Top Stories, March 11th

Assembly Approves Collective Bargaining Bill

3/11/11 – The Wisconsin Assembly voted 53-to-42 Thursday afternoon in favor of the bill that eliminates most collective bargaining privileges for state-and-local public employee unions. Five Republicans joined all the Democrats in voting no. The G-O-P lawmakers were reportedly escorted out of the Capitol in a group, as protestors yelled "Shame" and "Recall." The bill now goes to Republican Governor Scott Walker, who said earlier today he would sign the measure as soon as legally possible.

The vote ended a day of literal chaos at the Capitol. The building didn't open to the public until 11:30, as police did a security sweep of the building and removed dozens of protestors who camped out at the entrance to the Assembly chamber. They had been there since last night, when seven thousand protestors stormed the Capitol building after the Senate acted quickly to pass the package. Republicans forced a vote by removing fiscal provisions that will be taken up later. That allowed the Senate vote without having a Democrat on hand to provide the required 20 votes on fiscal bills.

During the Assembly debate, Democrats tried to remove G-O-P Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald for his actions in getting the bill rammed through a conference committee before last night's Senate passage. But the removal effort failed 57-to-37. Madison Democrat Mark Pocan said the situation was like legislating under "junta rules." But G-O-P finance co-chair Robin Vos of Racine County said the vote would show people throughout the country that Wisconsin is not afraid to make the hard decisions.

Demonstration in Juneau

3/11/11 - While protestors have swarmed the Capitol, demonstrations have also popped in several local communities, including in Dodge County. Around 50 people marched around the Administration Building in Juneau Thursday calling for the resignation of Governor Scott Walker. Protestor Margaret Furdek, a retired teacher from the area, says she is disappointed in her local legislators, Jeff and Scott Fitzgerald. She says by “rubber-stamping” the governor’s “union-busting” bill they have shown they are more interested in representing corporations and big business than the middle class.

Nehls Coordinating Supplemental Capitol Security

3/11/11 - Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls is helping to coordinate additional security at the Capitol this weekend. As the Southern Region Coordinator for Emergency Police Services, Nehls is working with sheriffs in eleven southeastern Wisconsin counties to provide additional manpower for the Madison Police Department. Nehls says they hadn’t planned on providing any additional security this weekend but the abrupt passage of the controversial Republican bill changed that.

Dem’s Report Campaign Donation Windfall

3/11/11 - The head of the State Democratic Party says campaign donations are flooding in, after Republicans approved the ending of most public union bargaining powers. Mike Tate said Thursday that a quarter-million dollars were donated Wednesday night alone, after Senate action to restrict collective bargaining from most state employees, in an effort to try and recall some of the G-O-P senators who rammed the bill through while their Democratic counterparts stayed away. Tate said Democrats have raised a total of three-quarter million dollars over the past month. Recall petitions are now being circulated against all eight Republicans who are eligible to be voted out this year – and the same is being done against all six eligible Democrats. Tate says the campaign money will help his party try to regain control of the Senate this summer. Democrats need to gain at least three seats in the flurry of recalls to win back the chamber.

Hartford Lawmaker Seeks Immigration Crackdown

3/11/11 - A state lawmaker started asking his colleagues this week to co-sponsor an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigration. Assembly Republican Don Pridemore of Hartford said a few months ago he would try to introduce the bill. It would make law enforcement ask the people they arrest to provide legal proof of U-S residency if the officers are in doubt. Those people could be held for up to 48 hours. And those who cannot prove legal residency would be referred to U-S immigration authorities. The Milwaukee immigrant rights’ group Voces De La Frontera calls the bill an “assault on workers,” and it sends the wrong message as Wisconsin tries to improve its business climate. Pridemore started seeking co-sponsors for his bill on Tuesday. He says he wants to show support for Arizona’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigrants – and to make sure Wisconsin doesn’t become a haven for those who get driven away from there. Republican Governor Scott Walker has expressed support for such a measure, but apparently not now. His spokesman Cullen Werwie says the governor is focusing on the budget and job creation at the moment. Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder says he, too, is focused on jobs and the budget – and he’s undecided on whether to support Pridemore’s bill.

Quad Graphics Profits Down Slightly

3/11/11 - Wisconsin’s largest printing company reports a smaller quarterly profit than a year ago, due to high merger costs connected with its acquisition of a Canadian firm. Quad-Graphics of Sussex had a net income of almost 27-million-dollars, or 55-cents a share from October through December. That’s down from 36-million, or 1.33-per-share, in the final quarter of 2009. Quad become the nation’s second-largest commercial printer after it acquired World Color Press of Canada last year. Chief Financial Officer John Fowler said it was a complex integration, and World Color Press had been in a downward trajectory due its bankruptcy. Quad-Graphics used to be a private company, but it’s now on the New York Stock Exchange as a result of the acquisition. Its sales jumped from 512-million-dollars in 2009’s final quarter to almost one-point-four billion dollars a year later.

Oshkosh Corp Bolsters State Defense Business

3/11/11 - Almost overnight, Wisconsin has become one of the nation’s top states in luring defense contracts. According to the Wisconsin Procurement Institute, the Badger State brought in the nation’s third-fewest defense dollars in 2007. But last year, the state ranked 16th. The institute said Wisconsin businesses attracted almost 10-billion-dollars in business from the Pentagon last year. Most people know that the Oshkosh Corporation has dramatically stepped up its production of military vehicles to help soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. National Presto of Eau Claire, which makes ammunition, has seen its Pentagon business grow as well – and so have General Electric’s medical division in Waukesha, and Madison’s W-P-S health insurance company. The Weinbrenner Shoe Company of Merrill recently won a 10-million-dollar contract from the military to make boots for hot weather. The company says it’s not as profitable as making shoes for the retail market – but the business is especially appreciated amid a lagging economy.

Low Income School Lunch List Growing

3/11/11 - The percentage of school kids from low-income families has grown in Wisconsin, to the point in which two-of-five youngsters qualify for government-subsidized lunches. The state Department of Public Instruction said today that 41-percent of public school students are eligible for free-or-reduced-price lunches – an increase of almost 12-percent from just seven years ago. The D-P-I says at least half the students in 95 school districts qualify for subsidized meals. Lac du Flambeau in northwest Wisconsin has the highest percentage of kids who qualify – just over 90-percent. Milwaukee was second at 82-percent. State Superintendent Tony Evers said the numbers show that Republican Governor Scott Walker is doing the wrong thing by cutting 834-million in state education funds in his two-year budget proposal. Evers said the planned aid cuts are quote, “balancing the fiscal follies of adults on the backs of children – especially those living in poverty.” Walker’s office has not commented.

Neosho Man Gets Four Months For 2006 Chase

3/11/11 - A Neosho man will spend four months in jail for sparking a police chase five years ago. Robert J. Wiebelhaus pleaded “no contest” Thursday to a felony charge of Fleeing and had a misdemeanor count of Operating After Revocation dismissed but read into the record. The 40-year-old was speeding on Highway 67 in the village of Neosho in March of 2006 when police initiated a traffic stop and refused to pull over. Wiebelhaus led police on a one-mile chase through an old garbage dump to Highway 60. His vehicle left the roadway, vaulted over a hill and then got stuck in a heavily wooded area. There were several beer cans found in the car but no sign of Wiebelhaus. A warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to show up to his first initial appearance in 2006.