97.5 W-F-H-R and 105.5 W-I-R-I. Your Wisconsin Rapids Home for locally grown radio. Here's
your Daily News Roundup.
4 W-F-H-R and W-I-R-I News. I'm Melissa K. Wisconsin lawmakers are busy this week. Savannah
Tommy Olson takes us to the state Capitol.
Now the question is passage of Senate Bill 504. It was a marathon of a day in the state
Senate.
Those opposed, no. You guys have it. The bills passed. The court will read the next bill.
They took off almost 70 bills and resolutions. Republicans' priorities included bills that
ban health care for people here illegally and further legislate the definition of abortion
in Wisconsin. They also voted on a measure to repeal Governor Tony Evers 400-year veto
that increased school funding. State Senator Chris Campinga, a Republican.
The governor stepped in and did something he's never done before. And that is he changed
the bill in a way that no governor in the history of the state of Wisconsin has changed.
And that's very concerning for us because the legislature is where the voice of the
people is supposed to take place.
As part of the Republican-authored budget, Wisconsin schools are getting increases for
special education funding, but no increase in general state aid. Democrats say Republicans'
priorities don't address high costs people all over the state are feeling. And that includes
in our schools where more and more districts are proposing referendums just to keep the
lights on.
Democratic State Senator Chris Larson, you've decided to raise property taxes across the
state. And you did it in a way where you're forcing the local school boards to make up
the difference. And if anybody is watching from a local school board or anyone who's watching
who's a local property taxpayer and is wondering why their property taxes continue to go up,
I have three answers for you. It's the state. It's the state. It's the state.
The bill passed along party lines and now heads to the assembly. And if it passes there,
Governor Tony Evers will be the one to decide whether to sign or veto that bill.
For civic media news, I'm Savannah Tomay Olsen.
A familiar name in Wisconsin politics has been appointed as a federal prosecutor by the
Trump administration. Civic media's Jimmy Casca has more.
Former Wisconsin Attorney General and State Supreme Court candidate Brad Shimmel was sworn
in as interim U.S. District Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on Monday.
He was appointed to the position by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondy. The interim appointment
lasts for 120 days. Federal district judges can vote to extend the appointment or remove
Shimmel after that time is up. Shimmel was most recently a circuit court judge in
Waukeshaw County. He lost against Susan Crawford in the spring election for state Supreme Court.
Shimmel said he is aware of the word interim in his title, but hopes to stay in the position
longer than the 120 days. A bill in the state capital would fund updates to a damn and
Roth child. Lawmakers in the state senate advanced the bill yesterday. Under the bill,
DomTar paper company would get $42 million to update the damn. DomTar operates the
damn in Roth child and one in Nekusa. The damn built in 1912 spans 663 feet across the
Wisconsin River, creating like wassa. It was initially used to power the Roth child mill
and channel pulp wood from upstream for pulp and paper manufacturing. The project aims to
replace the timber crib spillway section of the damn, which was last replaced over 60 years ago.
If the bill passes, it would fund half of the update. In total, it will cost $84 million.
The funding for the modernization project was first included in the 2025-27 biennial budget.
DomTar has lobbied for the bill, so has the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association,
the Wisconsin State Energy Group, and the Wisconsin Paper Council. A sister bill in the
state assembly is waiting in committee. This is Winter Weather Awareness Week with Ready Wisconsin
and we're starting to experience the freezing temperatures. As colder winter weather arrives,
emergency room visits increase due to cold-related illnesses and injuries. Ready Wisconsin
recommends Wisconsinites prepare for winter weather with an emergency kit and supplies.
It should include non-perishable food and water, cell phone and charger, flashlight and batteries,
first aid kit, important medications, a weather radio, and a change of clothing. They say you
should dress in layers when you go out of doors and make sure you have an emergency kit in your
vehicle. In addition to the same emergency items at home, the one for your car should also include
blankets, a shovel, jumper cables, and sand. It's also important to keep your gas tank at least
half full in cold weather. There's an open position on the Public Works and Utility Committee
in the town of Rome. You must be at least 18 years of age and live in the town of Rome where
curbside service of the water utility is available. If you're interested, submit an application,
letter of interest, and resume. They need to be in to the town of Rome clerk Wendy Newsom by 4 p.m.
on Friday, December 5th. Giving Tuesday is December 2nd this year. United Way of Southwood and
Adams Counties is inviting support for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. A $35 donation
sponsors one child in our area to receive a year of free books. The Dolly Parton Imagination
Library mails high-quality books to children from birth to age 5 every month. There's no
income requirements for children to be enrolled. They just need to live in Wisconsin Rapids,
Nikusa, Port Edwards, Rudolph, Vesper or Adams County. So far this year, almost 5,000 books have
been mailed to children in the community. You can find more information on the United Way's website.
I'm Melissa K for WFHR and WIRI News.
That will pay dividends later and that's the stretch that we're about to go through.
We'll be right. College football, it's the Badgers at Illinois this Saturday night.
Kickoff at Camp Randall Stadium at 630, Carter Smith at quarterback, and a year that Wisconsin
has lost two others to injury. It has been an Achilles heel. There's no doubt about it.
But moving forward, we have to find consistency. We have to find depth. And some of that might be
in some youth as well. And so the last few weeks of the season, that's what we've got to see if we
can figure out and see if we can help develop in Carter. And then we need to be able to move forward
as once the season ends. That's Badgers head coach Luke fickle with sports on my clements.
Partly sunny to mostly cloudy today are high right around 41 this afternoon.
Tonight, it will be cloudy with a low dropping to 31. Tomorrow, a little bit of light reign
possible, otherwise mostly cloudy with a high in the mid to upper 40s. I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
That's your Wisconsin Rapids news roundup from WRI and WFHR locally grown radio.
Find more news anytime at WFHR.com and WRI.FM.
Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you find your podcasts.