WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Yesterday, during a meeting of the Wisconsin Rapids Together Task Force, a group formed to help respond to the closure of a Wisconsin Rapids paper mill owned by Verso Corporation in July 2020, Verso made it known that they are suspending the active search for a buyer for the mill. This development follows months of task force meetings and attempts by the Great Lakes Timber Producers Association of Rhinelander to form a cooperative to buy and operate the mill. In response, State Representative Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point), a member of the task force, said, “The closure of

LA CROSSE – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber of commerce, manufacturers’ association and safety council – sent a letter to the La Crosse County Administrator and Board of Supervisors on Thursday outlining the questionable legal authority it has to issue a “County Health Department Advisory Order” that would inflict significant economic harm on residents and businesses. The Advisory Order – which was issued late last week – limits indoor public gatherings to 25 percent of capacity and gives the County enforcement authority over businesses that do not comply with the order. WMC’s letter explains that the County’s order is

WAUWATOSA – As the Milwaukee County Board and other government bodies meet to discuss their 2021 budgets, Supervisor Shawn Rolland (District 6) is calling for the community to prioritize job creation, economic development and racial equity. Milwaukee County currently ranks 71st out of 72 counties in health outcomes, according to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute’s 2020 County Health Rankings. Numerous prestigious medical journals have articulated the link between people’s wealth and health. In fact, a 2016 study by Raj Chetty, PhD, of Stanford University, “found a gap in life expectancy of about 15 years for men and 10 years for women when comparing

MADISON, Wis. – The City of Ladysmith is an applicant for funding through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) to address deficiencies in its public drinking water system. The project will replace sanitary services and sewer, storm sewer and water supply system components on First Street, West Third Street, West Fourth Street, Lake Avenue and East Second Street in the City of Ladysmith. The project will also create a connected watermain network on West Third Street, eliminating two dead-end water lines. Activities related to this project are minor actions under Chapter NR 150, Wis. Admin. Code, for which no environmental analysis

The Natural Resource Development Association announced today that it will be submitting written testimony on proposed administrative rule changes the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said were designed to correct inconsistencies, modernize rules, and provide needed clarity on nonferrous metallic mineral mining. The Wisconsin DNR is holding a public hearing on the rule changes this afternoon. “For more than 30 years, the miner on the Wisconsin state flag has been in the unemployment line and he needs to get back to work,” said Nathan Conrad, Executive Director of the Natural Resource Development Association. “With 21st century technology and appropriate

MADISON – Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a way to control the growth of twisting, microscopic spirals of materials just one atom thick. The continuously twisting stacks of two-dimensional materials built by a team led by UW-Madison chemistry Professor Song Jin create new properties that scientists can exploit to study quantum physics on the nanoscale. The researchers published their work today in the journal Science. “This is the current frontier of 2D material research. In the last few years, scientists have realized that when you make a small twist between atomic layers – usually a few degrees

La Crosse, WI – Today, Rep. Ron Kind and Sen. Tammy Baldwin called on Verso Corporation to reverse their recently announced decision to suspend the search for a buyer for the Wisconsin Rapids paper mill, and continue to work in good faith with interested buyers. This comes after the closure of the Wisconsin Rapids paper mill owned by Verso Corporation in July 2020. “I am deeply disappointed by Verso Corporation’s recent decision to halt efforts to find a buyer for the Wisconsin Rapids paper mill. Wisconsinites’ livelihoods are on the line, and it’s unacceptable and unwarranted for Verso to not respond to interested buyers,” said Rep. Kind.

“Since Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again entourage took office in January 2017, Wisconsin has lost 2,278 dairy farms — 773 in 2019 alone. That’s roughly 25% of the state’s family farms. Is there any wonder that Biden-Harris signs are popping up along our rural roads?” Today in The Capital Times, David Zweifel wrote how President Trump has hurt Wisconsin workers. In a column, he outlineshow President Trump’s economy was not working for farmers even before the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the Trump Administration’s failed trade tariffs and increased farm bankruptcies across the state. Joe Biden has a plan to

(Fond du Lac, WI) – Today, Congressman Glenn Grothman released his third radio ad, “The Right Thing.”   The ad focuses on Grothman’s record of being an independent representative in Congress including his work to restore funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and his willingness to stand up to Republican leaders who sought to eliminate the medical tax deduction. Grothman also highlights the fact that he does not accept donations from drug companies, Goldman Sachs, payday lenders, cigarette companies, or anyone trying to take advantage of the elderly and the less fortunate.   “Voters deserve to know that the

Tonight, Americans heard directly from Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and it was clear there was only one adult on stage. In response, NextGen America Executive Director Ben Wessel released the following statement:  “Donald Trump did was he does best tonight: lie for 90 minutes. 11 days until the youth vote delivers record turnout. We can only hope that Donald Trump makes good on one campaign promise, leaving the country if he loses to Joe Biden.”