MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul and Douglas County District Attorney (DA) Mark Fruehauf today announced that Jeffrey Anthony Charles, age 61, has been charged with one count of Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child, Persistent Repeater, for incidents that occurred from 2005 to 2010. “We are committed to holding perpetrators of sexual assault accountable,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to DA Fruehauf for his continued partnership with the Clergy and Faith Leader Abuse Initiative, and for the work of his office and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in seeking justice in this case.” According to the

As highlighted in new reports from the Associated Press and New York Times, and following Vice reporting from last week,  a “half-dozen mainstream Republican Senate candidates” are “drawing on the ‘great replacement conspiracy theory once confined to the far-right fringes of U.S. politics to court voters this campaign season.” In a transparent effort to stoke fear and cater to the extremists within their party, the GOP has heavily borrowed from white nationalist rhetoric, which has inspired mass-shootings across the country — most recently in Buffalo, New York. So far, on the campaign trail, Republican U.S. Senate candidates have rushed to adopt the racist talking points

Upon the recently leaked Supreme Court draft of the Roe v. Wade decision, Wisconsin Democrats have been quick to make noise about abortion but haven’t fully addressed where they stand. Although polling has shown the majority of Americans support limits on abortion, current statements from the Democrat Senate candidates suggest that they oppose any restrictions: Mandela Barnes has stated that “Politicians have no right to put restrictions on that decision” and that he would vote to codify the right to an abortion nationwide. Alex Lasry supports the proposal that guarantees “a pregnant person’s right to access an abortion” and they should be “free from medically unnecessary restrictions that interfere with

MADISON, Wis. –  Since Kevin Nicholson entered the GOP primary, Radical Rebecca and Job Killer Kevin have been in a race to the bottom, attacking each others’ records, dishing out insults, and accusing each other of being a part of the Madison machine (spoiler alert — both are deeply entrenched in establishment politics). Kleefisch and Nicholson probably should spend more time focused on Governor Evers, but for a primary full of infighting and chaos, there’s no surprise there. See what they are saying about each other: Kevin Nicholson “My primary opponent has actually called to ballot harvest herself, which again, is an

Green Bay, Wis.  –  Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Dawn Crim continued her series of Rotary presentations in Green Bay yesterday. She was the guest speaker at the Downtown Green Bay Rotary Club, where she presented an agency overview as well as updates on department projects and priorities. These updates included a discussion of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, part of the state’s comprehensive, multifaceted public health campaign to combat the opioid epidemic. Through the PDMP, prescribers can access real-time information about patients’ pain medications. The aggregate prescription data also helps inform policy decisions. Secretary Crim also shared news about

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Ron Kind is highlighting that agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). These programs are aimed at helping producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022. “Our organic producers and handlers play a critical role in our local communities and economies, and we need to continue to make sure they

MADISON, Wis. — A new multi-generational book by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press encourages families and extended families to take learning outdoors to the garden. Seeds in Soil: Planting a Garden and Finding Your Roots (Paperback: $18.95 / ISBN: 978-087020- ) was designed by author and elementary school teacher Susan Apps-Bodilly to empower young readers to grow their own food while and digging deeper into related science and history lessons. Packed with hands-on activities, fun projects, and fresh recipes, this colorful gardening guide provides opportunities for kids to observe, explore, and ask questions while engaging their natural curiosity about nature. A “soil to

MILWAUKEE – In response to multiple shootings in Downtown Milwaukee this weekend that left 21 people injured, State Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement: “Another weekend, another incidence of violence that has left our city & State with a black eye. And this time, it happened while the eyes of the world were on Wisconsin, as our beloved Bucks continued their title defense. Over 10,000 people from all over our city and state came together peacefully to celebrate the combination of great weather and an even better hometown team, and in the span of one evening, violence-minded individuals

MADISON – As part of continuing, agency-wide efforts to combat worker misclassification, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has expanded its 60-Second Video Library with four educational videos available in English and Spanish. The release of the videos is timely. Warmer weather coincides with an uptick in seasonal work and the potential for employees to be misclassified as independent contractors, depriving them of legal protections and benefits such as worker’s compensation if injured on the job. “Worker misclassification hurts workers, employers and communities,” said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. “As part of our efforts to make Wisconsin a fair, just and safe

MADISON – As upgrades to Wisconsin’s Unemployment Insurance system continue, the Department of Workforce Development has released a new data dashboard that improves access to current and historical data on UI activity. “Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance system was the first in the nation (1932) to provide temporary support to workers who lose jobs through no fault of their own and today, increased analytical capabilities are critical as DWD modernizes and improves customer service,” said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. “The new data dashboard enhances transparency and provides historical context about claims.” Unemployment insurance was developed to strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness by

Menomonie, Wis. – With the current statewide and national teacher shortage in mind, University of Wisconsin-Stout Professor Lindsay Barnhart understood there was a need to support working adults in obtaining licensure to teach.   As program director for early childhood education in the School of Education, Barnhart received several inquiries from working adults who were hoping for an online degree option.   “Our traditional face-to-face, four-year program didn’t meet the needs of these individuals,” she said. “UW-Stout’s new online early childhood education degree was created specifically for working adults with an associate degree, coursework completed at another institution, a degree

MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Elections Director Julietta Henry will participate in a panel as a part of the George W. Bush Institute’s Elections — A More Perfect Union event Wednesday. “I am honored to have been asked to participate in this event,” said Director Henry. “With my presence and participation, I hope to engage the audience in the electoral process, reach across the aisle to address attacks made on our democracy, and increase confidence in our elections.”   “Having worked with her firsthand during a crucial time for our nation’s democracy, I know Director Henry to be a dedicated public servant who