Month: January 2015

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources official says she hopes a new set of bald eagle license plates will take flight across the state.  Erin Crain, director for the department's Natural Heritage Bureau, said Wednesday that the agency is accepting bald eagle photo submissions. A winning photo could be featured on the new endangered resources license plate, she said.  Crain said the bald eagle plates will […]

A Wisconsin health-care advocacy group says Wisconsin is now the last Great Lakes state not to take federal Medicaid dollars.  Citizen Action Kevin Kane says Indiana’s Republican governor reached a deal this week to accept enhanced federal dollars to strengthen its Medicaid program making Wisconsin the only Great Lakes state not to take the money.  Kane says he disagrees with governor Walker who says accepting the federal money would end […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he isn't changing his mind about turning down federal money to expand Medicaid coverage under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, even though Republican Gov. Mike Pence did just that.  Walker said Wednesday that he still believes his decision not to take the money, but instead limit income qualifications for Medicaid while expanding coverage to childless adults who were on a […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he plans to keep funding for Wisconsin's public schools "largely intact" in the state budget he releases on Tuesday.  Walker has released some details of what will be in his budget, but he's said almost nothing about what's in store for public schools. Aid to K-12 schools is the largest single part of the budget, accounting for about 33 percent of all […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he will propose spending more money to help rural schools, expand broadband in underserved areas of Wisconsin and do more to train workers and invest in rural parts of the state.  Walker outlined some of his plans Wednesday in a speech to those from the Chippewa Valley area who were in Madison to lobby lawmakers.  Walker says he will increase state aid […]

The local unemployment rate is up slightly in the latest reporting period.  The city of Fond du lac’s unemployment rate for December is 5.3 percent, up from five percent in November.  The Fond du Lac County  rate stands at 4.6 percent, up three-tenths of a percent.  In Dodge County the jobless rate is up three tenths of a percent to 5.4 percent.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Minority Democrats on the Legislature's energy committees are questioning why the panels' chairmen are holding a hearing on new federal limits on carbon emissions Sen. Chris Larson asked at the beginning of the hearing Monday's hearing why lawmakers were even there, pointing out the limits are coming from President Barack Obama's administration. Rep. Josh Zepnick echoed him, saying legislators should be talking to Congress.  Republicans countered […]

The Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer says a flu epidemic that has hit area residents hard this winter appears to be winding down.   Kim Mueller says it appears cases of the flu have peaked locally.  "I would say for the last three weeks we have been seeing a decline,"  Mueller told WFDL news.   The flu vaccine was not a particularily good match for the flu strain that […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has taken the first formal step toward running for president.  He has formed a new tax-exempt group that can facilitate paying for his activities as he seriously eyes a 2016 White House bid.  The group, Our American Revival, was formed on Jan. 16. Walker's campaign issued a statement Tuesday to The Washington Post announcing formation of the committee.  Walker has talked […]