Several contentious court cases played out over the last several months, including two that struck down Wisconsin laws and one that characterized the John Doe investigation into the governor’s former staffers. The voter ID law had been struck down by two circuit courts already, a move that the Attorney General… Read more »

This week Gov. Scott Walker will begin a tour across the state of Wisconsin to talk with Wisconsinites about their ideas to improve the state. The trip, dubbed by his campaign as the “Talk with Walker Tour,” will last several months. Walker is set to speak with Wisconsin citizens to… Read more »

Despite the October rain level approaching the traditional average, the state’s ongoing drought may have detrimental effects on the state.State Climatologist John Young, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Wisconsin, said in statement that in the last 45 years, he has not seen a drought as bad… Read more »

An anti-abortion group within the state has proposed stricter regulations on abortions, including mandating women requesting abortions to watch an ultrasound of their fetuses. Wisconsin Right to Life has expressed its desire to also end abortions based on sex selection and abortions that could cause the fetus pain, according to… Read more »

Former Walker aide Kelly Rindfleisch was sentenced to six months in prison and three years of probation Monday afternoon after being convicted of campaign fundraising while employed by Milwaukee County.  Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said Rindfleisch was found guilty of using company equipment and working… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker revealed his intended policies in a speech in California on Friday, which include lowering property taxes, providing additional aid to voucher schools and making public schools more accountable. Walker detailed his intent to expect more accountability from public schools by noting they should be required to meet… Read more »

Although neither candidate focused much on the subject during the 2012 election, experts say climate change is a growing threat to the nation. According to University of Wisconsin life sciences communication professor Dominique Brossard, Hurricane Sandy may have increased climate change visibility for the nation. She noted it has significantly… Read more »

Former Gov. Mitt Romney’s loss at the polls may be in part due to the Republican Party’s lack of support from the Latino community, experts say. According to a report released by the Pew Research Center, 23.7 million Hispanics were eligible to vote in the 2012 election.This is a 22… Read more »

Traffic fatalities in Wisconsin have increased about 15 percent since last year, according to a Wisconsin Department of Transportation report.Through October, 531 fatalities occurred, which is an increase of 69 accidents compared to 2011 numbers at the same point in the year, the report said. However, the statement also said… Read more »

President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., are in a dead heat for the presidential race that concludes today, according to several final polls, and state officials are saying the election is projected to draw a solid turnout of 70 percent in Wisconsin. The final CNN national poll… Read more »

As early voting starts off, the Government Accountability Board is predicting an overall voter turnout in the millions for Wisconsin. Reid Magney, spokesperson for the GAB, said it is too early to tell if the early voting count will match expectations.  “We expect three million voters and one in five ballots… Read more »

In a celebration taking place Tuesday evening, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced its Forward Campaign raised $77.6 million toward its cause, exceeding the original goal to earn $77 million.Tuesday evening, donors and members of the Wisconsin Historical Society gathered to commemorate their first and largest campaign’s achievement of their goal. According to Campaign Chair Craig Culver, the Forward… Read more »

As post-tropical cyclone Sandy rips through the east coast, leaving millions impacted and without power, President Barack Obama and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney are changing their plans for the week and have canceled their campaign visits to Wisconsin.With just a week left before the national election, Obama had planned… Read more »

Wisconsin’s two senate candidates concluded their series of debates Friday night in Milwaukee, giving the candidates one last chance to spar against one another on serious issues such as the economy and healthcare. In an election filled with negative campaign ads, the third and final debate between the two… Read more »

Tammy Baldwin and two cast members from the television show “Glee” spoke yesterday evening at the Red Gym to promote early voting. A number of people addressed the crowd of about 60 people Sunday, including Baldwin, State Representative Chris Taylor (D-Madison), “Glee” stars Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale and… Read more »

The last debate between President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Mitt Romney may not have provided a clear winner but provided insight into both contenders’ views on foreign policy. Covering a variety of topics from foreign policy and domestic policies to woman’s rights and the economy, the debate provided a… Read more »

The Tammy Baldwin campaign conducted a conference call yesterday evening to provide students with the opportunity to ask the campaign about many of the deciding issues in the upcoming U.S. Senate election. Campaign spokesperson John Krause answered students’ questions about the campaign efforts directed at young voters. He noted over… Read more »

The vice president’s wife visited Madison Monday morning at an event hosted by Obama for America to honor the first day of early voting. In her speech Jill Biden urged Madisonians to vote early and requested supporters do what they can in the next two weeks before the presidential election.… Read more »

The Department of Administration released its annual fiscal report showing Wisconsin will deposit the largest amount into its Rainy Day Fund in state history, according to a statement from the DOA. According to 2009 Legislative Fiscal Bureau publication, the rainy day fund was created in 1985 after the early 1980s recession. The… Read more »

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney filed a federal lawsuit in order to gain more time for military and overseas voters to return their ballots in Wisconsin, according to the Associated Press. The lawsuit was filed in Madison’s federal court on Friday, which comes after the Romney campaign had already sent… Read more »

Attendees of the Annual Conference on South Asia gathered for a special roundtable discussion Friday on the summer shooting which took place in Oak Creek, Wis.The shooting took place on Aug. 5, when white supremacist Wade Michael Page killed five people and wounded several others before killing himself.Scholars from around… Read more »

Decreases in higher education funding have affected the ability of public universities to do research, according to a recent National Science Board study.This study noted between 2002 and 2010, state per-student funding has decreased by an average of 20 percent among 101 public universities in the country.Ten states in the… Read more »

A subpoena has been filed with the court which will mandate that Gov. Scott Walker testifies in the trial of one of his former staff members, according to the Associated Press. Kelly Rindfleisch is accused of campaigning for Republican Brett Davis while her salary was being paid by the citizens… Read more »

The Government Accountability Board has received numerous complaints that information on voter registration mailings has been incorrect, according to a statement from the GAB.In the statement, GAB director Kevin Kennedy said the GAB gets complaints about these types of mailings every election. “Political parties and interest groups send out glossy… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin System experienced a minor decrease in enrollment for the fall 2012 semester, the Board of Regents learned Friday.In total, the UW System experienced a net loss of 22 students out of 156,580 students overall, which is only a 0.6 percent decrease, according to a UW System… Read more »

The Department of Natural Resources proposed changes to the state’s list of protected species, requesting to remove 16 species and add eight. According to a statement from the DNR, the bureau completed a review of Wisconsin’s rare species and is now requesting these changes be made to “Chapter NR 27,”… Read more »

Medicaid’s debt has decreased by millions, according to officials at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. A letter describing the shrink in the shortfall was sent from Dennis Smith, secretary of the Department of Health Services, to Representative Robin Vos, R-Burlington, and Senator Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, who are both members… Read more »

After Friday night’s election debate, healthcare has come into focus as a critical issue in the race for Wisconsin’s open Senate seat. The debate between Republican and former Gov. Tommy Thompson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin Friday mainly focused on the two candidates’ views on healthcare. John Kraus, spokesperson for Baldwin’s… Read more »

A recent report from the Pew Research Center shows a 15 percent increase in student debt since 2007, leaving one in five families in the U.S. with student debt.According to the report, 40 percent of households with members younger than 35 owe debt.A statement from left-leaning advocacy group One Wisconsin… Read more »

As the hearing date for the upcoming trial of Gov. Scott Walker’s former aide, Kelly Rindfleisch, approaches, speculation continues regarding whether the hearing will have any bearing on the outcome of the national election this fall.The hearing for Rindfleisch, who was deputy chief of staff in 2010 while Walker was… Read more »

Wisconsin exceeds national averages in both SAT and Advanced Placement scores, according to a report released Monday. According to a statement from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the results from the 2012 Wisconsin SAT college examination show Wisconsin significantly above the national average in the three categories students are tested… Read more »

The State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board activated a website that will provide absentee ballots to overseas U.S. soldiers and citizens, according to a statement last Thursday.Previously, soldiers and citizens overseas had to contact their local clerk’s office to obtain a ballot, Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the… Read more »

A U.S. Senate subcommittee addressed concerns and ways to move forward Wednesday in the wake of the shooting that took place at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., last month.On Aug. 5, white supremacist Wade Michael Page killed five people and wounded several others before killing himself.The hearing of… Read more »

Building code safety requirements may not retain their current state after a recent review of their use.On June 29, state officials approved the Department of Safety and Professional Services to review three devices that are part of the current building code and to potentially make them optional instead of a… Read more »

Despite the death of a former mining bill amid environmental concerns, Wisconsin’s Senate Committee on Mining held an informational hearing on the topic Tuesday.  The five-hour meeting was intended to educate the committee of seven senators and the general public about current mining laws and the history of mining in… Read more »

Just days after a circuit court judge struck down Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial collective bargaining law, the appeal process for the overturning of the collective bargaining law is already underway. Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said throughout the appeal process he will request permission to continue to enforce the… Read more »

President Barack Obama would maintain his support for the Great Lakes restoration if he is re-elected in November, a spokesperson said Thursday.Water Resources Specialist at Clean Wisconsin, Ezra Meyer, said Obama pledged if elected in November, he would continue his funding of $300 million per year to the Great Lakes… Read more »

Recent reports indicate that some legislation tough on tobacco companies is beginning to lead to a decrease in the amount of smokers in both Wisconsin and the United States. A statement yesterday from SmokeFree Wisconsin said since April 1, 2009, when President Barack Obama raised the tax on cigarettes from $0.39 to $1.01,… Read more »

A Wisconsin senator has introduced legislation that would freeze the legal requirement for renewable energy in Wisconsin at the current 2012 levels.Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, said in a statement yesterday that he believes the current ten percent renewable portfolio standard, a price cap on renewable energy sources, is a… Read more »

The Rasmussen Report’s daily presidential tracking system shows President Barack Obama five points ahead of presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the nation.The gap between the two candidates, which had narrowed when Romney selected Wisconsinite Paul Ryan as his running mate, has not been this wide since March 17.The Rasmussen report… Read more »

A report released last week by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows Wisconsin among the top four states that have cut the most education dollars per student.The report shows Wisconsin has cut over $900 per student since 2008. This is more than the amount deducted per pupil in… Read more »

With elections approaching and campaigning kicking into high gear, former Gov. Tommy Thompson is holding onto a slight majority in the U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin, according to the latest Public Policy Polling findings. Over the course of the past six weeks, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has been losing ground in… Read more »

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s choice of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, may have made Wisconsin more of a toss-up state for the election in November, according to recent political polls. A Marquette University Law School poll conducted in August showed Obama leading Romney by 3 percentage points. The poll conducted… Read more »

The most recent polling shows President Barack Obama with a modest lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in Wisconsin for the 2012 presidential race. Public Policy Polling’s most recent data shows Obama’s 50-to-44 lead against Romney is weaker than it was in 2008 but also shows he is the favorite… Read more »

As the GOP primary for one of Wisconsin’s Senate seats quickly approaches, it may be less clear which candidate will challenge Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in the general election. Previous polls showed former Governor Tommy Thompson leading the pack of candidates, but a poll conducted this month by Public Policy… Read more »

Student parents at the University of Wisconsin have access to programs and services to help them balance the challenges of parenthood with their academic endeavors, but some student parents have said they have trouble at the school. The UW Office of Child Care and Family Resources is located in Eagle… Read more »

A small group of medicinal marijuana supporters marched from the Capitol steps Saturday to generate support for a bill that would legalize medical cannabis in Wisconsin. The Madison Global Cannabis Freedom March ended at the Mifflin Street Block Party and was a part of a nationwide march sponsored by the… Read more »

Hundreds of men, women and children gathered outside the Capitol on Saturday to rally in protest of recently enacted laws pertaining to women’s rights, employment and reproductive health. At the event, many women and men shared their stories about why they continue to fight for these rights. Among the events… Read more »

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin suspended its use of nonsurgical abortions late last week because of concerns surrounding restrictions put into effect Friday by a recently signed law. In a statement from PPW, President and CEO Teri Huyck said the organization would discontinue the use of chemical, or nonsurgical, abortions even… Read more »

Protestors demanded equal pay for women at an event at the Capitol on Tuesday, which commemorated “Equal Pay Day” across the country. Hosted by Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, the event drew nearly 100 people to hear several speakers address the issue of a woman’s right to demand equal pay for… Read more »

Tea Party members of all generations gathered at the steps of the Capitol Saturday, calling for limiting taxes and lowering government spending as part of the Americans for Prosperity Tax Day Rally. At least 4,000 Tea Party members were in attendance. Speakers included Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, conservative radio host… Read more »

Former governor of Wisconsin and current candidate in a race for a U.S. Senate seat Tommy Thompson reflected on his career in politics and made predictions for the upcoming GOP presidential primary to a crowd at Union South on Saturday. Thompson was asked for his thoughts on the Republican presidential… Read more »

One of the four state Senators facing recall elections resigned Friday because of family health issues, eliminating the Republican majority and throwing the power balance of the Senate into question. Sen. Pam Galloway, R-Wausau, said in a statement last Friday she was resigning because her family was dealing with severe… Read more »

The Government Accountability Board requested an additional two weeks to complete the review of the signatures supporting the recall of Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican senators, despite also announcing the likelihood of denying the senators’ challenges. A statement from the GAB’s petition review staff said… Read more »

Dave Cieslewicz fits the definition of a true Madisonian. From being a University of Wisconsin graduate, former mayor of Madison and now an adjunct associate professor of geography and political science at UW, Cieslewicz’s career has come full circle. As mayor, he worked in the politics and functioning of cities,… Read more »

Democratic lawmakers are requesting the Assembly close a loophole in the state budget that would allow for the expansion of school voucher programs across the state. When the Legislature passed the budget last year, it included a provision permitting the school voucher program to expand. However, after passing the budget,… Read more »

Despite signs of recovery over the last year, Wisconsin is one of the leading states in layoffs and unemployment claims, according to the most recent federal statistics.  Only five other states — California, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida — had more layoffs than Wisconsin during January of this year,… Read more »

Two legislators introduced an education reform bill Friday which would attempt to improve student reading programs and create a screening process to prevent early readers from falling behind their peers. Rep. Steve Kestell, R-Elkhart Lake, and Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, created the bill which would try to ensure every teacher… Read more »

Amid allegations Gov. Scott Walker has not met the job creation goals he promised since taking office, the governor recently established a workforce readiness council, which aims to create degree programs to move people into the workforce. Walker signed an executive order Jan. 13 creating the College and Workforce Readiness… Read more »