You're listening to Civic Media. You can tune into any of our live shows on any radio station across the state with the Civic Media app. Find us in your phone's app store and listen anytime, anywhere.
This is your WFHR Daily News Roundup for locally grown radio 97.5 FM and 13.20 AM and WISC country 105.5 FM WIRI in Wisconsin Rapids.
For WFHR and WIRI News, I'm Melissa Kay. Wisconsin Democrats have introduced a package of bills they say would benefit workers. Savannah Tulmay Olsen reports.
Most notably, if passed, their plan would repeal Act 10, the controversial law, championed by then Governor Scott Walker, curbed collective bargaining rights for public sector employees, state senator Mark Spritzer.
This proposal will restore workplace fairness and ensure that those who benefit from union representation are contributing their fair share so that we can build strong unions that can make sure we have good wages and working conditions for everyone.
The bills would also strengthen laws against misclassification. That's basically where employers can call their employees independent contractors when they're really not.
Democratic lawmakers say that can have a wide range of impacts. Businesses can avoid paying payroll taxes and unemployment and they don't have to provide health and safety benefits.
Larry Statz owns his contracting business. He says companies that misclassify their employees are saving so much money they're able to undercut businesses who are following the law like his.
More and more competitors have adopted the illegal business model of misclassification where they mislabel their actual workers of independent contractors.
They avoid paying taxes, social security, workman's comp and unemployment benefits. A responsibility that honest employers like us take on every day.
This package of bills would also reinstate prevailing wage laws. Republicans repealed Wisconsin's in 2015. All 60 Democrats in the state assembly and state senate have signed on to these bills. However, because they don't have the majority, they're unlikely to go anywhere without Republican support.
For civic media news, I'm Savannah Tomay Olsen.
A federal judge has ruled that Wisconsin must give back pay to disabled workers who were denied unemployment payments because they received disability payments through social security.
The court order requires the Wisconsin Department of Workforce development to create a process for residents who were denied unemployment benefits between September of 2015 and this past July to receive the payments.
The judge ruled the state law that was used to prevent those residents from collecting unemployment benefits intentionally discriminated against them.
There are special opportunities this month to connect job seekers and employers. Joanne Krulotz has more.
September is National Workforce Development Month and Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development invites job seekers and employers to explore services offered by the jobs center of Wisconsin.
On Wednesdays this month, you can access specialized services, including career navigators and business services professionals who can connect you to the right job or talent.
Events will also include employment and training specialist who know what local job demands are. More information on workforce Wednesdays can be found on the DWD website.
A federal judge has ruled that new Wisconsin regulations targeting vape devices can remain in place.
The regulations ban the sale of any electronic vaping device that is not listed in the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's directory.
A coalition of vape shops filed the lawsuit prior to when the regulations went into effect on September 1.
On Friday, a federal judge ruled against temporarily blocking the regulations, noting in his decision that the vape distributors had 19 months to challenge the 2023 law that made the new regulations possible.
The first human case of West now virus has been reported in Wood County this year. Local health officials warned that you still need to continue protecting yourself against mosquito bites as we're entering the fall season.
While 80% of people who are infected with West now virus don't get sick. Those who do experience mild symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle ache, rash and fatigue.
Less than 1% can get seriously ill. Older adults and those with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of developing serious illness that could be fatal.
West now virus is most common in Wisconsin during the months of August and September.
United Way's day of caring happens in October. In 2024, 462 volunteers rate 88 yards for elderly and disabled community members. United Way is looking for volunteers to help with fall leaf raking.
You'll need to register online by October 24. Free t-shirts will be available on a first come first or basis for volunteers who register early. If you're under 18, you must have a parent or guardian complete a waiver form.
Now this event is intended for low or fixed income, elderly and or disabled residents who truly need the help to clean up their yards. If you need this assistance, be sure to register with the United Way by October 10.
You can call them at 715-421-0390 between the hours of 830 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. You will need to provide volunteers with paper, leaf bags and or instructions for leaf disposal in accordance with your municipal rules.
Please also make sure that any pet waste entrash is removed from your yard before the event on October 25. You can find out more and volunteer at uwac.org.
The Badgers head for Bama. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports college football. The Wisconsin Badgers have a road game Saturday against number 19th ranked Alabama kickoff 11 am.
So how do the players feel about taking on the Crimson tide? Badgers had coach Luke fickle. There's nothing more that you want to do as a competitor than being the biggest games and the biggest competition out there.
And to go to Alabama to play in front of that crowd, to go down there to play, you know, in the SEC country. I think that there's not a guy within our program that isn't say that's one of the reasons why they're here.
NFL a short week for the Packers. They host the commanders Thursday night. Packers wide receiver Jaden Reed dealing with a stress fracture in his left foot. I asked how he was doing after Sunday's game against the Lions.
Oh, it feels great to win. I'm definitely hurting a little bit, but you know, thank God we got some time to recover. Put my foot into my sand. I'll feel better.
Baseball, the Brewers and the Rangers tonight in Texas, Milwaukee losing last night, five to nothing with sports on Mike Clemens.
On your entertainment beat, I'm Pete Schwabba. Last week, I said that summer blockbuster season at the theaters was officially over, but it appears that no one told the conjuring last rights.
Pregnosticators estimated that the film would pull in roughly 80 million worldwide. The film opened in first place this past weekend, surpassing the predicted amount in the US alone with 83 million and pulled in 187 million worldwide.
Good for the third largest opening ever domestically or globally for a horror film. For Warner Brothers, this was their eighth number one opening of the year and the seventh film in 2025 that is open with a take of more than 40 million.
Something no studio has ever achieved according to deadline. Hamilton opened and limited release and came in second place with 10 million and it was more horror as Warner Brothers weapons came in third place and now has raked in 143 million in five weeks.
Freaky or Friday and caught stealing finished in fourth and fifth place respectively. If you're looking for a documentary that will make your life look pretty boring, check out aka Charlie Sheen, a new doc that drops on Netflix this week.
The inside look is a two-parter that explores his three marriages movie career where his credits include Platoon, Wall Street and Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the hit sitcom Two and a Half Men.
The 60-year-old Sheen also talks about his various addictions, mental health breakdown in 2011 where he claims to have had tiger blood and is firing from two and a half men for drug use.
And Sheen is well aware that any time you self promote with a new movie or book, you do need spicy new material.
So the actor is now saying he has also had sex with lots of men and it all started when he was smoking crack.
I tip my hat to the producers who somehow managed to cram all that into just two parts aka Charlie Sheen drops September 10th on Netflix.
Video killed the radio star but it's also responsible for an award show called The Video Music Awards.
2025's Big Event took place Sunday night. The night's big video star winners were Lady Gaga who brought home four VMAs including artists of the year and Ariana Grande who brought home three awards and won the prestigious Video of the year award for her song brighter days ahead.
Ozzy Osborne who passed away earlier this year at the age of 76 was honored with a performance by Aerosmith and two guys I've never heard of but I'm sure they're very talented.
During the Carpenter also took home three awards and Bruno Mars was a two-time winner where I carry performed a special medley and Ricky Martin won the Video Vanguard award.
The good news is if you missed the broadcast that means you didn't have to watch it.
Kidding aside, if you're interested, check out the highlights for the VMAs online.
For more showbiz fun, tune in to Nightlight with me, Peach Waba, weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Civic Media Radio Network.
I'm meteorologist Brandon Bourments, a nice looking September day once again with a mix of sun and clouds a tad on the breezy side, high temperatures in the mid-70s.
For tonight a slow-moving front may generate a shower or a thunderstorm, low temperatures in the mid-50s. Right now, it's 57.
That's your WFHR and WIRI Daily News Roundup from Civic Media. Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you find your podcasts.
Find more news at WFHR.com or WISCountry. That's WISCountry.com.
The national news cycle never stops, but it can be hard to find news about your local community.
Civic Media is dedicated to providing quality local and state news coverage across Wisconsin.
With the Civic Media app, you can get notifications about local stories that matter to you and your community.
Find the free Civic Media app in your phone's app store and choose notifications from the menu to tell us what kind of news you want to hear about.