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 Alyssa K. Wisconsin Republicans are working on education bills that would encourage school districts to consolidate Savannah-Tomae Olsen reports.
These bills aren't even drafted yet, so there weren't a ton of details available at a press conference this week, but Republicans in the assembly focused heavily on districts with declining enrollment and declining funding.
One of their big solutions is to encourage more districts to combine. There are more than 400 of them across Wisconsin and record numbers of them are going to referendum, asking residents to increase their own taxes just to keep the district afloat.
Representative Amanda Nedwesky from Pleasant Prairie.
Consolidation has long-term positive effects on both students and taxpayers, so we need to stop the cycle of never-ending referendum.
Democrats might argue that the solution is simply to throw more money at the problem, but it does not solve the issue that there are just less kids being born today than there were 20 years ago.
School advocates and administrators say declining enrollment isn't the problem. It's the formula itself and a lack of funding from lawmakers.
State school aid has not kept up with inflation for more than a decade. Republicans' plans also include revamping the math curriculum and what they're calling a teacher's bill of rights, which they say would standardize discipline for students.
They also want Wisconsin to opt in to a federal school choice program, passed as part of President Donald Trump's big beautiful bill earlier this year.
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Newbauer criticized Republicans' plans saying, quote, Republicans K through 12 education plans won't address the challenges facing working families or give our kids the opportunities they deserve.
We shouldn't be talking about consolidating districts we should be investing in our local schools.
For civic media news, I'm Savannah Tome Olsen.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has officially announced his candidacy for governor in the 2026 election. Crowley joins Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez in the Democratic primary field weeks after Governor Tony Evers announced he would not be seeking a third term.
In Crowley's announcement, he said his background and experience in office make him uniquely prepared for the job.
In the first gubernatorial race without an incumbent since 2010, Crowley would be the state's first black governor while Rodriguez would be the first woman elected.
Many people will need to get a prescription before getting this year's COVID vaccine. Joanne Krulotz reports.
The US Food and Drug Administration rescinded a previous order that allowed anyone to get the shot.
Emergency director and vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr. removed vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.
Currently, the elderly and those with an existing condition that could cause complications from COVID are eligible for the shot.
Everyone else may need to consult their doctor.
Depending on your insurance coverage, you might also have to pay out of the pocket this year.
Governor Tony Evers Administration in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services supports vaccination access through several programs covering routine childhood and adult immunizations as well as the current COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
A newly proposed bill could expand Wisconsin's move over law to include non-emergency vehicles.
The new legislation would also require drivers to move over for any vehicle with flashing or hazard lights on the shoulder.
Wisconsin would be the 20th state in the country to pursue the expansion of the move over law.
The riverbiteers bike share fall community bike ride took place on Wednesday night with Wood County Sheriff Sean Becker.
This fun community event started about four years ago when Hannah Wendell Scott was just getting started with Wood County Health.
I was actually an intern and we wanted to try to get some usage on the bikes and bring people together around something fun and gets you outside and active.
We thought it would be really fun to partner with Sheriff Becker and kind of bring him into the fold and it lets people get to see everyone in a different light.
Sheriff Becker said he was all for the idea.
Okay, what a great way to get out in the community and enjoy one of our parks too.
I think that's one of the things people don't get the opportunity to see or all of our parks that we have in the county.
And this is one of the, in my opinion, one of the best ones because you got a bike trail that goes all the way around it.
You have a campground, a couple beaches, just a great way to experience the park and, you know, nothing with the community.
The cost for a river rider's bike is a dollar per mile and they'll be available at least through October, maybe even longer if the weather is nice.
It also doesn't matter which location you get the bike from.
You can return it to any of the three locations throughout Wisconsin Rapids.
We have the one here at Lake Wasicha at White Sands Beach.
We have one on the West Grand Avenue Bridge right where the farmers market is located in Rapids.
And then we also have one at McMillan Memorial Library.
Sheriff Sean Becker said other law enforcement officers join this fun community event when they can.
But Wisconsin Rapids Police Chief Daniel Haustins couldn't make it this year.
We've had a few, uh, I've joined with us previous Police Chief Mal Peterson would always come.
And, uh, this year the current Chief couldn't for whatever reason and I'm going to have to talk to him about that.
I'm Melissa K for WFHR and WIRI News.
The Packers in Primetime.
Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports from Lambo Field in Green Bay where the Packers play the Washington Commanders tonight.
Green Bay three point favorites to win.
Jordan Love asks if he likes playing in night games.
I like playing in whatever game, you know, no matter what game it is, I'm ready.
Obviously, we don't get a, you know, pick and choose which games or prime time things like that.
But, uh, man, every game is an opportunity to go out there and win the game.
So, um, it doesn't matter when it is, what time, where we're playing at, you know, I'm ready for, uh, these games.
Baseball, the Brewers headed home.
They open a series tomorrow night in Milwaukee against the St. Louis Cardinals after being swept by the Rangers.
Final score yesterday six to three.
Pat Murphy.
Still proud of our guys.
I love our guys.
It's not lack of effort guys.
It's not letting down.
It's, it's maybe the opposite.
They're exhausted.
We'll beat up and we're injured and things did not go our way this week.
You guys, because you guys saw it.
You know, that has to happen sometimes at baseball.
That's Brewers manager Pat Murphy was sports on Mike Clemens.
On your entertainment beat, I'm Pete Schwabba.
Sometimes we are better off as moviegoers when there are no huge blockbusters being released.
True movie fans can take advantage of the variety that becomes available in theaters post-summer.
And such is the case this weekend.
This week's openers are headlined by Downton Abbey, the grand finale.
The Crowley family finds themselves at the center of a public scandal as they move into the 1930s.
I never really watched the show so I don't have much of an opinion.
But the film has a built-in fanbase and a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you're looking for something that is the exact opposite, check out The Long Walk, a thriller based on Stephen King's first novel.
The film tells the story of a group of teenage boys taking part in a contest where they must maintain a certain walking speed or they get shot.
Not for those seeking whimsy, but it is only 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
And finally, the wait is over is the sequel to spinal tap.
The final tap too hits the big screen.
No reviews are in, but none needed.
Let's go to the movies.
If you're a fan of horror flicks, but not the theater, there is a creepy new hit film you can now stream from your couch.
Weapons has just dropped on various streaming platforms.
The film was a hit in theaters, raking in over 143 million in just five weeks.
The story is set into motion when a group of children run out of their house all at the same time in the middle of the night and disappear.
Craigers film that stars Amy Madigan, Josh Brolin and Julia Garner received a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Leonardo DiCaprio says he will slow down a bit when it comes to acting roles.
The Titanic star told people he will be more picky when it comes to the roles he takes.
His new film, One Battle After Another, is directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who also directed one of Leo's faves, Boogie Nights.
DiCaprio says he couldn't do Boogie Nights because he was shooting Titanic at the time and doesn't regret the decision,
but if he could go back in time, he would do both Oscar-nominated films.
The battle after another hits the big screen in September 26th.
The secret lives of Mormon wives, star and founder of the soft swinging group on TikTok called Mom Talk will be the new Bachelorette.
Taylor Frankie Paul will have her pick of men on national television, but be careful attention seeking hot guys because she has no stranger to scandal.
Paul, the mother of two, confessed that she and other couples in the community were soft swingers, meaning she and her husband regularly made out with other couples.
If you get a look at Taylor Frankie Paul, you'll realize why all the other husbands wanted a French kisser.
In addition to two hot first names, she has perfect eyebrows.
According to the New York Post, the soft swinging resulted in a pregnancy for Paul by another husband.
That must have been some kiss.
Beware though, Bachelorette, she was also charged with a third-degree felony for throwing something in her first husband that accidentally hit her child.
Don't worry, the charges were dismissed, paving the way for Paul to choose another potential baby daddy on national TV.
I think I'm in love.
For more showbiz fun, tune in to Nightlight with me, Peach Wabo, weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Civic Media Radio Network.
I'm meteorologist Brandon Bourmans, some areas of fog through mid-morning, otherwise partly sunny skies and a beautiful September day with highs in the mid-70s.
For tonight, patchy fog developing late, otherwise partly cloudy low of 52, warmer on Friday, mostly sunny, a high of 79.
Currently, it's 62.
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 Whiskcountry, 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.