health insurance. Everyone will have access to group health insurance, and there will be new limits on insurance industry profits and overhead.

- Prevent 10,300 medical cost related bankruptcies per year in Wisconsin. The bill eliminates annual and life time limits on coverage, and caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $6,200 for individuals and $12,400 for families who purchase insurance on the new health insurance exchanges, or through a small business.

- Guarantee that 63,200 Wisconsinites with preexisting conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, can buy coverage and not have their policy rescinded.

- Improve Medicare for 877,000 Wisconsinites by closing the prescription drug donut hole, providing free primary and preventative care, and improving the solvency of the program.

- Improve health coverage for 3.798 million Wisconsinites who are covered by private insurance (67% of Wisconsin residents). People with private insurance will be able to keep their current coverage, and will be protected by insurance reforms such as the elimination of annual and lifetime limits, the elimination of recessions for people who become ill when insured, and a ban on coverage denials for preexisting conditions. The bill also limits insurance industry profits and overhead, which will assure that more premium dollars go to medical care.

- Give 455,000 young adults in Wisconsin the opportunity to obtain health coverage through their parent’s policies.

- Provides millions in new funding to 90 community health centers in Wisconsin.

Posted @ 5:13 p.m.

Rep. Corey Mason

Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Sustainable Jobs Act (WSJA), Assembly Bill 755, authored by Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine), was approved yesterday by the Assembly Committee on Jobs, the Economy, and Small Business. The bill was approved on a bipartisan 8-5 vote.

The WSJA will create family-supporting jobs throughout the state in the growing weatherization industry, and allow Wisconsin to make important investments in energy conservation. The bill also expands municipalities’ ability to make PACE (property assessed clean energy) loans to homeowners, landlords, businesses, hospitals, schools, etc. to fund energy efficiency projects.

“Everyone wants to make their home or business more energy efficient,” said Representative Mason. “But in this economy, no one has thousands of dollars lying around to make those investments. This bill leverages federal stimulus dollars and private capital to make energy retrofits a reality, and to create highquality jobs to do this important work.”

The bill is supported by, among others: Johnson Controls, Inc., Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Laborers District Council, IBEW Local 2150, IBEW Construction Electrician Local Unions, Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter, and the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association.

The bill is now available to be scheduled for a vote before the full Assembly. “I am encouraged by yesterday’s bipartisan committee action, and by the broad coalition that has emerged in support of this legislation. I’m looking forward to the bill’s passage during this legislative session.” concluded Rep. Mason.

Posted @ 9:03 p.m.

Peterson presented more perspectives on may be the eve of national health reform in a web cast presentation from the ABC for Health Studio available to the media and the public at this link:

http://96.60.62.171/mediasiteabc/Viewer/?peid=8fafd33d0f0343afb0cc04840e267970

The need for health insurance reform crosses many lines of income, race, gender, and yes, political parties. The Democrats, dazed for weeks by the lack of a super majority in the Senate and no semblance of a consensus in the House, seem finally poised to move ahead with health reform. Despite the howls of foul play from Republicans over use of reconciliation rule to pass reform, the simple truth remains that the majority shall rule. In fact, these same reconciliation rules applied to the “Reagan Revolution” that never had 60 Senators, Clinton’s Welfare Reform, the Bush tax cuts, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Health reform infuriates and frightens the “fat cats” afraid of being the “biggest losers” in this political and philosophical battle. The same shrill cries of socialized medicine and government takeover greeted the original Medicare and Medicaid programs in 1964. Now these programs are entrenched in the bedrock of widespread and popular support and a clear majority of voters would never stand for a repeal of either program. Democrats must recognize a broad constituency that waits for courageous political leadership to vote for reform. Many of the same constituents who voted for leaders to extend health care coverage to more people will vigorously resist any misguided attempts to repeal reforms.

“On the eve of potential reform, Wisconsin is in better shape than most states, but we can do better,” continues Peterson. “Reform would secure much needed federal resources to expand Medicaid and develop health exchanges to promote pooling of enrollees that will help unify administrative costs and increase purchasing leverage to lower costs.”

Now, we need action and political leadership. Peterson concludes, “The bumbling and bungling mantras of health care reform have gone on long enough. Yes, some misguided souls will make some noise; and yes, some health care profiteers will need to find new jobs, but reform will move Wisconsin and America forward. The path ahead will not be easy, but we elect our legislators to lead us to a better place—where all have the security of health care coverage that we need and deserve. We must demand action that leads to comprehensive quality and accessible health care for all Americans.”

ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based, nonprofit, public interest law firm dedicated to linking children and families, particularly those with special health care needs, to health care benefits and services. ABC for Health’s mission is to provide information, advocacy tools, legal services and expert support needed to obtain, maintain, and finance health care coverage and services.

Posted @ 6:08 p.m.

The Office of Justice Assistance gathers crime and arrest data from state law enforcement agencies in accordance with federal law. Since 1992, in response to the passage of the federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990, the FBI has worked with states to gather and publish hate crime statistics.

The OJA Hate Crimes report includes information on incidents, offenses, victims and offenders in reported crimes. A crime is considered a hate crime if the crime was motivated in whole or in part by a bias against the victim’s perceived race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability.

Of the 171,684 violent and property crimes reported in Wisconsin in 2008, 99 incidents (108 offenses) were determined by law enforcement to be motivated by an offender’s bias. In 2008, hate crimes were committed by 164 offenders against 116 victims.

Hate crimes occurred in 31 of the state’s 386 law enforcement jurisdictions.

A crime is reported as a hate crime only when an investigation reveals sufficient evidence that an offender’s actions were motivated, in whole or in part, by an offender’s bias.

Hate crime victims were predominately individuals (75%); business and society as a whole were the next most common victim categories (6% each).

Racial bias was the most prevalent motivating factor in hate crimes (59%). Vandalism and Simple Assault were the most frequent offenses committed. Hate crimes occurred most often in a street, alley, or parking lot (34%).

The full 2008 Hate Crimes Report can be downloaded on the Office of Justice Assistance website at http://oja.wi.gov.

About OJA’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program

The Office of Justice Assistance (OJA)—in accordance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program—gathers crime and arrest data contributed by 386 Wisconsin law enforcement agencies.

OJA’s annual Crime and Arrest reports use the UCR data to publish statistics on eight major criminal offenses as designated by the FBI: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

From the same UCR data, OJA also publishes reports on specialized facets of crime, such as hate crimes. While OJA’s annual Crime Report quantifies the number of occurrences of specific crimes in eight broad categories, the Hate Crimes Report focuses on underlying biases that motivate an offender’s commission of a reported crime.

Prior to 2008, hate crime data was included in OJA’s Crime in Wisconsin report. OJA now presents a more comprehensive analysis of hate crimes data in a separate report.

Posted @ 10:00 a.m.

Madison, WI – Today, a coalition of consumer advocacy and faith organizations has registered their opposition to SB530, Senator Sullivan’s payday lending legislation, and is calling on the state Senate to stand up for Wisconsin consumers and pass a rate cap like 15 other states and the District of Columbia have already done.  The coalition has distributed a letter to the Wisconsin State Senate.

“Consumers in Wisconsin deserve the same protections that consumers in other states have,” said Bruce Speight, WISPIRG Director.  “Trapping borrowers in debt and gouging them with predatory loan products is unacceptable in Wisconsin and a rate cap should be put in place for Wisconsin consumers.”

Members of Wisconsinites for Responsible Lending including Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Inc., WISPIRG, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, Madison-area Urban Ministry, WISDOM, Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc., Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Community Action Program Association have signed onto a letter to Senators in opposition to Senator Sullivan’s bill and urging the Senate to pass a rate cap.

“A 36% rate cap is the only truly effective means to combat the predatory practices of payday and auto title lending because it would prevent the industry from morphing its products to evade the law,” the coalition stated in their letter to senators.

A bi-bartisan coalition of 15 senators has co-sponsored legislation this session that would enact a rate cap and protect Wisconsin consumers in the same way that 15 other states have already done.

“Wisconsinites are living through hard economic times,” stated Andy Gehl.  “If they need to take out loans, the terms and features of the loans they get should provide affordability and ability to repay the debt.  Senators need to lead, eliminate abusive lending practices from this industry and pass a rate cap.”

Posted @ 8:00 a.m.

Gov. Jim Doyle

Madison, WI – Governor Jim Doyle is traveling to Italy and Tunisia for a series of high-level business and government meetings from March 17-26, 2010.

In Italy, Governor Doyle will meet with top executives at Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., including Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono. Fincantieri is a large international ship building firm that owns Marinette Marine and Bay Shipbuilding in SturgeonBay. Governor Doyle is working closely with Fincantieri and Marinette Marine to secure a major contract with the U.S. Navy to construct Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) in northeast Wisconsin. The contract for 10 ships is expected to be announced this summer.

Fincantieri has begun a $100 million investment plan to support the LCS program in preparation for the Naval contract. The company has already made significant investments in Marinette Marine, including breaking ground on a major expansion of its main indoor ship construction building in Marinette. Fincantieri has said they plan to transform Marinette Marine into the premier mid-tier shipyard in the United States.

Governor Doyle will also meet with Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat S.p.A and Chrysler Group LLC. Additionally, the Governor will be visiting several other Italian companies and their CEOs to discuss potential investments in Wisconsin.

“The State of Wisconsin has been a close partner with Fincantieri and Marinette Marine in working to secure a U.S. Navy contact to construct Littoral Combat Ship ships in northeast Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “T here is also real potential with several other Italian companies interested in investing in Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity to continue our successful efforts to bring new companies and their investments to Wisconsin.”

While he is in the region, Governor Doyle will also hold meetings in his official capacity with top Tunisian government officials and leaders of Tunisia’s business community. Governor Doyle has maintained a strong relationship with the Tunisian government, and the Governor has had a standing invitation to visit the country’s business and government leaders for years.

Since taking office, Governor Doyle has successfully brought foreign companies to Wisconsin, resulting in major private investments and job creation. In the past month alone, two Spanish companies have announced they will build major new facilities and create jobs in Wisconsin. Ingeteam, a Spanish wind company, will build a $15 million clean energy manufacturing facility in Milwaukee and create 275 jobs. Talgo, a Spanish train manufacturer, will locate its national high-speed passenger rail manufacturing and assembly facility in Milwaukee, creating 125 direct jobs in Wisconsin and about 450 indirect jobs through vendors throughout the Midwest.

Wisconsin firms exported more than $293 million worth of products directly to Italy in 2009, making it the 13th largest export destination for Wisconsin, up from 15th in 2008. In 2009, Wisconsin exports to Tunisia totaled $8.8 million, up from $4.98 million the year before Governor Doyle took office.

Posted @ 7:45 a.m.

Madison WI – Even while sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among teens are increasing throughout Wisconsin, some state lawmakers wanted to keep teens in the dark by opposing the Healthy Youth Act (AB 458). Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI) has sent educational mailers about state Senators’ votes on the Healthy Youth Act to over 90,370 constituents this week. The mail piece, which begins to hit homes today, details how state Senators recently voted on the Healthy Youth Act. Governor Doyle signed the bill into law last month.

“We know that 87 percent of voters in Wisconsin, including people from all political persuasions, support teaching youth life-saving information about pregnancy and disease prevention,” said Chris Taylor, public policy director for PPAWI. “Constituents have a right to know whether their Senators are serious about addressing the epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy rates we see in our communities, or whether they want to stick their heads in the sand and do nothing.”

The Healthy Youth Act requires that school boards that decide to teach sex ed do so in a medically accurate, age appropriate way that addresses key elements proven to work at reducing sexually transmitted diseases and unintended teen pregnancies. This includes, when a school district determines it is age-appropriate, providing information about abstinence and contraceptives. It also ensure that school districts not teaching sex ed send a notice home to parents and encourages the state to apply for federal funds that are allocated for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs.

The importance of bringing accurate, age appropriate sex education in Wisconsin schools is highlighted by the fact that forty-five percent of Wisconsin high schoolers self report being sexually active. Yet of those teens having sex, only 61 percent report using a condom during their last sexual encounter. Consequently, STD rates are exploding among teens. According to DHS, the combined rate of four sexual transmitted diseases (Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital herpes) among teens aged 15-19 increased 53 percent between 1997 and 2007. Almost 20 percent of all new HIV cases in Wisconsin occur in young people ages 15-24. Each year, Wisconsin spends approximately $273 million on costs associated with unintended teen childbearing and STDs.

“To most Wisconsinites, this bill is about common sense, a much-needed first step in ensuring more students in our state have access to life saving health information. We are grateful that state Senate Democrats voted to turn the light on in Wisconsin classrooms.”

Posted @ 7:30 a.m.

Madison, WI– Remaining permits for the 2010 spring turkey hunting season will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis starting March 22. Leftover permits will be first issued for sale by zone, one zone per day, with each zone having a designated sales date. 

In total, 225,729 permits were available for the spring 2010 turkey season. More than 149,000 permits were issued to hunters who applied for permits by the Dec. 10 application deadline, leaving more than 76,000 permits available after the drawing.

Hunters should check the turkey zone map [PDF] to verify where they want to hunt and then check the turkey permit availability page to see if permits are available for the period and zone they want to hunt in.

Sales will start at 10 a.m. March 22 and continue through midnight each day or until permits are all sold. These sales will be held for five consecutive days with customers able to purchase one permit per day. Any remaining leftover permits for all zones will go on sale Saturday, March 27 and will continue until sold out or the season ends Permit purchases are limited to one permit per day until each zone and time period is sold out.

The following zones have leftover permits. The scheduled sales dates are as follows:

· Zone 1 – Monday, March 22

· Zone 2 – Tuesday, March 23

· Zone 3 – Wednesday, March 24

· Zone 4 – Thursday, March 25

· Zone 5 & Zone 6 – Friday, March 26 – Due to the low number of permits left in these units, the sale has been combined into one day.

There are no leftover permits available for Zone 7 after the initial drawing. There are also no leftover permits for time periods A or B in the other zones.

A limited number of disabled-only turkey permits for state park areas is available among leftover permits. Disabled hunters who have been issued either a Class A or Class C Disabled Hunter Permit should visit a DNRServiceCenter or call the DNRCustomerCallCenter at 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463) beginning on Monday, March 22, 2010 after 10 a.m. to purchase one of these permits.

The fee for turkey permits is $10 for residents, and $15 for nonresidents. All hunters will also be required to pay the spring turkey license and stamp fee, unless they have previously purchased the license and stamp, or are a 2010 Conservation Patron License holder. Residents and nonresidents will have equal opportunity to purchase over-the-counter permits. Purchasing these permits will not affect preference status for future spring or fall turkey permit drawings. A select number of disabled turkey permits for several state parks are also available for leftover sales. Disabled hunters should note that these permits will only be available through DNR service centers.

Leftover permits can be purchased over the Internet through the Online Licensing Center; by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236); at license sales locations; or DNR service centers during the time they are open for counter service. Hours are service centers were recently reduced. Please check dnr.wi.gov for a list of service centers and days and hours of operation (DNR Service Centers are not open on Saturday). Hunters should have their DNR customer ID ready. Hunters with any questions about when or how to buy permits may call the DNRCustomerCallCenter from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. seven days a week at 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463).

The spring 2010 turkey hunting season runs from April 14-May 23. The season is divided into six 5-day (Wednesday through Sunday) time periods.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hull (608) 267-7861 or Sharon Fandel (608) 261-8458

Posted @ 6:00 a.m.

Rep. Robin Vos

Madison, WI – Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) renewed the call for a Joint Finance hearing on the no-bid train deal with Spanish company Talgo today after Milwaukee train company Super Steel announced that they were shut out of the bidding process for Wisconsin’s high speed rail project:

“ The announcement made by Super Steel today only further highlights the need for the Joint Finance Committee to hold a hearing on Governor Doyle’s sweetheart no-bid deal with Talgo.

“Super Steel’s confirmation that they were shut out of the bidding process by Governor Doyle once again illustrates Doyle truly doesn’t have the needs of Wisconsin’s ailing economy in mind.

“In our original letter to co-chairs Miller and Pocan, my Republican colleagues and I recognized the fact that new jobs are a good thing. However, if the new jobs are created by destroying existing jobs, as today’s announcement suggests, that is too high a price to pay.

“Sadly, this is yet another example of Governor Doyle playing politics while Wisconsin families and workers suffer the consequences. I truly hope co-chairs Miller and Pocan will schedule a hearing before Wisconsin loses any more jobs as a result of Governor Doyle’s indifference to the bidding process.”

Posted @ 8:30 p.m.

J.B.Van Hollen

Madison, WI – Attorney General Van Hollen issued the following statement today concerning Governor Doyle’s signing into law of SB 467 (allowing officers to file complaints using e-signatures) and AB 230 (allowing law enforcement to access DOT photos through the TIME system operated by the Department of Justice):

The bills signed yesterday takes advantage of modern technology to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement.

The e-signature law is the product of input that I and many state legislators received from local law enforcement during the county law enforcement roundtables that I’ve participated in as Attorney General.  By allowing officer’s to submit complaints to district attorneys with an e-signature, we can reduce the time that officers now must spend in busy district attorneys offices and travelling to and from those offices.  That means more time to spend on other law enforcement priorities.

I thank Representative Hebl and Senator Jauch for attending law enforcement roundtables with me in their districts, hearing the concerns of public safety professionals, and working with my office to develop this bill that has now become law.  I also thank Governor Doyle for signing the bill into law.

When implemented, AB 230 will enable law enforcement officers to access DOT driver photos electronically and in real time.  In turn, the likelihood of misidentification will be reduced, and so too will the risks to the officer associated with misidentification.  This bill doesn’t change whether law enforcement can access photos, but it does change when they get the information.  That can make all the difference in identifying a missing person or employing the proper strategies during a traffic stop or other encounter.

I thank Representative Hraychuk and Senator Lehman for being leading this bill through the Assembly and Senate respectively and Representative Rhoades for her tireless efforts in support of this important public safety legislation.  I appreciate these legislators’ willingness to work with my office to ensure the Department of Justice will be able to implement the bill effectively.  I also thank Governor Doyle for signing the bill  into law.

Posted @ 8:15 p.m.

Rep. Scott Suder

Abbotsford. WI – State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) expressed dismay at Joint Finance Committee (JFC) approval of $10 million in taxpayer money being spent on a host of new programs for convicted felons. The committee’s action sets aside GPR (taxpayer) monies for such items as:

- Free Housing for Felons (up to $3200 per felon – $1.5 million total)
- Subsidized Employment For Felons ($1.8 million)
- Scholarships for Felons (up to $600 per participating felon)
- A Drug “Relapse” Treatment Program ($235,000)
- 9 new full-time state employees (cost unknown)
- A barber and cosmetology program for released felons
- A Drivers License ‘Recovery’ Program
- A “Welcome Home The Offender” community program

The JFC voted this week to provide funding for the Becky Young Community Corrections program. According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the vote authorizes a $10 million appropriation over two years for employment services, half-way houses and drug abuse treatment services for recently released felons.

“At first I thought it was a poorly timed April Fool’s Day joke, but unfortunately the joke is real and taxpayers are paying for it,” Suder stated. “With record job losses, devastating unemployment and our constituents
scraping to get by, a few politicians in Madison just spent $10 million to give freebies to felons. It’s going to leave every taxpayer in Wisconsin wondering what’s in the water in Madison.”

Among the programs being funded by this money is $1.8 million Community Corrections Employment Program that would provide employer job training grants, subsidized employment, scholarships, and case management support for former inmates. Over 100 former inmates and over 300 current inmates would be targeted for job placement and job training programs.

“Where they found $10 million to give away to career criminals given our massive budget deficit is beyond me,” Suder stated. “The people I represent in Northern Wisconsin would love to see some money for job retraining, scholarships and free housing but they are disqualified because they haven’t been convicted of a crime.”

The funding proposal was generated by the Study Committee on Justice Reinvestment last year. Rep. Suder was a member of the committee and voted no on the original proposal, warning at the time that taxpayers would be stuck paying a hefty bill for services only felons would be eligible for.

Posted 7:41 p.m.

Gov. Jim Doyle

Madison, WI – Governor Jim Doyle announced today that Salm Partners, LLC, of Denmark will receive a $900,000 Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development (CDBG-ED) loan from the Department of Commerce to upgrade and expand its operations, creating 100 new jobs. The state will also provide an additional $100,000 grant to train new employees. Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel made the award on behalf of the Governor during a visit to the company’s Denmark facility.

“My number one priority this year is helping our businesses create jobs and giving our workers the opportunities to get those jobs,” Governor Doyle said. “My administration is committed to helping companies retain and create good-paying jobs for Wisconsin residents. I’m pleased that Salm Partners has chosen to expand in Wisconsin, and that we could assist the company in bringing 100 new jobs to Brown County.”

Chris Salm, a founding member of Salm Partners, is a strong proponent of growth in Wisconsin.

“We chose to expand in northeast Wisconsin because of the wonderful people who call this area home,” Salm said. “Our business is successful and has had the opportunity to add to our employment because of the energy and enthusiasm of our partners. Governor Doyle and Secretary Leinenkugel have provided welcome encouragement and support for our growth.”

Salm Partners, LLC was founded in 2004 as a sausage manufacturing business that emphasizes the use of new production technology to create innovative products. Their expansion project involves remodeling a portion of an existing building, installing an advanced production system, and training employees. Salm Partners currently employs 143 people in Denmark, and the expansion is expected to result in the creation of 100 new full-time jobs. Project costs are expected to total $9.26 million.

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Doyle has worked aggressively to create and retain jobs in Wisconsin . Because of Governor Doyle’s leadership, Wisconsin now has some of the most powerful economic development tools in the country – from new tax credits to help manufacturers create and retain jobs, to new tools to help investors create start-ups, to new incentives to spur research and development. As a result of these tax credits, numerous companies have expanded or moved operations from other states to Wisconsin – including Republic Airways in Milwaukee, Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh Corporation – creating thousands of new jobs in communities throughout the state.

Governor Doyle has laid out plans to continue building the state’s economy and create jobs, including passing the CORE Jobs Act to build on the Governor’s successful economic development tax credits and strengthen programs for manufacturing, research and development, and worker training. The Governor has also called for passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act to create 16,000 jobs in the emerging clean energy economy and is establishing the Wisconsin Green to Gold Fund to help manufacturers reduce energy costs and create and retain jobs.

Governor Doyle has also worked to improve Wisconsin’s tax ranking and business climate. Today, Wisconsin ranks 30th in business taxes – well below the national average.

Posted @ 1:53 p.m.

Sen. Herb Kohl

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, sent letters to the makers of the twelve most-prescribed drugs in the United States, asking them to explain why Americans pay an average of twice as much for prescription drugs as other industrialized nations.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States spends an average of $878 per person on prescription drugs. The average for other industrialized countries is $446.

“Americans pay, on average, twice as much as people in other industrialized countries,” Chairman Kohl states in the letter. “While I firmly believe that drug quality should not be sacrificed for cost, the large discrepancies in the cost of identical drugs cannot be explained by differences in production or manufacturing.”

Copies of the letters sent to AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi-aventis can be found using the links at the bottom of this release.

Later today, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) will guest-chair a Special Committee on Aging hearing to examine the rise of prescription drug prices in America and its impact on seniors who participate in the Medicare Part D program. The panel will hear testimony on various topics, including cost-sharing under Part D, how pharmaceutical pricing makes it difficult for Part D plans to negotiate discounts , and policy options for closing the doughnut hole and curbing escalating drug prices .

Witnesses at the hearing will include Dr. Gerard Anderson, the director of the Center for Hospital Finance and Management and a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; John Dicken, director of health care for the U.S. Government Accountability Office; Greg Hamilton, an expert with 31 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry; Willafay McKenna, a Medicare Part D beneficiary; and John Calfee, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Posted @ 12:56 p.m.

Based on the information gathered by researchers, Wisconsin currently has 723 solar installations, ranking 8th in the nation and first in the Midwest region. In comparison, Illinois has just one project and Michigan has two.

Engineers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are hopeful that people in every state with solar projects will add their information to the public database. This will not only help gauge the growth of the industry, but the mapping clearly illustrates how solar energy projects are much more accessible than ever before.

“Wisconsin leadership in solar energy projects is just another proactive steps the state has taken in environmental conservation,” Thad Nation, executive director of CREWE, said. “We hope other states in the Midwest follow Wisconsin’s example.”

To check out the interactive map, or to learn more about the project, go to http://openpv.nrel.gov/

CREWE is a coalition that formed to advocate meaningful change in energy policy consistent with the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force final report, which will have a positive impact on Wisconsin’s economic development and security while fostering job creation.

CREWE’s membership consists of CleanPower, Alliant Energy, EcoEnergy, Johnson Controls, Xcel Energy, C5•6 Technologies, Axley Brynelson, Madison Gas and Electric, Orion Energy Systems, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Poblocki Sign Company, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, MillerCoors, American Transmission Co., WPPI Energy, DTE Energy Services, Kranz, Inc. and Greenwood Fuels.

The coalition is dedicated to joining forces with other supporters to promote responsible policies that address climate change; create jobs; promote energy efficiency, reliability and independence; and mitigate the economic impacts of rising energy costs.

For more information on joining this campaign, please visit www.WICREWE.com and follow CREWE on Twitter (@WI_CREWE).

Posted @ 11:21 a.m.

Rep. Robin Vos

Madison, WI -Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee voted against a bipartisan proposal today to increase district attorney funding for OWI enforcement. The proposal, offered by Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia), garnered bipartisan support – supported by his Republican colleagues on the committee as well as former Senate Democratic leader Sen. Judy Robson.

“It’s incredible to me that we would pass a bipartisan bill to increase OWI penalties and then fail to give prosecutors the funding they need to actually enforce the new laws,” exclaimed Vos.

The proposal offered by Vos and Robson directed $4 million to district attorneys for 54 additional DA positions. The plan provided 27 positions and $2 million in this biennium and stipulated that they must come back to the committee in a year to report on actual case increases due to the new OWI law. The committee could then decide whether or not to allocate the additional $2 million. Prosecutors have indicated they actually need $5.6 million per biennium to keep up with OWI caseload.

“District Attorneys are already so far behind with their regular cases,” explained Vos.

“By increasing their caseload and not increasing their resources appropriately, we run the risk of a repeat offender actually offending again before he even has his first day in court.”

The proposal was defeated on a vote of 11-5. Senator Robson was the only Democrat to support the funding.

“I’m disappointed that last year we were almost unanimous in our approach to get tough on drunk drivers,” said Vos. “Only to see partisanship get in the way of adequately funding the proposal this year.”

Posted @ 6:22 p.m.

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), Wisconsinites have been reporting phone calls from persons claiming to work for the SSA. The caller asks for private information, such as the person’s social security number (SSN),

in order to “re-issue a Medicare Card” or some other similar excuse.
“The Social Security Administration does not need to ask you for your social security number,” says Janet Jenkins, Administrator of the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection’s Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection. “Alarms should go off in your mind anytime someone contacts you out of the blue and asks for personal or financial information. Governmental agencies and legitimate businesses simply don’t do that.”

Do not trust what your Caller ID says either. It can be made to give whatever name and number the caller wants.

The SSA reminds consumers that except for employers and financial institutions that need your social security number for tax reporting purposes, you are not required to give out your SSN.

“Before giving any confidential information, at least make sure that the organization or business asking for it is who it claims to be,” Jenkins advises. One way to check is to look up an organization or business in the phone book or online, and then call directly to verify any requests.

If you suspect someone is phishing for your private information or if you inadvertently gave out confidential information, the Office of Privacy Protection can help. Contact it at: Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection DATCPWisconsinPrivacy@wisconsin.gov Toll-free Hotline – 1-800-422-7128

Posted @ 7:00 p.m.

Madison, WI – With the April 15th tax filing deadline a month away, state revenue officials are reminding people that free tax help is available in communities across the state. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites help serve low-to-moderate income residents, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities prepare their tax returns.

“The Department of Revenue expects about three million total tax returns this year, and approximately 70% of those will be e-filed. We want people to know that free tax help is available to them and trained professionals can help answer your questions and, in some locations, even prepare your return for you,” said Revenue Secretary Roger Ervin. “The VITA sites can file tax returns electronically, which means people will have their refunds in their pockets that much sooner.”

Local partnerships are crucial to making the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (VITA/TCE) sites possible. Taxpayers can get help with questions or e-filing their returns at more than 200 sites across the state found in community centers, libraries, churches, shopping malls and retirement homes. Most VITA sites are open through April 15th. Call 211 to find a VITA or TCE site in your area.

The individuals who help prepare your tax return at the VITA site are trained professional volunteers. Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) employees staff some of the VITA sites to double-check the accuracy of returns prior to filing.

Please be sure to bring the documents below to the volunteer tax site:
- All documents about the income you received during the year
- Any tax documents you got in the mail
- Legal names and social security numbers for everyone you will include on your tax return
- Signed rent certificate or property tax bill if you will file for Homestead Credit
- Your bank account numbers to get refunds deposited into your account (example: deposit slip)
- Your spouse must come if married and filing jointly

People can also e-file their state income tax return for free from the Department’s website at revenue.wi.gov.

Posted @ 6:30 p.m.

Under Wisconsin law, G&K Services is required to obtain construction and operation permits before constructing or replacing and operating sources of air contaminant emissions at its Green Bay facility. According to the complaint, G&K Services installed a new industrial washer in February 2008 and has operated it since then without having first obtained required
construction and operation permits. The Department of Natural Resources issued an after-thefact construction permit authorizing the February 2008 installation of the new washer in January 2010, and anticipates issuing an operation permit in March 2010.

In addition to paying the $96,253.50 judgment, G&K Services has implemented systems and procedures to prevent future violations of its air permits and state air pollution statutes and regulations.

“The effectiveness of Wisconsin’s air pollution laws depends on compliance with permitting requirements,” said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with the DNR to ensure that Wisconsin’s citizens are protected from harmful air emissions through compliance with the law.”

Assistant Attorney General JoAnne F. Kloppenburg prosecuted the case. Brown County Circuit Court Judge John D. McKay approved the settlement on March 9, 2010.

Posted @ 5:48 p.m.

These counties will be implementing a Firearms Surrender Protocol, developed by the OJA Violence Against Women Advisory Committee and the Governor’s Council on Domestic Violence Surrender Protocol Committee.

Federal and State mandatory surrender of firearms laws already exist; a comprehensive statewide surrender protocol makes implementing the practice easier for criminal justice professionals.

A 2008 survey of Wisconsin sheriff’s departments conducted by the Justice Committee of the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse found that 70% of respondents did not automatically follow up to ensure that abusers had complied with court-ordered mandatory surrender of firearms.

14% of responding counties had no consistent notification of mandatory surrender of firearms orders from the Court to the Sheriff’s Department; 16% had no policies or procedures in place regarding surrender of firearms in domestic violence cases.

The protocol outlines effective collaboration of the Wisconsin court system, law enforcement agencies, and non-governmental, not-for-profit victim service agencies. The protocol provides due process and notice for respondents before firearms are seized, explains responsibilities to third parties who are willing to hold a respondent’s firearms, and establishes procedures for when law enforcement executes a warrant to seize firearms.

The protocol was developed with the input of Judges, District Attorneys, County Court Clerks, police officers, Sheriffs, Victim Services Providers, Human Services Agencies, Office of State Courts, Office of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice, and the Department of Corrections.

Developing and implementing firearms surrender protocols are a national priority, and are considered a “best practice” model. The protocol introduces well-established practices in courts from other states that follow the requirements of existing federal laws. These pilot projects provide an opportunity for the selected counties to implement the “best practice” model and evaluate the effectiveness of the Firearms Surrender Protocol prior to statewide distribution.

These projects are funded by Recovery Act STOP Formula Violence Against Women Act grants, administered by the Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance.

Temporary Restraining Order statistics from counties funded to
implement the Firearms Surrender Protocol

- In Outagamie County, more than 250 restraining orders are requested annually; almost 130 were granted permanent restraining orders (injunctions). 87% of injunctions had firearm surrender provisions.

- In Sauk County, almost 260 Temporary Restraining orders were requested in 2008; 190 injunctions were granted.

- Waushara County has about 60 cases per year of domestic abuse, harassment, and child abuse that result in mandatory surrender of firearms orders.

- Annually in Winnebago County, approximately 330 Temporary Restraining Orders are granted; of these 88 final injunctions with mandatory surrender of firearms requirements are granted.

Posted @ 3:34 p.m.

BPM Incorporated, Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, Mercury Marine, Procter & Gamble and Thilmany Papers all received funding from the Focus on Energy industrial grant program, which also will reduce energy costs and create jobs.

“Providing the tools and funding that our manufacturers need to stay competitive and improve energy efficiency will positively affect Wisconsin’s economy,” Thad Nation, executive director of CREWE,
said. “Legislators in Madison should work to find a consensus on the Clean Energy Jobs Act to ensure state businesses have the opportunity to take advantage of energy efficiency efforts.”

According to a release from the Governor’s office, the grant recipients will save an estimated 12.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 1.1 million therms of natural gas annually, which is enough to eliminate more than 35 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
CREWE is a coalition that formed to advocate meaningful change in energy policy consistent with the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force final report, which will have a positive impact on Wisconsin’s economic development and security while fostering job creation.

CREWE’s membership consists of CleanPower, Alliant Energy, EcoEnergy, Johnson Controls, Xcel Energy, C5•6 Technologies, Axley Brynelson, Madison Gas and Electric, Orion Energy Systems, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Poblocki Sign Company, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, MillerCoors, American Transmission Co., WPPI Energy, DTE Energy Services, Kranz, Inc. and Greenwood Fuels.

The coalition is dedicated to joining forces with other supporters to promote responsible policies that address climate change; create jobs; promote energy efficiency, reliability and independence; and mitigate the economic impacts of rising energy costs.

For more information on joining this campaign, please visit www.WICREWE.com and follow CREWE on Twitter (@WI_CREWE).

Posted @ 11:00 a.m.

The process is simple, efficient and recycles otherwise-wasted energy into a useable form.

“This study provides a simple and cost-effective technology for direct water splitting that may generate hydrogen fuels by scavenging energy wastes such as noise or stray vibrations from the environment,” the authors write in a new paper, published March 2 in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. “This new discovery may have potential implications in solving the challenging energy and environmental issues that we are facing today and in the future.”

The researchers, led by UW-Madison geologist and crystal specialist Huifang Xu, grew nanocrystals of two common crystals, zinc oxide and barium titanate, and placed them in water. When pulsed with ultrasonic vibrations, the nanofibers flexed and catalyzed a chemical reaction to split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

When the fibers bend, asymmetries in their crystal structures generate positive and negative charges and create an electrical potential. This phenomenon, called the piezoelectric effect, has been well known in certain crystals for more than a century and is the driving force behind quartz clocks and other applications.

Xu and his colleagues applied the same idea to the nanocrystal fibers. “The bulk materials are brittle, but at the nanoscale they are flexible,” he says, like the difference between fiberglass and a pane of glass.

Smaller fibers bend more easily than larger crystals and therefore also produce electric charges easily. So far, the researchers have achieved an impressive 18 percent efficiency with the nanocrystals, higher than most experimental energy sources.

In addition, Xu says, “because we can tune the fiber and plate sizes, we can use even small amounts of [mechanical] noise – like a vibration or water flowing – to bend the fibers and plates. With this kind of technology, we can scavenge energy waste and convert it into useful chemical energy.”

Rather than harvest this electrical energy directly, the scientists took a novel approach and used the energy to break the chemical bonds in water and produce oxygen and hydrogen gas.

“This is a new phenomenon, converting mechanical energy directly to chemical energy,” Xu says, calling it a piezoelectrochemical (PZEC) effect.

The chemical energy of hydrogen fuel is more stable than the electric charge, he explains. It is relatively easy to store and will not lose potency over time.

With the right technology, Xu envisions this method being useful for generating small amounts of power from a multitude of small sources – for example, walking could charge a cell phone or music player and breezes could power streetlights.

“We have limited areas to collect large energy differences, like a waterfall or a big dam,” he says. “But we have lots of places with small energies. If we can harvest that energy, it would be tremendous.”

The new paper is co-authored by graduate student Kuang-Sheng Hong, research scientist Hiromi Konishi and mechanical engineering professor Xiaochun Li, all at UW-Madison. Xu’s research is supported by grants from the UW-Madison Graduate School, National Science Foundation, NASA Astrobiology Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Posted @ 8:00 a.m.

Madison, WI  – The Republican Party of Wisconsin has launched a new web site aimed at improving access and ease of use for grassroots activists. The new wisgop.org includes an interactive county parties map, information and links to websites and social networks for Republican candidates for elected office, and new focus on updated social networks.

“The new wisgop.org is a result of suggestions and feedback from online users and will provide easier access to our vibrant social networks,” according to Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin has been focusing on increasing activity over social networks for the past year, including Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube. The Wisconsin GOP is now in the top three state parties in the nation for both Facebook fans and Twitter followers.

“Facebook, Twitter, and an interactive web site have helped get us in touch with voters in a new and interactive way,” Priebus said. “Our new website and updated social networks will further enhance discussion on blog posts, Facebook updates and tweets. More online interaction helps ensure we’re listening to the pulse of the Wisconsin people and getting our message of fiscal responsibility and job creation out to voters.”

The Republican Party of Wisconsin’s new web site is located at http://www.wisgop.org. Online visitors may follow the WISGOP on Twitter at http://twitter.com/wisgop, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wisgop, or watch WISGOP videos on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/wisgop.

Posted @ 6:00 a.m.

Madison, WI– An attempt to repeal the automobile insurance changes in the state budget is bad news for Wisconsin auto consumers. Those in favor of the repeal say legislators were warned that premiums would rise on average between 33 and 43 percent if these changes were made, but those claims were rebuffed by the insurance industry themselves.

At a public hearing last November that sought repeal of the automobile insurance changes, a question was asked about the alleged premium increase. Andy Franken, representing the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance backed away from the number saying they “have not put out any documents or studies post-Act 28 that reference premium increases at any percentage.”

“This repeal looks like a great gift to the insurance companies, “ said Paul Gagliardi, President of the Wisconsin Association for Justice. “There is absolutely no justification for this give-away to the insurance companies.”

“The U.S. Insurance Industry has trillions of dollars in assets and enjoys average profits of over $30 billion a year. The Consumer Federation of America found that consumers of property/casualty insurance receive only 55 cents back from every premium dollar spent, a 20 percent reduction over the past 20 years. The Insurance Industry pays its CEO’s more than any other industry with CEO’s in the top ten property/casualty companies earning an average of $8.9 million in 2007,” said Gagliardi.

Gagliardi provided the example of Allstate, a major insurance company that is publicly traded. “Even though Allstate lost money in 2008, the top five executives at Allstate had their salaries and bonuses increased to over $60 million. To attend meetings, the eleven directors had their average pay increased, going up to $150,000 – $170,000 per year in stock options and base pay from $40,000 – $70,000 in 2007. In the first half of 2009 Allstate’s consolidated revenue was up 14% from 2008. Net income as compared to the first 6 months of 2008 was up 15.56 times ($389 million from $25 million),” stated Gagliardi

“Protecting automobile consumers should be the top priority of legislators. The Truth in Automobile Insurance legislation did that. They are protecting millions of Wisconsin consumers today. The law should not be altered to take away consumer rights just to increase insurance profits,” stated Gagliardi.

For additional information on the Truth in Auto Insurance Law, go to www.wisjustice.org/facts.

The Wisconsin Association for Justice stands with consumers to promote a fair and effective justice system for every citizen, not just the privileged and wealthy.

Posted @ 4:00 a.m.

Roberta Gassman

Madison, WI – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman has announced  that Wisconsin added jobs (seasonally adjusted) for the first time since October 2009.

“We are hopeful that we have seen a bottoming of the labor market in Wisconsin, and are seeing signs of economic recovery,” Secretary Gassman said. “Wisconsin’s unemployment rate remains below the national average in this mid-winter period when rates are typically highest. Even so, many hardworking Wisconsin families continue to bear the brunt of the national recession. We are working hard to help people return to work and grow the economy.”

Current employment statistics – seasonally adjusted – show Wisconsin experienced a net gain of 5,600 jobs in January 2010. The largest gains were in manufacturing, administrative and support services, and health care. A net gain in jobs occurred in only five other months in Wisconsin since the national recession began in December 2007.

The January 2010 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Wisconsin was 8.7 percent, up slightly from the December rate of 8.5 percent. The January 2009 rate was 7.1 percent. The national seasonally adjusted January 2010 rate was 9.7 percent, down slightly from 10.0 percent in December. The U.S. January 2009 rate was 7.7 percent.

The state unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) for January 2010 was 9.6 percent, up from 8.3 percent in December. The January 2009 rate was 7.7 percent. The national rate for January was 10.6 percent, up from 9.7 percent in December. The U.S. January 2009 rate was 8.5 percent. Unemployment rate increases (not seasonally adjusted) in January are common in Wisconsin and other northern states, given seasonal factors.

The January 2010 decrease in jobs (not seasonally adjusted) is less than the typical decrease during the month of January. From December 2009 to January 2010, total Wisconsin non-farm jobs – not seasonally adjusted – decreased by an estimated 71,700 to 2,641,200. The typical decrease during the month of January is about 80,000 jobs. Job decreases (not seasonally adjusted) in January are also common in Wisconsin and other northern states, due to seasonal factors.

Posted @ 2:00 a.m.

Washington D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that the number of overall traffic fatalities reported at the end of 2009 reached the lowest level since 1954, declining for the 15th consecutive quarter. According to early projections, the fatality rate, which takes into account the number of miles traveled, reached the lowest level ever recorded.

“This is exciting news, but there are still far too many people dying in traffic accidents,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Drivers need to keep their hands on the steering wheel and their focus on the road in order to stay safe.”

The projected fatality data for 2009 places the highway death count at 33,963, a drop of 8.9 percent as compared to the 37,261 deaths reported in 2008. The fatality rate for 2009 declined to the lowest on record, to 1.16 fatalities per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) down from 1.25 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2008.

“This continuing decline in highway deaths is encouraging, but our work is far from over,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland. “We want to see those numbers drop further. We will not stop as long as there are still lives lost on our nation’s highways. We must continue our efforts to ensure seat belts are always used and stay focused on reducing distracted and impaired driving.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributes the decline in 2009 to a combination of factors that include, high visibility campaigns like Click It or Ticket to increase seat belt use, and Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest which helps with the enforcement of state laws to prevent drunk driving and distracted driving. In addition, the decline is also the result of safer roads, safer vehicles and motorists driving less.

NHTSA annually collects crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to produce annual reports on traffic fatality trends. The agency intends to update 2009 estimates regularly as more data becomes available. The final counts for 2009 will be made available in the summer of 2010. To view the preliminary fatality statistics visit: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811291.PDF

Posted @ 10:00 p.m.

Sen. Mary Lazich

Madison, WI- State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) told a state Assembly committee today that legislation to repeal local ordinances that restrict where released sex offenders can congregate and live is dangerous.

“Assembly Bill 759 (AB 759) and Senate Bill 548 (SB 548) impose the greatest risk to children and families in the state of Wisconsin,” Lazich told the state Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts. “Eliminating local ordinances that allow local communities and local law enforcement to do their jobs to protect society would put all residents, particularly children, in danger.”

Lazich’s state Senate District 28 includes the city of Franklin. During 2007, Franklin enacted two landmark sex offender ordinances that prevailed over nine constitutional challenges during 2008. The Franklin ordinances have been the model for the state. Over 100 similar local ordinances now in effect would be nullified if proposed state legislation were to become law.

“The ability for law enforcement to fully and effectively do their job is severely hampered because AB 759 and SB 548 transfer the responsibility for community safety to the state,” said Lazich. “The state does not have the full and adequate understanding of the community. Local law enforcement does have that keen knowledge and expertise suited for their community.”

“AB 759 and SB 548 are gambling,” said Lazich. “It is gambling with lives of children and the lives of all Wisconsin residents. These two bills increase the chance of children and Wisconsin residents being killed by released sex offenders, and before they will be killed, they will be tortured. We should be making it more difficult for offenders to kill children, not easier for them to sexually and violently rape and kill our constituents. My bet and my gamble are with local law enforcement, local citizens, and local elected officials, not with the state.”

Posted @ 8:00 p.m.

Rep. Robin Vos

Madison, WI – Rep. Vos (R-Caledonia) released the following statement regarding the public hearing held today in the Assembly Transportation Committee on the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority Bill:

“Today’s hearing made one thing perfectly clear: Democrats want to ram through a plan that creates an unelected, unaccountable RTA to raise your taxes without a mandatory referendum.

“I don’t understand why, in this economy, they are so hell-bent on raising taxes on Wisconsin families. I look forward to joining other Republicans as we stand on the side of Wisconsin taxpayers, not on the side of special interests and their high-priced, powerful lobbyists.”

Posted @ 6:00 p.m.

The questionnaire seeks opinions on Wisconsin’s top rail trends, the issues affecting rail and the future level of state-funded investment.  The transportation department will use the results of the questionnaire to help make decisions about the future of freight, passenger and commuter rail in Wisconsin. The questionnaire is located at the plan Web site.

Public participation is encouraged throughout plan development.  For more information on Wisconsin’s statewide long-range rail plan and how to participate contact:  Wisconsin Rail Plan 2030, WisDOT Bureau of Planning & Economic Development, P.O. Box 7913, Madison, WI  53707; (608) 266-8108; email; or see the Web site.

Posted @ 3:36 p.m.

“Kevin and Michael’s dedication to the people of Wisconsin exemplifies the commitment to excellence that we look for throughout the Department of Justice,” said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. “I want to recognize the time and effort they put into completing this demanding certification process in order to better serve the people of Wisconsin.” Special Agent Heimerl has been employed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation – Arson Bureau since January 2004. After attending the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, receiving a BS in a double major of Criminal Justice and Political Science, Special Agent Heimerl spent 14 years with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Department, with 11 of those years as a Detective. While employed with Columbia County, he conducted fire investigations for the Sheriff’s Department, and assisted local fire departments with origin and cause investigations.

Special Agent Heimerl attended DCI’s Arson School for Law Enforcement in 1993. He has frequently attended the annual training seminar of the Wisconsin Chapter 25, IAAI for many years, and is a member of the IAAI. He has also attended the National Fire Academy’s course on Fire/Arson Investigation.

Special Agent Heimerl has been teaching various topics, to include Origin Determination and Fire Scene Preservation for the DCI Arson Bureau, and has presented this training to multiple local fire investigation task force groups throughout the state. Special Agent Michael Rindt has been in law enforcement for the past 16 years. Since 2004, he has been employed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation. Prior to working for the DOJ, he was employed by the Washington County
Sheriff’s Department. He held the duties of patrolman and detective while with Washington County.

Special Agent Rindt earned a BS Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, majoring in Behavioral Science and Law.

Special Agent Rindt is a past director and current 2nd Vice President of the WI Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators. In October of 2009, he became an Adjunct Instructor in Fire/Arson Investigation at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Both Special Agents are currently Deputy Fire Marshals within the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation.

Posted @ 10:00 a.m.

Madison, WI – A no-cost alternative program for “at-risk” youth, the Wisconsin Challenge Academy is now accepting applications for its next class of cadets entering on July 22, 2010. Located at Fort McCoy, Wis., the Academy offers teens that are at risk of not graduating a chance to earn their High School Equivalency Diploma, learn essential job and life-coping skills and, most importantly, develop the strength of character to become responsible citizens.

To qualify for this program, which is no cost to families, applicants must be at least 16 years and nine months old but not yet 19, have dropped out of school, been expelled, or become at least a year behind in credits. Candidates must not have been convicted of a felony and cannot be on adult parole or probation at time of entry.

“If I didn’t come here, I probably would have kept going down the wrong road and landed in jail where my friends are,” a current Challenge Academy cadet said. “I needed to do something different and change my life, and this is a great way to start.”

For someone who has the desire to get his or her life back on the right path, the Challenge Academy may be a step in the right direction. Call the Admissions Department at (608) 269- 4605 for an application, or visit the Challenge Academy’s website at http://www.challengeacademy.org/.

Posted @ 9:00 a.m.