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This is your WGBW Daily News Roundup for the talk of Green Bay, 97.9 FM and 50.90 AM.
For 97.9 WGBW News, I'm Lisa Hale.
With a major warm-up headed our way and temperatures tapping the 40s, remember that no ice is safe ice.
Meteorologist Brittany Merlot tells us what to look out for.
Watch out for weak points, like ice shoves or spots along the shoreline that still have currents running under, or dams, inlets and outlets.
Experts say that ice may be good enough to support you in one place and possibly not in another, so check ice depth frequently.
If you do fall into icy waters, remain calm and attempt all measures to get out safely.
Bring an ice pick with you and never go out on the ice alone.
The Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, is bringing its cuts to Green Bay.
The agency run by billionaire Elon Musk listed contracts and lease cancellations to save over $55 billion.
Among those cancellations is the termination of a lease of about 1,000 square feet of the Social Security Administration Building on Dowsmen in Green Bay.
That amounts to about 10% of the available space in the building.
The owner of the building says it was constructed specifically for that agency, which is its only tenant.
Out of Gamie County Sheriff's Officials, Wisconsin State Patrol and Kakona Police joined forces Thursday evening after a suspect for a burglary of an occupied home, fled on foot.
The officers use drone technology to find the suspect in a field, quite a bit of distance away from the home.
Using the drone, they directed officers to the man's position where he was taken into custody and given emergency medical aid for suspected drug overdose.
Officials believe the same man had fled several attempted traffic stops and was operating a stolen vehicle just before the incident.
Several agencies are continuing the investigation.
Now that he's presented it to the state and to the legislature on Tuesday, what's next for Governor Tony Evers proposed state budget?
The Democratic Governor wants to use a little less than half of the state government's current $4.3 billion surplus on tax relief.
His budget now heads to the legislature's Joint Finance Committee, where Senator Howard Markline is the co-chair.
The Republican from Spring, Green cautioned that the surplus is largely one-time money and pledged that Republicans will be cautious as they work to build a new budget.
Markline says any tax cuts from Republicans will be affordable and won't create a structural deficit in the future.
The Joint Finance Committee will jettison nearly all of Evers' plan as it builds a new budget, but the governor will be able to exercise his significant veto authority on the finished product.
The Wisconsin State Assembly passed six education bills this week. Savannah Tome Olsen breaks them down for us.
One would require the Department of Public Instruction to change the standards used in testing here in Wisconsin.
The Department of Public Instruction lowered standards for students after working with 100 Wisconsin teachers.
This bill would basically undo those changes.
Assembly Bill 6 would require school districts spend at least 70% of their money on direct classroom expenditures.
Opponents, including Democrats and Superintendent Jill Underlee, say this plan ignores some necessary costs like school safety.
Another bill would ban devices and classrooms during instructional time.
It would be up to each district to figure out exactly how they would do that.
A survey from the DPI showed that 90% of school districts that responded already have cell phone restrictions in place.
Another one of these bills would give school districts two weeks to provide instructional materials to district residents who request it.
Advocates say families already have that access.
State Superintendent Jill Underlee says this seems like a move to so distrust in school leadership.
One of the bills would require that Wisconsin students learn to read and write in cursive.
Studies have shown no link between cursive and increased literacy.
The DPI is opposed to this bill as well.
Underlee brings up the fact that they're still waiting on Republican lawmakers to release the $50 million already approved in the budget to reform how we teach kids to read.
Lastly, Assembly Bill 4 would require civics instruction for students in elementary and high schools.
Underlee wasn't against this plan, but she said Wisconsin students already have some of these requirements.
All of these bills now head to the state senate.
For Civic Media News, I'm Savannah Tomay Olson.
A number of Democratic state lawmakers say they're working on legislation to stop federal authorities from arresting immigrants at places like churches, hospitals, and schools.
The locations had previously been considered protected, but Trump administration officials now say they are not off limits for immigration operations.
State Democrats are seeking to designate the locations as safe havens.
Saying members of the immigrant community should be able to attend school, religious services, or seek medical care without the fear of arrest.
Black History Month is important not just for African Americans, but also for anyone and everyone who wants to understand their fellow countrymen and community members.
So says the head of African American Studies in the Sociology Department of the University of Wisconsin, Ashkosh, Dr. Alfonso Simpson.
Simpson says so many things that we take for granted every day were invented or made possible by contributions from African Americans.
When we look at the types of things like the elevator, the escalator, the satellite, or the traffic signal, internal combustion engines, the heating furnace, air conditioning, the refrigeration.
I mean, there's so many things.
Simpson says Black History Month is not just about the accomplishments of black Americans, but also an acknowledgement of their struggles.
When you look at what we call the African Holocaust, the transatlantic slave trade and those 200 plus years of slavery here in America from 1619 to 1865, of course there's more than any of us could ever endure.
But Simpson emphasizes that efforts to teach about Black History and the experience of Black America are not meant to be critical.
Not about making people feel guilty. It's about bringing people into the knowledge of the truth and it helps us to all see our fellow men as contributors to the society in which we still enjoy.
Simpson is not only the director of African American Studies at UWO. He's also the vice president of the National Council for Black Studies.
Because every day is a donation to eternity. Every day is a donation to history and anything I do as myself is Black History.
Elfonso Simpson, professor, director of African American Studies at UWO and a modern day Black History Maker.
I'm Lisa Hale, 97.9 WGBW News. For news anytime, log on to WGBW.FM.
The Bucks beat the Clippers. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports. The Bucks rallied in the fourth quarter, went on to beat the L.A. Clippers 116 to 110 after the game players like Damien Lullard reacting to the news that Bobby Portis has been suspended 25 games for violating the league's anti drug policy.
Obviously, it's a hit to our team. We're all professionals and we know that we got to hold it down for them. Make sure that we stay on track for when he does come back.
You know, I think it'll make us a better team because we'll have to find a way without them. The Bucks faced the Wizards in Washington tonight.
College basketball number 16 Frank Marquette on the road against Villanova had coach Shaka Smart on how guard Stevie Mitchell has improved in his time with the Golden Eagles.
He was defending. He was flying around. He was bringing an incredible spirit and energy. That was his freshman year when he really didn't know what he was doing yet.
Now he's a senior. He's more seasoned. He's way more confident and more secure. And we're absolutely going to need him to be at his best on the stretch.
That's Marquette coach Shaka Smart with sports on Mike Clemens.
On your entertainment beat, I'm Peach Waba. Cynthia Arevo is on a roll. She's nominated for Best Actress for the film Wicked, which is also nominated for Best Picture.
Arevo got her start on Broadway and has now come full circle as it's just been announced she will host the 2025 Tony Awards.
The Tony celebrates the best of Broadway and will be held at Radio City Music Hall June 8th and air on CBS and Paramount Plus.
Speaking of people on a roll, let's add Jeremy Allen White to that list.
Star of the award winning show The Bear, White is also playing Bruce Springsteen in a new biopic about the Rock icon.
Let's add a new Netflix series to that as well called Enigma Variations.
Yahoo Entertainment reports the two-time Emmy-winning actor will also executive produce the limited series.
White will play Paul, the main character who becomes romantically involved with men and women.
I assume there's more to the story, but that was the most attention getting headlined.
There is no official release date yet, but the show will drop eventually on Netflix.
Here's one of Peach's picks for the entire family. Check out the film Flow, an animated movie about a cat trying to survive a flood.
Our lead feline needs to get over a solitary existence and work with other animals in similar predicaments as they all take shelter on a boat.
There are no words or dialogue, but the action is continuous and the animation is almost hypnotic.
Flow is a sweet, engaging film with a very nice ending, showing animals coming together to help each other.
The legendary Paul Simon is capitalizing on his SNL 50th anniversary show opening number with Sabrina Carpenter.
Simon has announced a new tour. It's been seven years since the 83-year-old has packed up his guitar and hit the road.
Simon will start in New Orleans in early April, and at this point has two dates scheduled for Milwaukee at the Riverside Theater.
83-year-old touring Paul Simon might not go late into the evening, but it's still better than non-touring Paul Simon.
Beverly Hills cops were called into action recently when actress Nicole Kidman and her country music star husband Keith Urban had their Beverly Hills place broken into.
Hopefully they have runners insurance. The Beverly Hills Police Department says the break-in was most likely part of a rash of burglaries from a South American gang that has been hitting Southern California.
Gang was recently nabbed by the BHPD, probably led by Axel Foley.
It's hard to anticipate how the Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Baldoni, drama will unfold when all is said and done.
They are exchanging lawsuits over incidents stemming from the set of It Ends With Us.
The feeling smug and confident Ryan Reynolds made a joke about the situation on Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary, but it appears to have backfired.
Apparently the cute power couple were given the snub at the after parties by many attendees for making light of a sensitive situation.
Not sure who did what to whom, but Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively kind of annoying.
For more showbiz vaude and tune into Night Light with me, Peach Wabba, weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Civic Media Radio Network.
Happy Friday, I'm meteorologist Brian Envormis.
Sunny skies can be expected today with highs in the lower 20s.
For tonight, partly cloudy, lows near 10 above.
A nice weekend, partly sunny Saturday with highs in the mid 20s, and then much warmer on Sunday, highs in the mid 30s.
Current temperature, 4 degrees.
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