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Wisconsin Examiner
Wauwatosa Police Chief MacGillis takes department in a new direction
“The first two years have been really great, have been rewarding,” James MacGillis, chief of the Wauwatosa Police Department (WPD), told Wisconsin Examiner, reflecting on what many saw as a new chapter for the city. When he was hired in July 2021, MacGillis sought to move WPD in a different direction, cultivating positivity and building […] The post Wauwatosa Police Chief MacGillis takes department in a new direction appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting
The decarbonized, electrified future envisioned by the Biden administration, state governments, automakers, utility companies and corporate sustainability goals depends to a huge degree on minerals and metals. Lots more lithium will be needed for car and truck batteries, as well as the big banks of batteries that are increasingly popping onto the electric grid to […] The post Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
U.S. House approves debt limit package, sending it to Senate days before default deadline
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House took a broadly bipartisan vote Wednesday night on the debt limit package, sending it to the U.S. Senate where lawmakers are expected to vote quickly to clear the measure. The bill would suspend the nation’s borrowing limit through Jan. 1, 2025 and set caps on discretionary spending for two years. […] The post U.S. House approves debt limit package, sending it to Senate days before default deadline appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Clean water advocates ‘cautiously optimistic’ about PFAS legislation
Advocates for clean water in Wisconsin say that legislation and a potential $125 million budget appropriation to address pollution from harmful “forever chemicals” around the state would be a good “first step” toward better protecting the state’s water supply. The group of chemicals known as PFAS has been connected to cancer and other long term […] The post Clean water advocates ‘cautiously optimistic’ about PFAS legislation appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Legislature revisits giving advanced practice nurses more freedom
Legislation to allow nurses with advanced credentials to work independently from medical doctors is back before Wisconsin lawmakers, but the measure still faces conflict between the nurses who have sought it for years and the doctors who have opposed it for just as long. Supporters of the proposal say the bill would help address severe […] The post Legislature revisits giving advanced practice nurses more freedom appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Debt limit deal hits turbulence in Congress as leaders prep for vote
WASHINGTON — Congress began moving the bipartisan debt limit package forward Tuesday, though frustrations with provisions in the bill could make for narrow passage in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Conservative Republicans and progressive Democrats both aired their disappointment with the agreement forged over the weekend, but only GOP lawmakers are looking to possibly […] The post Debt limit deal hits turbulence in Congress as leaders prep for vote appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Perspectives on addiction and recovery in a city plagued with overdose deaths
Amy Molinski, a peer support counselor at the treatment center Community Medical Services (CMS), began her journey to recovery from cocaine and heroin addiction 13 years ago. “I went to school to be an addiction counselor,” Molinski says, “and then had an opportunity to do peer support, which is just way more up my alley.” […] The post Perspectives on addiction and recovery in a city plagued with overdose deaths appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Speed of trust: politics and power in rural Wisconsin
This spring, Wisconsin held a massively consequential election for state Supreme Court. As control of the court teetered between a liberal and conservative majority, important issues like reproductive rights and gerrymandering were at stake. State Supreme Court elections are typically low-drama affairs, but pundits declared this “arguably the most important election in America in 2023”. […] The post Speed of trust: politics and power in rural Wisconsin appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
GOP-led states plan new voter data systems to replace one they rejected. Good luck with that.
So far this year, seven states, all Republican-led, have left the Electronic Registration Information Center, an interstate compact for sharing voter registration data, and more could follow. Amid the exodus, some states, including Texas and Virginia, have said they plan to create their own data-sharing networks to replace ERIC. Pledging to build a new system […] The post GOP-led states plan new voter data systems to replace one they rejected. Good luck with that. appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Don’t default on the debt we owe to veterans
It isn’t exactly clear when the first Memorial Day was held, but it was sometime late in the 19th century. General John A. Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Union veterans’ group known as the Grand Army of the Republic, issued a decree that May 30 should be known as Decoration Day, a day for Americans […] The post Don’t default on the debt we owe to veterans appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Western lands fight erupts over Bureau of Land Management’s conservation proposal
One thing opponents and proponents of a recently proposed U.S. Bureau of Land Management rule agree on: It would be a major shift in how the agency manages nearly 250 million acres of federal lands. The rule would allow for conservation leases, similar to how the agency auctions off parcels of land for mining, livestock […] The post Western lands fight erupts over Bureau of Land Management’s conservation proposal appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Democrats’ bid to push child care funding turns into argument about state marketing efforts
Wisconsin’s economic development agency will have to spend at least $4 million over the next two years on “talent attraction and retention” programs to attract workers to come to Wisconsin for jobs under a budget measure that lawmakers approved Thursday. The measure requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) to spend at least half of […] The post Democrats’ bid to push child care funding turns into argument about state marketing efforts appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Bill to teach Hmong and Asian American history gets public hearing
“Asian American history is American history,” is the resounding message students, teachers, parents and others delivered to lawmakers at an Assembly hearing Thursday on a bipartisan bill that would require Wisconsin school boards to provide curriculum on Hmong and Asian Americans. The hearing, which comes at the end of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage […] The post Bill to teach Hmong and Asian American history gets public hearing appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Despite public outcry, Madison Sewer District decides to shut off flow to Badger Mill Creek
The Madison Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) commission unanimously passed a resolution Thursday to shut off the flow of treated wastewater into Badger Mill Creek despite objections from local governments, community members who live near the creek and clean water interest groups. The decision was made as the district is being required by the state Department […] The post Despite public outcry, Madison Sewer District decides to shut off flow to Badger Mill Creek appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
With debt default as soon as a week away, U.S. House jets off for holiday break
WASHINGTON — U.S. House members walked down the steps of the Capitol building Thursday morning to head back to their districts for a Memorial Day recess that began exactly one week before the country could default on the debt. House Democrats took to the floor after the final vote of the week to give a […] The post With debt default as soon as a week away, U.S. House jets off for holiday break appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Biden wetlands regulation, ruling for Idaho couple
The U.S. Supreme Court in a major environmental decision on Thursday overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of wetlands that fall under the agency’s jurisdiction, siding with an Idaho couple who’d said they should not be required to obtain federal permits to build on their property that lacked any navigable water. All nine justices agreed […] The post U.S. Supreme Court rejects Biden wetlands regulation, ruling for Idaho couple appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Teeing up for a future chance, Democrats rally business owners to advocate for family leave bill
A day after Republicans blocked their bid for an economic study on the potential impact of paid family leave, Democrats on the Legislature’s budget committee brought together four business owners to discuss their support for the proposed benefit program. Rachel Neill, founder of a Madison tech company, said that she would like employees to be […] The post Teeing up for a future chance, Democrats rally business owners to advocate for family leave bill appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
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The Wisconsin Examiner is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news site offering a fresh perspective on politics and policy in our state. As the largest news bureau covering state government, the Examiner will offer investigative reporting and daily coverage dedicated to the public interest. In Wisconsin’s great progressive tradition, we aim to hold the powerful accountable to the people, follow the money, and dig out the truth. Although we give you the inside scoop, we are not a publication for “insiders.” Instead, we cover stories and voices that too often go unheard. We take our inspiration from the motto emblazoned on a ceiling in our state Capitol: “The Will of the People Is the Law of the Land.” The Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. We retain full editorial independence.
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