Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more
Wisconsin farmer and cheesemakers groups are applauding Gov. Tony Evers’ $43 million budget plan to help the state ag industry. Almost half of the dollars would help connect food banks and pantries with state producers. Evers said the $20 million
Gov. Tony Evers urged lawmakers to take immediate, bipartisan action on his proposal to modernize the state’s unemployment insurance system. On Jan. 13, the guv signed an executive order calling a special session for the Legislature to consider the fix.
Gov. Tony Evers’ upcoming budget will include a series of proposals aimed at reining in the costs of prescription drugs. One provision is a $50 cap on copays for insulin. More than a half-dozen states have approved caps in insulin
Alliant Energy will retire the Columbia Energy Center by the end of 2024 — the last of its coal-fired facilities in Wisconsin. Alliant had closed its Cassville plant in 2015. Its Sheboygan facility is slated to retire at the end
Madison-based startup incubator gener8tor plans to host its third Upskilling Program in northeast Wisconsin in mid-March after two successful cohorts last year. Director Cole Shearer said the program will be eight or 10 weeks and will result in information technology
Unemployment rates increased in all Wisconsin metro areas, counties and most of the state’s largest cities in December, according to the Department of Workforce Development. Preliminary December 2020 unemployment rates increased in all of Wisconsin’s 12 metro areas over the
The Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is an opportunity for startups of all sectors and sizes to experience the business plan process, gain exposure and win prizes, said contest veteran Jackie Hind (pictured) of Plumb Pharmaceuticals. The Madison-based health technology
— Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to modernize the state’s Unemployment Insurance system would automate the current tedious and time-consuming process, claims workers argued. From March 15, 2020, to Jan. 16, 2021, 1.28 million initial claims were filed in Wisconsin, quadruple
As coworking becomes more popular among freelancers and small business professionals, the biotechnology industry is also seeing new opportunities to leverage the model. Madison-based Forward BIOLABS is a biotech coworking space that allows biotech startups to get off the ground
The state has a long road ahead before the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest report from Forward Analytics. Forward Analytics is the research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association. “The COVID Economy: The Economic Impacts of
All seven of the state’s school superintendent candidates agreed that Wisconsin needs to increase the technology literacy of its students — but each contender has a different plan to get there. In a webcast series with WisBusiness.com-WisPolitics.com released earlier this
The state’s medical advisory committee put a special emphasis on teachers when passing its recommendations for the second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations. “I think schools play such a part of our social fabric, that they are a bit different than
A trio of dairy industry veterans highlighted flexibility and openness to cooperation as keys to success as they led a virtual panel at a state dairy conference. A strong, processor-producer relationship helped dairy farmers like Jim Winn and Kevin Souza
Adults over the age of 65 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday, but it could be months until hundreds of thousands of older Wisconsites get their shots, health officials say. Currently, frontline health care workers, residents in
Strong working relationships between farmers and processors establish clear expectations of the product and please consumers, says a supply chain expert at Grande Cheese Company. Greg Siegenthaler, vice president of milk marketing and supply chain at the Fond du Lac-based
Local broadcast TV streaming service and app Locast makes its Wisconsin debut today, launching 34 local channels to more than 650,000 people in the Madison area. The free, nonprofit service includes local FOX channel 47 in the Madison area, which
Cocktails-to-go could be another tool that restaurants can use to stay afloat during a capacity-limiting pandemic that restricts indoor dining. The bill, which is circulating the Capitol for cosponsors, would allow a “Class B” licensed retailer — most commonly taverns
Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes said she’s optimistic about a new deal with Foxconn, but dodged on the details. WEDC asked to work with Foxconn on a new agreement that aligns with the company’s plans for development in
Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Health Services are calling on the federal government to increase the state’s weekly COVID-19 vaccine dose allocation. The state is getting about 70,000 doses per week from the federal government, health officials said
Mink husbandry workers will likely be included in the second vaccination phase, accounting for about 300 people, according to the vaccine subpanel of the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee. The 17-member panel debated the lineup late last week. The committee
Wisconsin farmer and cheesemakers groups are applauding Gov. Tony Evers’ $43 million budget plan to help the state ag industry. Almost half of the dollars would help connect food banks and pantries with state producers. Evers said the $20 million effort impacting food banks and pantries would help families fight
Gov. Tony Evers urged lawmakers to take immediate, bipartisan action on his proposal to modernize the state’s unemployment insurance system. On Jan. 13, the guv signed an executive order calling a special session for the Legislature to consider the fix. Evers’ plan to modernize the state’s unemployment system would give
Gov. Tony Evers’ upcoming budget will include a series of proposals aimed at reining in the costs of prescription drugs. One provision is a $50 cap on copays for insulin. More than a half-dozen states have approved caps in insulin copays with four of the restrictions taking effect last month
Alliant Energy will retire the Columbia Energy Center by the end of 2024 — the last of its coal-fired facilities in Wisconsin. Alliant had closed its Cassville plant in 2015. Its Sheboygan facility is slated to retire at the end of 2022. The retirement of the almost 50-year-old Columbia facility
Madison-based startup incubator gener8tor plans to host its third Upskilling Program in northeast Wisconsin in mid-March after two successful cohorts last year. Director Cole Shearer said the program will be eight or 10 weeks and will result in information technology certification for 20-30 participants chosen from about 200 expected applicants.
Unemployment rates increased in all Wisconsin metro areas, counties and most of the state’s largest cities in December, according to the Department of Workforce Development. Preliminary December 2020 unemployment rates increased in all of Wisconsin’s 12 metro areas over the month and over the year. These are Appleton, Eau Claire,
The Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is an opportunity for startups of all sectors and sizes to experience the business plan process, gain exposure and win prizes, said contest veteran Jackie Hind (pictured) of Plumb Pharmaceuticals. The Madison-based health technology startup won the contest last year. The deadline to enter
— Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to modernize the state’s Unemployment Insurance system would automate the current tedious and time-consuming process, claims workers argued. From March 15, 2020, to Jan. 16, 2021, 1.28 million initial claims were filed in Wisconsin, quadruple the initial claims filed in all of 2019, said Department
As coworking becomes more popular among freelancers and small business professionals, the biotechnology industry is also seeing new opportunities to leverage the model. Madison-based Forward BIOLABS is a biotech coworking space that allows biotech startups to get off the ground without the overhead and supply cost. On average, Forward BIOLABS
The state has a long road ahead before the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest report from Forward Analytics. Forward Analytics is the research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association. “The COVID Economy: The Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Wisconsin” examines the economic damage wrought by the
All seven of the state’s school superintendent candidates agreed that Wisconsin needs to increase the technology literacy of its students — but each contender has a different plan to get there. In a webcast series with WisBusiness.com-WisPolitics.com released earlier this month, in partnership with Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition, each candidate
The state’s medical advisory committee put a special emphasis on teachers when passing its recommendations for the second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations. “I think schools play such a part of our social fabric, that they are a bit different than just making it one more cog in kind of a
A trio of dairy industry veterans highlighted flexibility and openness to cooperation as keys to success as they led a virtual panel at a state dairy conference. A strong, processor-producer relationship helped dairy farmers like Jim Winn and Kevin Souza deal with market changes — such as the popularity of
Adults over the age of 65 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday, but it could be months until hundreds of thousands of older Wisconsites get their shots, health officials say. Currently, frontline health care workers, residents in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and assisted living
Strong working relationships between farmers and processors establish clear expectations of the product and please consumers, says a supply chain expert at Grande Cheese Company. Greg Siegenthaler, vice president of milk marketing and supply chain at the Fond du Lac-based cheese company, will be a panelist at this year’s Dairy
Local broadcast TV streaming service and app Locast makes its Wisconsin debut today, launching 34 local channels to more than 650,000 people in the Madison area. The free, nonprofit service includes local FOX channel 47 in the Madison area, which airs the Green Bay Packers-Los Angeles Rams playoff game Saturday
Cocktails-to-go could be another tool that restaurants can use to stay afloat during a capacity-limiting pandemic that restricts indoor dining. The bill, which is circulating the Capitol for cosponsors, would allow a “Class B” licensed retailer — most commonly taverns and restaurants — to sell a cocktail or wine by
Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes said she’s optimistic about a new deal with Foxconn, but dodged on the details. WEDC asked to work with Foxconn on a new agreement that aligns with the company’s plans for development in southeastern Wisconsin. WEDC ruled Foxconn was not eligible for $3
Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Health Services are calling on the federal government to increase the state’s weekly COVID-19 vaccine dose allocation. The state is getting about 70,000 doses per week from the federal government, health officials said last week. This week, Wisconsin needs more than 10,000 additional
Mink husbandry workers will likely be included in the second vaccination phase, accounting for about 300 people, according to the vaccine subpanel of the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee. The 17-member panel debated the lineup late last week. The committee advises the state’s health agency regarding medical ethics during a