Madison – On Thursday, the Senate Co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, Senator Alberta Darling, issued the following statement: “Senate Republicans presented a viable and timely solution to continue providing pandemic relief where it is needed most. If Governor Evers isn’t going to accept our offer to provide additional COVID-19 funding, the governor needs to sit down with leadership and come up with a solution.” Senator Darling represents portions of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties.

MILWAUKEE – Dr. Shandowlyon Hendricks, community leader, mom of two, and renowned education professional announced her candidacy for Wisconsin’s State Superintendent this week.   Dr. Hendricks served Governor Tony Evers as Director of the Milwaukee Office. Moreover, she served as the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Education Administrative Director of Teacher Education, Professional Development and Licensing (TEPDL) and Wisconsin Education Opportunity Program (WEOP). She brings over 25 years of experience in public, private, charter, and higher education to her candidacy.   “Education provides boundless opportunities. As a mother of a child with disabilities and a child who is gifted and

MADISON (Dec. 4, 2020) – Small businesses reported a historically high level of job openings in November, according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report. Overall, 53% reported hiring or trying to hire in November, down 2 points from the previous month. A seasonally adjusted net 21% of owners are planning to create new jobs in the next 3 months, up 3 points from October. “The worker shortage continues to frustrate our state’s small business owners,” said Bill G. Smith, NFIB Wisconsin State Director. “Finding qualified workers is also a challenge, according to the survey, with 89 percent of the employers saying they struggle to

Wisconsin Farmers Union has hired Nick Levendofsky as government relations director. Levendofsky grew up on a diversified crop and beef cattle farm in Kansas. He has been the Director of External Affairs for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union for the past two years and previously worked for WFU and Kansas Farmers Union. In his new role, Levendofsky will be communicating WFU policy positions and priorities to legislators and officials and keeping members updated on state and federal legislative developments. Levendofsky serves on several national boards including the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, the Institute for Rural America, and RuralOrganizing.org. He

Madison–People who are single and/or living alone are facing unique challenges during the pandemic. Being cut off from regular in-person interactions for many months can take an emotional toll on our well-being and result in significant health implications. A 2017 systematic review of 40 studies published in the journal Public Health found a significant association between social isolation and loneliness and poorer mental health outcomes and increased all-cause mortality. Research has also found that loneliness and poor social connection cause inflammation and chronic disease. According to UW Health psychologist Shilagh Mirgain, people who live alone need to be intentional about how they

The last day of the free drive through flu clinic at the Alliant Energy Center will be Saturday, December 19. The clinic, run by Public Health Madison & Dane County, provides free flu shots to anyone who lives in Dane County, regardless of insurance status. “These next 2 weeks are the last opportunity for anyone who lives in Dane County to be able to get their flu shot from the convenience of their car,” says Tess Ellens, Public Health Nurse with Public Health Madison & Dane County. “We have lots of flu shots available and no appointment is needed.” Since

MADISON, WI. DEC. 4, 2020 – At MARKETPLACE: The 39th Governor’s Conference on Diverse Business Development, individuals will be recognized on Dec. 9, 2020 at the Community Award Recognition Program for their decades-long leadership and distinguished service in business and community development to support minority-, woman- and veteran-owned businesses in Wisconsin. The following four individuals will be recognized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC): State Business Diversity Development Award – Michele Carter of the Wisconsin Department of  Workforce Development (formerly of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation) For the last 16 years, as an experienced program manager and skilled coaching, government contracting and conflict