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New Bill Would Require Older Drivers To Renew Licenses More Often
link
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A state bill that would require older drivers to renew their drivers' licenses more often is being circulated for sponsorship.
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05/24/13
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by Kristen Durst
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(Photo by
NCinDC (CC-BY-ND))
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UW Student Group Would Lose Funding Model In New Budget
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Part of the University of Wisconsin budget approved last night would make it harder for the UW student group United Council to collect dues.
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05/24/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
University of Wisconsin)
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Manufacturer Announces Creation Of 250 New Jobs In Mosinee
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Crystal Finishing Products has announced plans to expand its business and bring 250 new jobs to the city of Mosinee.
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05/24/13
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by Glen Moberg
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(Photo by
self (CC-BY-SA))
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Pepin County May Soon Restrict Frac Sand Operations Near Great River Road
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Pepin County is considering a ban on frac sand mines and processing centers along a 10-mile stretch of the Mississippi River.
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05/24/13
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by Rich Kremer
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(Photo by
Royal Broil (CC-BY))
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Puppies That Survived Oklahoma Tornadoes Come To Wisconsin
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A batch of puppies from Moore, Oklahoma is now in Wisconsin looking for new homes.
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DNR Keeps Eye On Possible Future Chemical Analysis Of Wisconsin Waters
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The Department of Natural Resources is investigating ways to see what endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be Wisconsin waters.
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05/24/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
DNR (CC-BY))
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DNR Committee Recommends Higher Wolf Hunt Quotas
link
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A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) committee wants to let hunters and trappers kill a lot more gray wolves this fall.
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05/24/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
MacNeil Lyons, National Park Service)
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Committee Freezes UW Tuition, Cuts State Aid To System
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Members of both parties approved a budget plan that would freeze tuition at the University of Wisconsin and cut state aid to the university system.
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05/24/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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Rent-To-Own Retailers Remain Regulated
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The Joint Finance Committee voted last night against a plan to exempt the rent-to-own industry from Wisconsin's Consumer Act.
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05/24/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
St. Bernard Project (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Finance Committee Delays Highway Projects To Balance Transportation Budget
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Wisconsin's transportation fund would be left with just a $5 million balance under a plan approved by the Joint Finance Committee last night.
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05/24/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Ryan Keene (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Plan Would Allow DNA Sampling At Felony Arrests
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The Joint Finance Committee approved a plan last night to make people arrested for alleged felonies and sexual assault subject to DNA sampling.
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05/24/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Scott Davidson (CC-BY))
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Forest County Potawatomi Open Computer Data Center
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The Forest County Potawatomi tribe has opened the first Native American-owned large computer data center in Wisconsin.
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05/24/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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Walker To Speak In Des Moines Tonight, Inciting Criticism From The Left
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Governor Scott Walker is due to speak near Des Moines, Iowa this evening, in what some call part of a potential 2016 presidential run.
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05/24/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Jackie Guthrie (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Madison Philanthropists Give 600K For Barneveld Library Expansion
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Two Madison philanthropists are giving a $600,000 donation to the Barneveld Public Library to help cover the costs of an expansion project.
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05/23/13
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by Terry Bell
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(Photo by
Barneveld Public Library)
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Farmers Off To Slow Start Planting Crops
link
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Some Wisconsin corn growers are still waiting to get into their wet fields to plant their crops.
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05/23/13
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by Steve Roisum
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(Photo by
Mark's Postcards from Beloit (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Budget Committee Rejects Plan To Track People On Restraining Orders With GPS
link
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The Joint Finance Committee rejected a plan to spend $3 million to track people on domestic violence restraining orders using GPS technology.
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05/23/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Michael Leland / WPR News)
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As Spearfishing Winds Down, DNR Bag Limits Go Up
link
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Anglers may need a bigger creel this weekend: The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) increased bag limits on 400 northern lakes.
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05/23/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
Kathleen Vandervelde)
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Rent-To-Own Industry's Critics Make Last-Minute Plea To Eliminate Budget Proposal
link
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Critics of the rent-to-own industry made a last-minute plea today to kill a plan that would make it exempt from consumer protection laws.
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05/23/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Walker Says That Debate Over Stewardship Program Isn't Over
link
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Governor Scott Walker says the final size of Wisconsin's Stewardship land conservation program may not be set in stone just yet.
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05/23/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Jackie Guthrie (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Group Challenges Highway Expansion Project With New Research
link
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A new report questions the need for major highway expansions in Wisconsin, having found that previous traffic projections were too high.
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05/23/13
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by Shamane Mills
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(Photo by
Michael Perekas (CC-BY))
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DNR Updates Endangered Species List, Downgrades Blanding's Turtle
link
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The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) board has approved changes to Wisconsin's endangered species list.
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05/23/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Keith Shannon / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
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Rep. Duffy Grills Treasury Secretary Over IRS scandal
link
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When U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew sat in the House hot seat Wednesday, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisc) did his part to turn up the flame.
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05/23/13
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by Mike Simonson
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Burning A Forest To Save It
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The U.S. Forest Service is planning a prescribed burn in part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Bayfield County this weekend.
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05/23/13
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by Rich Kremer
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(Photo by
US Forestry Service)
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Director's Cut Radio: Going After Corporate Tax Dodgers With “We're Not Broke”
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“We’re Not Broke” is a 2012 documentary by Karin Hayes and Victoria Bruce about how American corporations hide profits overseas.
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Lawmakers To Debate Police DNA Sampling In Wake Of SCOTUS Hearings
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The legislature's budget committee is scheduled to vote today a plan that would let police collect DNA samples from people when they're arrested.
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05/23/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Josh M (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Walker Pushes Proposal To Increase Northern Wisconsin Walleye Stock
link
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A proposal to dramatically increase the number of walleye stocked in northern Wisconsin lakes is getting good reviews.
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05/22/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
Tai Toh (CC-BY-NC))
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Ministry Health Care Announces Termination Of Up To 250 Jobs
link
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Ministry Health Care has announced plans to lay off hundreds of workers at its hospitals and clinics in Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota.
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05/22/13
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by Glen Moberg
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(Photo by
Royal Broil (CC-BY))
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Voucher School Opponents Bring Thousands Of Signed Petitions To Capitol
link
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Democrats and voucher school opponents say they've collected nearly 17,000 signatures from people opposed to voucher school expansion.
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05/22/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Critics Of Common Core Standards Mobilize In Capitol For Hearings
link
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Critics of Wisconsin's newly implemented educational standards crowded an informational hearing today at the State Capitol.
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05/22/13
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by Kristen Durst
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(Photo by
Archbob (CC-BY))
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Smokers Hotline Sees Uptick In Calls Due To National Ad Campaign
link
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Wisconsin's Tobacco Quit Line has seen a surge of calls since March, when a national campaign called Tips from Former Smokers started.
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05/22/13
|
by Shamane Mills
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(Photo by
CDC)
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High Capacity Well Proposals May Soon Bypass Environmental Impact Challenges
link
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Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee approved a plan last night making it harder to challenge applications for high capacity wells.
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05/22/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Brewbrooks (CC-BY-SA))
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Retired Public Employees May Soon Find It Tougher To 'Double Dip'
link
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The Joint Finance Committee approved a plan making it harder for retired public employees to return to work and still draw a pension.
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05/22/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
S. Neuhaus (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Budget Committee Pushes Through New Requirements For Food Stamp Users
link
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The Joint Finance Committee approved a budget provision that requires poor people to work part time or undergo job training to get food stamps.
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05/22/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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Bird Enthusiast's Cross-State Trek Ends In Prairie Du Chien
link
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A 65 year-old man who walked across Wisconsin counting bird species has finished his hike.
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05/22/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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DNR Wants More Shooting Ranges In State
link
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The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says it wants to add more shooting ranges in Wisconsin, as well as renovate others.
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05/22/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
|
(Photo by
Michael Perekas (CC-BY))
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Sheboygan Priest Founds Group To Help Crack Down On Sex Abuse
link
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A priest from Sheboygan is a founding member of a new group of clergy that's monitoring sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church.
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05/21/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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Smokers Employed By State May Soon Have To Pay Surcharge
link
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State workers who smoke would soon have to pay a $50 monthly surcharge under a plan approved by the legislature’s budget committee.
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05/21/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Raul Lieberwirth (CC-NC-ND))
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Budget Committee Green-Lights Sale Of State-Owned Property
link
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Republicans on the legislature’s budget committee have approved a plan that would allow for the sale of state-owned property.
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05/21/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Michael Leland / WPR News)
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DNR Asks For More Staff To Monitor Frac Sand Air Emissions
link
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|
Two state lawmakers from western Wisconsin are asking for 10 additional staff members to monitor air quality at frac sand mines.
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05/21/13
|
by Rich Kremer
|
(Photo by
Carol Mitchell (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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How Close Is Too Close For Election Observers?
link
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|
State lawmakers are considering a bill to allow election observers to get closer to voters and poll workers.
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05/21/13
|
by Shamane Mills
|
(Photo by
Michael Leland)
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Oktoberfest Will Be Condensed To Four Days Next Year
link
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La Crosse’s Oktoberfest celebration will be cut down to four days next year, instead of spanning over two weekends.
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05/21/13
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by Maureen McCollum
|
(Photo by
Ashley Conrad)
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Wausau Paper Company Sells Mosinee and Rhinelander Mills
link
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The Wausau Paper Company has sold its mills in Mosinee and Rhinelander to a private equity firm.
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05/21/13
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by Glen Moberg
|
(Photo by
Jason Dean (CC-BY))
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Wolf Committee To Recommend New Hunt Quotas
link
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Recommendations on how many wolves should be killed during this fall's hunting and trapping season could emerge from a committee meeting this Thursday in Wausau.
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05/21/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
|
(Photo by
Josh More (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Michigan Tourism Board Crosses Lake To Advertise In Milwaukee
link
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The interstate competition for your vacation dollars is taking an uncommon twist. Michigan tourism officials are in Wisconsin, spreading the word about the Wolverine State.
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05/21/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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Raw Food Advocates Converge For Dairy Farmer Trial
link
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With Loganville farmer Vernon Hershberger’s trial underway in Sauk County, raw milk advocates say this is a pivotal moment in the raw and local food movement.
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05/21/13
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by Maureen McCollum
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(Photo by
Maureen McCollum , WPR News)
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Group Prepares To Fight Mine With Civil Disobedience
link
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|
A group that says new iron ore legislation leaves them with no choice but to fight a mine with civil disobedience held a training session in Taylor County last weekend. About 70 people showed up.
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05/21/13
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by Mike Simonson
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Federal Legislation Would Help With Great Lakes Dredging
link
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A $200 million backlog in Great Lakes harbor and channel dredging would end with a bill that just passed the U.S. Senate.
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05/21/13
|
by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
Minnesota EPA)
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Vote On New Food Stamp Requirements Slated For Today
link
|
|
The legislature's budget committee is scheduled to vote today on a plan requiring food stamp recipients to undergo job training to receive benefits.
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05/21/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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In Baraboo Case, Defendant Avers That It's Raw Milk That's On Trial
link
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|
A trial is underway in Baraboo, for a Sauk County farmer who’s been selling raw milk through a private buying club.
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05/20/13
|
by Maureen McCollum
|
(Photo by
cheeseslave, flickr (CC-BY))
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Making FoodShare Users Do More Job Searches Would Cost State Millions
link
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|
A new analysis says Governor Scott Walker's plan to make food stamp recipients perform more job searches would cost the state millions.
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05/20/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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Big Eau Pleine Fish Kill: Not As Bad As It Could Have Been
link
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|
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the fish kill on central Wisconsin's Big Eau Pleine reservoir was major, but not as bad as predicted.
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05/20/13
|
by Glen Moberg
|
(Photo by
Digidave (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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For Ninth Consecutive Year, More Students On Free And Reduced-Price Lunch Plans
link
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The number of students in Wisconsin receiving free and reduced-price school meals has increased for the ninth straight school year.
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05/20/13
|
by Kristen Durst
|
(Photo by
DPI)
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Housing Market Continues To Trend Upward
link
|
|
Wisconsin's housing market is strong compared to the same time last year, with both sales and prices higher than where they were.
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|
05/20/13
|
by Patty Murray
|
(Photo by
Think Panama (CC-BY-NC))
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Legislators To Decide Reach Of School Voucher Programs
link
|
|
Legislators may soon decide the fate of Governor Scott Walker's controversial plan to expand taxpayer-funded school vouchers. The expansion has been a divisive issue, especially in the communities that would be directly impacted.
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05/20/13
|
by Kristen Durst
|
(Photo by
Adam Fagen)
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After The Fire: Recovery Begins
link
|
|
People are picking up the pieces after a fire in northern Wisconsin that burned more than 8,100 acres and destroyed 17 homes last week.
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05/20/13
|
by Danielle Kaeding
|
(Photo by
Danielle Kaeding)
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Indian Tribal Elders Hold Drum Ceremony Opposing Iron Mine
link
|
|
Native American tribal elders from Bad River and Red Cliff held a drum ceremony this weekend calling upon the spirits to offer guidance in their fight against a proposed iron mine in northern Wisconsin.
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05/20/13
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by Rich Kremer
|
(Photo by
Rich Kremer , WPR News)
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DNR Approves Long Planned Stewardship Land Purchases, Despite Debate
link
|
|
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) board has voted to buy land or conservation easements on about 11,000 acres in Wisconsin.
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05/20/13
|
by Chuck Quirmbach
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Week Ahead For Budget Committee Features Votes On Hot-Button Issues
link
|
|
The legislature's budget committee is scheduled to vote on some hot-button issues this week.
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|
05/20/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Brian Bliss (CC-BY-SA))
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Raw Milk Advocates Mobilize For Trial Of One Of Their Own
link
|
|
Raw milk supporters from across the country are expected in Baraboo this week for the trial of Vernon Hershberger.
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05/20/13
|
by Maureen McCollum
|
(Photo by
Elisha Marshall (CC-BY-NC))
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Minocqua Family Boasts Not One, But Two Geography Whiz Kids
link
|
|
Wisconsin is being represented in the National Geographic Bee this year by the sister of a boy who took second last year.
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05/17/13
|
by Shamane Mills
|
(Photo by
The Jain Family)
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Anti-Mining Activists Gather In Penokee Hills This Weekend
link
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|
Native and non-native people will join tomorrow at a river downstream from a proposed open-pit iron ore mine in the Penokee Range.
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|
05/17/13
|
by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
J. Chapiewsky (CC-BY-SA))
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Cyclists Gear Up For Conclusion To Bike To Work Week
link
|
|
Rain across part of Wisconsin today may have put a damper on plans to end this week's Bike to Work Week with one more ride.
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05/17/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
|
(Photo by
James Jordan (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Wisconsin Congressmen Want To Cap Public Crop Insurance
link
|
|
Two Wisconsin congressmen want to help cap how much taxpayers pay to insure farmers.
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05/17/13
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by Steve Roisum
|
(Photo by
Crossn81 (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Mysterious Virus Plagues Ammunition Plant's Famous Salamander
link
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|
A virus is infecting salamanders at the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant near Baraboo.
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05/17/13
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by Terry Bell
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(Photo by
Al (CC-BY-NC))
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|
Exhausted Wildfire Fighters Get Thanks And (Finally) Sleep
link
|
|
The scene included thanks all around to firefighters at the Germann Lake Fire Command Post in Gordon, Thursday.
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|
05/17/13
|
by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
Wisconsin DNR)
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Senator Baldwin Wants Tax Break For Craft Brewers
link
|
|
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc) says she's trying to help small Wisconsin craft brewers get a federal tax break.
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05/17/13
|
by Chuck Quirmbach
|
(Photo by
Gottfried not Bouillon (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Study Shows Food Stamp Users Eat Same Diet As Everyone Else
link
|
|
A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the federal food stamp program, looks at what participants eat.
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|
05/17/13
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by Shamane Mills
|
(Photo by
Keith Pomakis (CC-BY-SA))
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|
Jobs Report Shows Positive Big-Picture Trends, But A Dismal-Looking April
link
|
|
Governor Scott Walker's administration released numbers showing that Wisconsin added 32,000 private sector jobs in 2012.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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|
DNR May Delay Exploration License For Penokee Mining Company
link
|
|
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may want more information on exploration plans from the company that wants to mine the Penokee Range.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Mike Simonson
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|
|
Scott Walker, Sean Duffy Thank Wildfire Emergency Responders
link
|
|
Governor Scott Walker and Congressman Sean Duffy publicly thanked the people who contained the Germann Road wildfire.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
Wisconsin DNR (CC-BY-ND))
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|
Budget Committee Funds Ongoing Rural Broadband Expansion Project
link
|
|
A program expanding broadband in rural areas will continue to be funded and lawmakers hope more people will have access to high-speed Internet.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Maureen McCollum
|
(Photo by
Mark's Postcards from Beloit (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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City Of Adams Rolls Out Red Carpet For Green Energy Company
link
|
|
The Adams city council and the Adams-Friendship Area School Board voted to let an Australian company make Adams its American headquarters.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Glen Moberg
|
(Photo by
GEITS)
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|
WEDC Board Asks For More Control
link
|
|
Board members of the state jobs agency say the board of directors needs more power.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Shamane Mills
|
(Photo by
WEDC)
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|
|
Governor's Plan Cuts UW Funding, Shrinks Cash Reserves
link
|
|
The Walker administration has laid out a plan that would reduce the University of Wisconsin's (UW's) reserves by $136 million, partly through a $94 million dollar cut in state funding.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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GOP Shrinks Land Stewardship Program, Requires Land Sell-Off
link
|
|
Republicans on the legislature's budget committee have approved a plan that would reduce borrowing for Wisconsin's Land Stewardship Program and force the state to sell off thousands of acres it already owns.
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|
05/16/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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|
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Marathon County Jail Attack Video Shows 'A Battlefield'
link
|
|
The newly released video of an attack at the Marathon County jail has provoked a strong reaction from a citizens' panel investigating security at the facility. Panel members say the attack appeared to have been coordinated.
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Black Flies Disturbing Nesting Whooping Cranes
link
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There's more evidence that black flies are making it harder for whooping crane chicks to be hatched in central Wisconsin.
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05/16/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Wisconsin DNR)
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Refugees, Emergency Workers Outlasted Wildfire
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Emergency management and fire officials faced the worst case scenario on Tuesday as the Germann Road Fire took on a life of its own.
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05/16/13
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by Danielle Kaeding
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(Photo by
Rudy Listing, WHSA-FM)
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Director's Cut Radio: Bringing The Dead To Life
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Matt Osterman is the producer and director of “Ghost from the Machine,” a science-fiction thriller about a young man who builds a machine that brings the dead back to life.
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05/16/13
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by Terry Bell
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(Photo by
WPT)
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As Farm Bill Makes Its Way Into Senate, SNAP Remains At Fore Of Discussion
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A new Farm Bill is on its way to the full Senate where it will likely pass.
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Milwaukee Activists Protest For Better Fast Food Worker Wages
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Labor activists rallied in downtown Milwaukee at this afternoon, topping a day of demonstrations aimed at raising the pay of fast food workers.
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05/15/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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Douglas County Residents Begin Assessing Wildfire Damage
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Some residents in Douglas County are starting to check on their properties after the Germann Road Fire burned nearly 9,000 acres.
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05/15/13
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by Rich Kremer
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(Photo by
Rudy Listing, WHSA-FM)
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State Treasurer Could Stand To Lose One Of His Office's Last Remaining Duties
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The legislature’s budget committee has voted to strip one of the last remaining duties from Wisconsin’s state treasurer.
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05/15/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Treasurer's Office)
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Budget Committee Approves Plan For More Delinquent-Tax Collectors
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The legislature’s budget committee has voted to support Governor Scott Walker’s plan to add new agents to collect delinquent taxes.
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05/15/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
WisPolitics.com (CC-BY-SA))
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Wildfire Evacuees Anxiously Wait To Return Home
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More than 50 people have evacuated their homes in far northern Wisconsin, fleeing the largest wildfire there in 33 years.
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05/15/13
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by Danielle Kaeding
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(Photo by
Rudy Listing, WHSA-FM)
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Economic Impact Study Warns Of Frac Sand Mining's Boom/Bust Cycle
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A new economic impact study of Wisconsin’s frac sand mining industry warns of booms and busts.
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05/15/13
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by Rich Kremer
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(Photo by
Aydonis (CC-BY))
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Medford Man Compiles Pictures Of Wisconsinites Killed In Vietnam
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A central Wisconsin man is leading an effort to find a picture of everyone from the state who was killed in the Vietnam War.
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Study Finds Wisconsin Schools With Higher Poverty Rates Face Bigger Cuts
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A new study Wisconsin finds that schools with higher poverty have experienced bigger budget cuts than more affluent school districts.
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05/15/13
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by Kristen Durst
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(Photo by
Forward Institute)
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State Senate Reduces Milwaukee County Board Power, Pay
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Tuesday night, the state Senate passed a bill scaling back the power of the Milwaukee County board. Shortly after, the Assembly signed off on the Senate version; the controversial bill goes next to Governor Scott Walker.
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05/15/13
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by Shamane Mills
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(Photo by
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/vukmir/gallery/Pages/default.aspx)
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Tenants To Be Held Responsible Even For Unpreventable Events
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Tenants could be evicted when crimes occur on their property even if they could not have prevented them under a bill poised to pass in the Wisconsin Assembly.
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05/15/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Tom Arthur (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Dems Delay GOP Bill To Weaken Circuit Judges
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05/15/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Dori (CC-BY-SA))
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Poll Says Freeze Tuition, But Give UW More Money
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Freeze University of Wisconsin (UW) tuition, but give the university system more state tax funds. Those are the messages from a new poll.
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05/15/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Joshua Mayer (CC-BY-SA))
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Assembly Increases Penalty For Repeat Drunk Driving
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Some of the worst repeat drunk drivers would be required to serve a three-year prison sentence under a bill that passed the Wisconsin Assembly Tuesday.
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05/15/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Chimpr (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Northern WI Wildfire Mostly Contained; Several Dozen Evacuated
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UPDATE AT 9:45am: The Department of Natural Resources says the fire has been largely surrounded and was "90 percent contained" this morning. It has burned about 8,700 acres and is considered the largest forest fire in northern Wisconsin in 33 years.
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05/15/13
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by WPR News
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(Photo by
Wisconsin DNR)
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Wildfire Roars In Far Northwestern Wisconsin
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A wildfire seemed to explode in a pine barren region of Douglas County Tuesday evening, then did a U-turn that forced the evacuation center to itself evacuate to another area.
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05/15/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
WI DNR)
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Intense Wildfire Rages In Douglas County
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UPDATE AT 9:00 PM: The Douglas County Sheriff has asked for police help from elsewhere in the region to assist with sealing off a perimeter around the fire area. Also, people in the German Lake area of Barnes Township have been told they must evacuate.
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05/14/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
WI DNR)
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Dalai Lama Speaks To State Legislature
link
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The Dalai Lama told the Wisconsin state legislature today that a successful life does not come from money or power but from inner value.
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05/14/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Paul Ryan Polls As Early Wisconsin Favorite For 2016 GOP Nomination
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The next presidential election is three and a half years away, but a Wisconsin poll has already looked at some hypothetical match-ups.
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05/14/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
love4Utah, flickr (CC-BY))
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Walker Knocks IRS For Singling Out Tea Party Members
link
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Governor Scott Walker called the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of Tea Party groups for heightened scrutiny a “real threat to our freedoms.”
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05/14/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Scott Walker's Approval Rating At 51%
link
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A new poll shows Governor Scott Walker's job approval rating at just over 50 percent, though people are unhappy with Walker's job creation record.
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05/14/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Walker Prepares For Fundraising Trips, Reaffirms Commitment To Governorship
link
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Governor Scott Walker won’t say he’s running for president, even as he prepares for fundraising trips to Iowa, Connecticut and New York City.
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05/14/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
WisPolitics.com (CC-BY-SA))
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Card Swipe Technology In Laundromats Raises Questions About Sales Tax
link
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Laundromat owners want the state to update its sales tax code.
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05/14/13
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by Patty Murray
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(Photo by
Eddie Quinones, flickr (CC-BY-ND))
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GOP Considers Statewide School Vouchers
link
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GOP lawmakers are pushing for school vouchers to expand statewide — further than an expansion plan fellow Republican Governor Scott Walker recommends.
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05/14/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson / WPR News)
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Wisconsin Tea Party Members Want 'Heads To Roll' at IRS
link
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Wisconsin Tea Party members are fuming over revelations that the Internal Revenue Service singled them out for checks about their tax-exempt status.
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05/14/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
Alyson Hurt (CC-BY-NC))
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High Levels Of Wastewater Chemicals Found In Minnesota's Lakes, Rivers
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Pharmaceuticals, cocaine, and a variety of other chemicals are more widespread in Minnesota’s lakes and rivers than previously thought.
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05/14/13
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by Maureen McCollum
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New Breed Of Satellite Will Monitor Water Quality Of Wisconsin's Lakes
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For more than 30 years, satellites have been checking the water quality of Wisconsin’s lakes. Now, new satellites will take a closer look.
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05/14/13
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by Mike Simonson
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(Photo by
NASA)
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E-Cycle Wisconsin Surpasses 100 Million Pounds Of Recycled Electronics
link
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Wisconsin’s e-waste recycling program turned three years old earlier this year, and has exceeded 100 million pounds of old electronics.
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Pockets Of Midwest Run Risk Of Wildfires
link
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The risk of wildfires is increasing across Wisconsin.
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05/13/13
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by Maureen McCollum
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(Photo by
U.S. Army)
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Budget Provision Raises Bar For Those Seeking Unemployment Benefits
link
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Looking for work at least four times a week would be a criterion for continued unemployment benefits, under a plan approved by GOP lawmakers.
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05/13/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
DWD)
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Wisconsin Congressman Proposes Change To U.S. Constitution
link
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Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn) are proposing to change the U.S. Constitution.
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05/13/13
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by Shamane Mills
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WISPIRG Report Shines Light On High Costs Of Rent-To-Own Stores
link
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A report from the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) highlights the high cost of appliances and furniture sold by rent-to-own stores.
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05/13/13
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by Shamane Mills
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(Photo by
Benchilada, flickr (CC-BY-NC))
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Milwaukee Streetcar System Planning Continues, Despite Derailment Efforts
link
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Preliminary work on Wisconsin's first modern streetcar system continues, despite a derailment attempt by suburban Milwaukee Republicans.
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05/13/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Bill Burris (CC-BY-SA))
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Health Officials Watching Lyme Disease Drug Shortage
link
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Health officials in Wisconsin are watching for shortages of a drug used to treat Lyme disease. A shortage in the Twin Cities is causing prices to jump.
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05/13/13
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by Rich Kremer
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(Photo by
hit thatswitch (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Neenah Fallout Shelter A Descent Into Another Era
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The contents of an almost perfectly preserved nuclear fallout shelter are on display at a museum in Neenah.
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05/13/13
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by Patty Murray
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(Photo by
Steve Olson)
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Credit System Could Facilitate Wetland Preservation
link
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Wisconsin law now requires projects that affect wetlands to make up for the loss a few different ways, including one that could help landowners make money.
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05/13/13
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by Maureen McCollum
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New Marathon County Sheriff Pledges To Improve Jail Security
link
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Marathon County's new sheriff is pledging to improve jail security in the wake of an attack that left a corrections officer critically wounded.
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05/13/13
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by Glen Moberg
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(Photo by
Glen Moberg/WPR)
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Armenian Prison Officials Hope To Learn From Wisconsin's Prison System
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Prison officials from Armenia are in in Wisconsin this month for a training seminar on how to better process, classify and eventually parole inmates.
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05/13/13
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by Gilman Halsted
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(Photo by
Aidan Wakely-Mulroney (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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Reducing Unneeded Medical Care, One Business At A Time
link
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One of the biggest expenses for a business is employee health care. Recently a group of Madison companies heard about efforts to reduce unneeded care.
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05/11/13
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by Shamane Mills
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(Photo by
Brandy Shaul (CC-BY-NC))
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Dead Police Honored Outside State Capitol
link
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Five police officers who died in the line of duty were honored at a ceremony outside the State Capitol today.
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05/10/13
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by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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National Guard Agricultural Advisors Returns Home From Afghanistan
link
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A National Guard unit charged with developing agriculture in Afghanistan returned home to Madison today after about a four-month deployment overseas.
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05/10/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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(Photo by
Shawn Johnson/WPR)
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Lake Michigan Ferry Returns Following Fine For Coal Ash Dumping
link
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05/10/13
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by Chuck Quirmbach
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(Photo by
Dan Mullen, flickr (CC-BY-NC-ND))
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GTAC Files To Explore Penokee Range For Iron Ore Mine
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Gogebic Taconite, the company that wants to build a massive open pit iron ore mine in the Penokee Range, has applied for a license to explore there. They also say they may file an “intent to mine” with the Department of Natural Resources in the next month or two.
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05/10/13
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by Mike Simonson
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Committee Withholds Budget From Troubled WEDC
link
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The legislature's budget committee voted Thursday night to at least temporarily withhold money for Wisconsin's troubled jobs agency.
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05/10/13
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by Shawn Johnson
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Budget Committee Strikes Municipal Employee Residency Requirements
link
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Local government employees would not have to live in the cities they serve, under a measure passed by the legislature's budget committee Thursday night.
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05/10/13
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by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Scott Feldstein (CC-BY))
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GOP Funds Voter ID Program Twice Deemed Unconstitutional
link
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Republicans are setting aside money to implement Wisconsin's voter ID law even though it's been struck down by two circuit court judges.
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05/10/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Michael Newman)
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Still Under Fire, WEDC Says It's Ready To Adjust
link
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|
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) came under fire again today by the legislature's Joint Audit Committee.
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05/10/13
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by Gilman Halsted
|
(Photo by
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation)
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Drought Officially Over, Though Its Impact Lingers
link
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Rain and snow have kept many farmers out of the fields, but the extra precipitation has served at least one good purpose: The drought is officially over.
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05/10/13
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by Steve Roisum
|
(Photo by
Madison Guy (CC-BY))
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Mining Company Applies For Exploring Permit For Penokee Range
link
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The company that wants to build a massive open pit iron ore mine in the Penokee Range has applied for a permit to explore there.
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05/09/13
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by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
J. Chapiewsky (CC-BY-SA))
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Minnesota On Cusp Of Legalizing Gay Marriage
link
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The Minnesota House passed a bill legalizing same sex marriage this afternoon, and it’s expected the Senate will pass the bill Monday.
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05/09/13
|
by Maureen McCollum
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(Photo by
Maureen McCollum/WPR)
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New Estimates Add $500 Mil. In Tax Revenues To Budget
link
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The Legislative Fiscal Bureau's new revenue estimates give the governor and legislature $500 million more to work with in the new state budget.
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05/09/13
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by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Ruby 2010 (CC-BY-SA))
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GOP Lawmakers Want To Prohibit Restrictions On Big Gulp Sodas
link
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A provision added to the state budget by Republicans would prohibit Wisconsin communities from banning Big Gulp sodas or other sugary drinks.
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05/09/13
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by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Grim Santo, flickr (CC-BY))
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Immigration Reform Advocates Want To Hear More From Ron Johnson
link
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Immigration reform advocates are looking for some clarification from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc).
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05/09/13
|
by Chuck Quirmbach
|
(Photo by
Gage Skidmore, flickr (CC-BY-SA))
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Republican Lawmakers Blanch At Milwaukee's Desired Streetcars
link
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Republican lawmakers have added a plan to the proposed budget aimed at killing a proposed streetcar project in the city of Milwaukee.
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05/09/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Dave Reid, flickr (CC-BY-NC))
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With Projected Revenues Up, Republicans Want More K-12 Funding
link
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Some Assembly Republicans say they will push for an increase in funding for K-12 education.
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05/09/13
|
by Kristen Durst
|
(Photo by
Audio-luci-store, flickr (CC-BY-NC-SA))
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Both Parties Support Bill To Restrict Drone Use
link
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Lawmakers from both parties are supporting a bill to restrict the use of drones because of concerns about privacy.
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05/09/13
|
by Shamane Mills
|
(Photo by
U.S. Army (CC-BY-NC))
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Assembly GOP Changes Asbestos, Malpractice Standards
link
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|
Assembly Republicans passed two bills Wednesday that they say will reform the legal system, but critics say they'll burden people injured by asbestos or a doctor's malpractice.
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|
05/09/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
Aaron Suggs (CC-BY))
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Assembly Votes To Allow Wireless Broadband From State Radio Towers
link
|
|
Internet providers would be allowed to lease space on state radio towers to offer broadband Internet access in rural areas under a plan that passed the Wisconsin Assembly Wednesday.
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05/09/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
|
(Photo by
nudson (CC-BY-NC))
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Director's Cut: Voyaging To The North Pole Via Snowmobile
link
|
|
This week: “Wild Bill’s Run”, about a group of small-town Minnesota friends who in the 1970s attempt a journey from Minnesota to the North Pole, then eventually to Moscow — on snowmobiles.
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La Crosse College Will Build Homes With Advanced Energy Efficiency
link
|
|
Western Technical College will soon be building three “passive homes”: buildings with a rare design that significantly reduces the amount of energy use.
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05/09/13
|
by Maureen McCollum
|
(Photo by
Maureen McCollum/WPR)
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GED 'Boot Camps' Aim To Expedite GED Completion Before Next Year's Transition
link
|
|
Some technical colleges and organizations are offering a fast track way to obtain a GED.
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05/09/13
|
by Kristen Durst
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Ojibwe At-Night Deer Hunting Case Will Go To Federal Court
link
|
|
A lawsuit by seven northern Wisconsin Ojibwe tribes to let them hunt deer at night will go to trial on July 22 in federal court in Madison.
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05/09/13
|
by Mike Simonson
|
(Photo by
lcwtoys, wikicommons (CC-BY-SA))
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Food Stamp Bills Pass Legislature
link
|
|
The legislature passed bills yesterday that limit the ways poor people can use food stamps, including one that would restrict junk-food purchases.
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05/09/13
|
by Shawn Johnson
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