A new mixed-use building that would change part of State Street underwent its first critique before a city commission at a meeting Wednesday. The Urban Design Commission heard an informational proposal from Court Campus for a 12-story residential building located at 441 North Frances St.. The building, called “The Hub,”… Read more »

The U.S. Department of Justice urged the state’s Department of Public Instruction to ensure voucher schools do not discriminate against students with disabilities in a letter to the state superintendent. The letter was in response to a 2011 complaint from American Civil Liberties Union and Disability Rights Wisconsin against Milwaukee’s… Read more »

A state memo projected the state’s transportation fund will likely have a $63.5 million deficit by mid-2015, a figure which could result in changes to Gov. Scott Walker’s current proposed budget. At the time Gov. Scott Walker introduced his budget, the bureau projected a $12.6 million surplus, but largely because… Read more »

A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee study released Friday found Wisconsin has the nation’s highest rate of incarceration among black men, with drug-related charges being a leading offense.The study from the UWM Employment and Training Institute found the state’s 12.8 percent incarceration rate among black men is well above the 9.7 percent rate… Read more »

Rep. Paul Ryan said the Republican Party should maintain its strong pro-life position on abortion, in addition to gaining support of pro-choice advocates, in a speech last week.At the Susan B. Anthony List Gala last Thursday, Ryan, a Republican from Janesville who ran for vice president last year, said despite… Read more »

The most powerful member of Wisconsin’s Assembly said Friday he would support a potential bill that would give tax credits to families who choose to send their children to private schools. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R–Racine, voiced his support for the proposal, which is part of the proposed 2013-2015 state… Read more »

The state unemployment rate rose to 7 percent from 6.7 percent in January despite adding 1,800 jobs, according to a Department of Workforce Development report. The monthly data showed a gain of 12,400 private-sector jobs from December 2012 to January 2013 and a decline of 10,600 government jobs, leading to… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to create a voucher program for special needs students has sparked concerns from some legislators and parents that the choice policy would funnel money away from public school districts’ programs.Walker’s proposed budget includes a new program that would give scholarships to special needs students to attend private schools… Read more »

A state appeals court dismissed a lawsuit Thursday from a Wisconsin public workers’ union regarding a request for additional paid leave days, saying unions cannot sue the state in this context. According to documents from the District 4 Court of Appeals, the judge refused to hear the case because the state has sovereign… Read more »

Tuesday’s statewide Supreme Court primary will narrow the field from three to two candidates, leaving the contenders to ramp up their efforts to reach state voters before the general election.The three candidates, incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack, Marquette law professor Ed Fallone and lemon law attorney Vince Megna, will face off… Read more »

As the Supreme Court race primary nears, incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack shows a lead in fundraising for her re-election, according to campaign finance reports filed Thursday. Roggensack obtained more than $38,000 in contributions from individuals and committees, while Marquette University Law School Professor Ed Fallone reported $5,450 in his report… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker spoke at an education convention Friday about his vision for education, including increasing funding to schools in a performance-based funding system.In his speech, Walker previewed some of the reforms his administration will include in the next biennial budget, to be introduced next month. Among them is the… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker’s former aide, Tim Russell, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges involving theft of money from a veterans fund. He was charged with stealing up to $21,000 dollars from a veterans non-profit organization Walker appointed him to lead. This comes shortly after the sentencing of Kelly Rindfleisch, another former… Read more »

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development recently began processing the backlog in the number of unemployment compensation. According to DWD spokesperson John Dipko, the department is taking many steps to assure these claims are processed as quickly as possible. According to statistics listed on the DWD’s website, there were 502,091… Read more »

With 90 percent of votes counted, voter turnout in 2012 appears to have taken a dip from 2008, according to an Associated Press report. Turnout also appears to be down in most states compared to the 2004 election as well, the report said. Reid Magney, spokesperson for the Government Accountability… Read more »

As of Friday, the Government Accountability Board reports 412,611 absentee ballots requested so far in Wisconsin for the Nov. 6 election. There were 256,277 ballots requested in clerks’ offices in person, and 156,334 absentee ballots were requested by mail and other methods. According to the statement from the GAB, although… Read more »

Neither of the two leading presidential candidates are through with Wisconsin quite yet as both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama announced upcoming visits to Wisconsin this week. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will speak in West Allis on Monday evening while Obama is set to visit Green Bay Tuesday evening.… Read more »

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development recently released new data showing the state unemployment rate in September fell to 7.3 percent. The number is lower than the national unemployment figure, 7.8 percent, and is also down from the state’s September 2011 numbers, where the state unemployment rate was at 7.4… Read more »

Rock the Vote, an organization dedicated to encouraging the youth vote, is bringing its bus tour to the University of Wisconsin campus Oct. 16.The institution, which is dedicated to encouraging young Americans to vote, began its campaign at the Republican National Convention in late August and has visited 16 other… Read more »

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Friday the national unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent, potentially giving President Barack Obama a lift as election day nears.The numbers, according to the Associated Press, are the lowest the country has seen in almost four years.According to Common Cause Wisconsin Executive Director… Read more »

The Wisconsin State Legislature voted recently to extend the temporary concealed carry regulations until more permanent regulations can be put in place.The rules regulate training requirements to get a concealed carry permit, and the temporary rules act as emergency rules put in place until permanent ones are decided.“Most of the… Read more »

Madison’s local medical community will begin providing end-of-life planning discussions for patients and their families.A written directive, taken in advance, would dictate a patient’s wishes of how they would like to be treated in case of medical emergency where they would be unable to tell their family themselves.The effort is… Read more »