IRMA, WI — A court-ordered monitor’s report, released  today, highlights worsening conditions  at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools, troubled youth prisons in northern Wisconsin. The monitoring process was the result of the 2018 settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by ACLU of Wisconsin, Juvenile Law Center, and Quarles & Brady LLP as pro bono counsel in January 2017 over cruel conditions children encountered there, including painful pepper spray, extended solitary confinement, humiliating strip searches, and oppressive arm and leg restraints. Previous reports had shown progress since the lawsuit was filed, including the elimination of pepper spray, near elimination of

IRMA, Wis. – The latest report from the court-appointed Monitor for Lincoln Hills School/Copper Lake School (LHS/CLS) shows the facility has made continued improvements, and that staff attitudes are very positive in the face of various challenges. The 13th Report of the Monitor, filed today, notes the schools are now in substantial compliance with 15 of nearly 50 items in a consent decree stemming from a 2017 lawsuit filed against the schools under the previous, Walker Administration. That is two more items of substantial compliance than in the previous Monitor’s Report, filed in February. The schools are now in substantial compliance with

MAUSTON, Wis. – Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating a critical incident that occurred in the Township of New Lisbon, Wis. the morning of Friday, June 3, 2022. On Friday, June 3 at approximately 6:30 a.m. the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office received a call notifying law enforcement of an armed person and two shots fired in a Township of New Lisbon residence. The caller had exited the home and contacted law enforcement from a nearby home. Following failed attempts to negotiate with Douglas K. Uhde, age fifty-six, who was in the home, at approximately 10:17

MADISON – Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) made the following statement regarding the ‘targeted act’ resulting in the death of retired Judge John Roemer in New Lisbon: “I am saddened to learn about the tragic death of retired Judge John Roemer in New Lisbon. While we allow our local and state law enforcement to investigate this incident, my thoughts and prayers go out to Judge Roemer’s family and all of his friends and neighbors in New Lisbon. I applaud the Juneau County Sheriff’s Department and all local and state law enforcement who responded to this incident. We never expect violent

How can I tell if a candidate has filed required ballot access materials? Wisconsin Elections Commission staff have completed review of each candidate’s nomination signatures and declaration of candidacy. As of the 4:30 p.m. report on June 3, if there is no entry listed under the “Date Filed” column on the “Nomination Paper Tracking Report,” the candidate did not submit signatures to the Wisconsin Elections Commission by the June 1, 2022 deadline, and staff will not recommend that the Commissioners approve ballot access. The “Nomination Paper Tracking Report” can be found at the bottom of our Fall 2022 General Election Page. As

MAUSTON, Wis. – Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating a critical incident that occurred in the Township of New Lisbon, Wis. the morning of Friday, June 3, 2022. On Friday, June 3 at approximately 6:30 a.m. the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office received a call notifying law enforcement of an armed person and two shots fired in a Township of New Lisbon residence. The caller had exited the home and contacted law enforcement from a nearby home. Following failed attempts to negotiate with the individual in the home, at approximately 10:17 a.m. the Juneau County

MADISON– Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) released the following statement after submitting comments to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) in-support of action on the Petition for Declaratory Ruling to determine the legality of third-party financing arrangements for distributed energy resource systems: “Wisconsin’s failure to address the legality of third-party financing of distributed energy resources over the past decade has been disheartening. It’s long past time we recognize that a financing arrangement for a homeowner, church, farm or small business does not infringe on the regulated monopoly utility model in Wisconsin. You can finance anything from a new water

MADISON, Wis. – The trustees of Medicare and Social Security released their annual report and both programs are in better shape since President Biden took office. As further proof that President Biden’s economic agenda is working, the trustee report credits an “economic recovery from the 2020 recession has been stronger and faster than assumed.” Across the country and state, employment has rebounded following Donald Trump and Republicans’ failed leadership. Governor Evers and Democrats’ American Rescue Plan have brought Wisconsin’s unemployment rate to a historic low of 2.8%. Wisconsinites are getting back to work, with the state’s labor force participation rate at 66.5% – significantly higher

The News: The Kiel Area School District “closed” a Title IX complaint and investigation against three middle school boys who were accused of sexual harassment for using “incorrect pronouns” when referencing a classmate. Attorneys at the Wisconsin institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) issued a letter to Kiel, in May, explaining that the mere use of biologically correct pronouns not only does not constitute sexual harassment under Title IX or the District’s own policy, but is speech protected by the First Amendment. In recent weeks, the District proposed various resolutions, but all within the Title IX framework. WILL and the families remained