Top Stories, March 19th

GOP To Appeal Circuit Court Decision

3/19/11 - Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi says there is reason to believe a conference committee meeting held last week violated the open meetings law, raising concerns that the bill was illegally passed before the Governor signed it into law. Sumi’s order prohibits the Secretary of State from publishing the law until otherwise directed by the court. The action essentially keeps the provisions of the bill from being enacted, including changes to the collective bargaining rights of public employees. Republicans quickly attacked the decision, with Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issuing a statement that the Department of Justice will appeal the ruling as quickly as possible. Van Hollen says “The Legislature and the Governor, not a single Dane County Circuit Court Judge, are responsible for the enactment of laws.” Meanwhile, Democrats largely praised the ruling. Secretary of State Doug La Follette, who is named in the lawsuit filed by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozzane, says the restraining order backs up his decision to hold off on publishing the bill while legal challenges were pending. La Follette has said he would wait as long as legally possible to publish the bill, which would have been on March 25th. Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) says it was a big victory for Democracy in Wisconsin, and affirms the rights of people to be notified about government meetings. Governor Scott Walker’s office also issued a statement Friday, saying the Governor is “confident the provisions of the budget repair bill will become law in the near future.”

Emails Show Budget Support, Opposition

3/19/11 - Governor Scott Walker was apparently right when he said thousands of Wisconsinites e-mailed him to support his plan to curtail most public union bargaining. But copies of e-mails reviewed by the Associated Press also showed that the Republican governor downplayed large numbers of e-mails that expressed heavy opposition. The A-P and Madison’s Isthmus newspaper filed suit to get the e-mails. The governor’s office reached a settlement this week, agreeing to release the e-mails and pay seven-thousand dollars for the media’s legal expenses in bringing the suit. It allowed the governor’s office not to admit guilt in breaking the Open Records Law. The A-P said Walker got some backlash when he e-mailed state employees to praise their service on the day he announced his union restrictions. A corrections worker told Walker his actions speak to quote, “an irrational hatred of the very people that have dedicated their lives and careers to keeping the state running safely and efficiently.” A prison sergeant asked why Walker was quote, “trying to take what we have worked so hard for.” But a Milwaukee school employee told Walker she supported the plan, saying it was quote, “more than fair to us in the public sector and will bring a measure of financial relief to the people of our state.” The A-P said private sector workers also expressed mixed reactions.

Vet Groups Oppose Consolidation, Cuts

3/19/11 - Advocates for Wisconsin’s veterans are speaking out against parts of the governor’s budget proposal for the next two years. Republican Scott Walker wants to save over a million dollars by turning an assisted living facility into a skilled nursing home at the State Veterans’ Home in Union Grove. The change would eliminate over 20 jobs including seven nurses. Some of the affected employees testified against the move at a public hearing this week. And county veterans’ service officers spoke out against another budget measure to consolidate the Veterans’ Benefits and Claims divisions. Rock County officer John Solis says it would get harder to arrange the benefits that veterans are entitled to. Service officer Russ Peck said the claims department would be weakened, thus hurting veterans’ widows who are eligible for pension benefits of 75-hundred-dollars a year. The state Veterans’ Affairs Board won’t vote on the proposed re-organization until next month. Also, veterans’ officials are fighting other parts of Walker’s new budget to cut other programs – including those which serve homeless veterans.

Columbus HS Principal Search Underway

3/19/11 - Columbus High School will be naming a new Principal soon and the search is well underway. Current CHS principal Connie Valenza will be assuming her new post as Superintendent of Schools in Platteville on July 1st. Sixty-nine educators initially applied for the job. A committee of administrators, teachers, staff, a parent and a student are involved in candidate screening. District Administrators are hoping to have the selection process completed by mid-April.

Milwaukee Schools Face Closures, Mergers

3/19/11 - Facing a projected 74 million dollar budget shortfall, Milwaukee Public Schools are considering school closings, mergers and other moves to cut expenses. The district announced its first round of proposals yesterday, including closing an elementary and K-through-8 school and merging or changing up to seven others. The district's finance committee takes up those ideas next Monday. Then, they could be approved by the whole board a week from Thursday. This is just the first step. The administration is expected to recommend another round of school closings and mergers next month. Governor Scott Walker's proposed state budget includes a reduction of 834 million dollars in public school spending over the next two years. Because Milwaukee is the biggest and most expensive district in the state, it would be hit hardest.

Proposed Power Lines Stir Concern

3/19/11 - There’s concern that a massive energy project running from La Crosse to Madison could pass through a nature reserve. People packed into a Kickapoo Valley Reserve Management Board meeting Thursday night in La Farge to hear about proposed plans for the Badger Coulee Transmission Line Project. American Transmission Company wants to construct large power lines from La Crosse to Madison. The project is in its preliminary study period, meaning the company is looking at a vast area with many possibilities for power line corridor options. Most of the meeting’s attendees were opposed to the lines coming through the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, which offers a variety of recreation and also provides habitat for a number of birds. ATC will have specific routes chosen by next year. The Public Service Commission has the final say in where the power lines go.

Great Lakes Ports Facing Funding Cuts

3/19/11 - A Great Lakes ports group is declaring a state of emergency. They say a federal proposal will reduce port dredging to the lowest amount in more than half a century. The proposal would pay for dredging of only 11 of the Great Lakes’ 83 harbors. James Weakley of the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force says that’s not enough to keep sediment from filling ports. So they’ve declared a state of emergency. The emergency declaration doesn’t have any effect on the ports or shipping, but Weakley says they need to get the attention of Congress to provide more funding. While Green Bay and Duluth-Superior ports will get money for dredging in 2012, Milwaukee will not. Weakley says proposed funding is about $80-million for 2012 and they need at least $100-million so they don’t lose ground to sediment. He predicts ports in Waukegan, Illinois and St. Joseph, Michigan could close in 2012 if they aren’t dredged.

UW Investigating Silverware Thefts

3/19/11 - So, who's stealing all the spoons in Eau Claire? The student dining program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is on pace to lose at least 100 thousand dollars this year because of dinnerware theft. Blugold Dining averages an annual loss of 38 thousand dollars, but this year's figures are even higher. The losses come when students walk off with knives, forks and spoons -- and they have to be replaced. School officials say it is possible Blugold Dining may have to stop its late night services at Hilltop Center's Riverview Cafe. That decision could come later this month.