Here's your daily news roundup from 97.9 WGBW.
From the 97.9 WGBW newsroom, I'm Connie Feldman with this local news update.
Green Bay drivers get ready for some traffic backups around a busy intersection on the city's east side.
Starting Monday, city workers say scheduled repairs on a water main will close lanes in each direction
at the intersection of main and mason for two weeks. The biggest traffic impact will be
access to the BP gas station. The mason street entrance will be closed, but drivers can still get
to BP from main street. No other businesses are expected to be impacted. The city says these
repairs were intentionally scheduled at this time to align with lower seas no water demand.
They say water service won't be affected. Getting your college degree in three years could be
a possibility in the UW system. University of Wisconsin's system Board of Regents considered
revisions to a policy last week that would allow campuses to create bachelor's degrees that can
be completed in three years. These degrees would typically require 90 credits instead of the
standard 120. These three year programs are on the rise nationwide. The state journal reports the
Board of Regents will vote on the policy at a future meeting. Only one four-year university in
Wisconsin currently offers a reduced credit degree program. And don't forget to set your
clocks ahead this weekend. Daylight Savings Time officially goes into effect at 2 a.m. Sunday morning
when we spring ahead one hour. While it's an adjustment for many to wake up an hour earlier,
what you sacrifice in losing an hour of sleep you gain with an extra hour of light at the end of
the day. If you've been curious to check out the new apartments in downtown Green Bay now's your
chance. Property managers are holding pre-leasing and hard-hat tours starting Monday.
Perspective residents can step inside the 269-unit apartment community called NOVA on Adam's street
to see what the upscale complex offers. Amandines include an outdoor cinema, resort-style pool deck,
community lounge with the state-of-the-art golf simulator, even an on-site pet grooming spa.
Rent starts at around $1,500 for a studio apartment, up to nearly 6,000 a month for a penthouse unit.
Governor Tony Evers is asking Wisconsin lawmakers to return to Madison on April 12th for a special
session on redistricting reform. He wants a constitutional amendment that would ban partisan
gerrymandering. In his state-of-the-state address, Evers said fair maps should come from voters,
not politicians. I know people here disagree sometimes,
sometimes a lot. Politics could get in the way of creating a non-partisan redistricting commission
that everyone can support, but there's one thing that we all should be able to do to agree on,
which is that politics should stay out of the redistricting from start to finish.
Republican leaders have ended past special sessions almost immediately,
but the governor says he'll keep trying until the job's done. He's now traveling the state
to explain to voters, Evers signed off on the current maps that are in place.
With news at the top and bottom of the hour all day and I'm demand any time at wgbw.fm,
I'm Connie Feldman, 97.9 wgbw news.
For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale.
The conflict in Iran has Wisconsin connections. Members of the Wisconsin National Guard with
troops from Oshkosh and Milwaukee have been deployed to Kuwait and Iraq since May of 2025.
The F-35 Jet Station with the Wisconsin Air Guard in Madison have not been activated as of this week.
One student was arrested for making threats that prompted a North East Wisconsin school to
close this week. The Nina School District was notified Tuesday about social media posts
alleging a potential safety threat at Nina Middle School. To protect student safety classes at
the middle school were held virtually on Wednesday. No other schools in the district were closed.
Nina Police Chief Aaron Olson said the student responsible has been arrested and the chief is
recommending felony charges of making terrorist threats. No details about the student have been
released except that he is a male. According to the latest Marquette Law School poll conducted
in mid-February, Wisconsin's registered voters have a negative opinion of how the immigration
and customs enforcement or ICE has been enforcing immigration laws. 56% of those polls disapproved
and only 44% approved. But poll director Charles Franklin said the divide really shows a split
down party lines. There's been a lot of talk that the events in Minneapolis would change the
country's opinions. I think it probably does change independence some, but it's certainly not
evaporating support for ICE among Republicans. Among Republicans, 87% approve of how ICE is doing
while 76% of independence and 97% of Democrats disapprove. The latest Marquette poll has a margin
of error of plus or minus 4.3. I'm Lisa Hale, Civic Media News. There's a possible new name in the
gubernatorial race on the Republican side. Wapan Mayor Ron Bishop says he's considering a run
because Republicans need a new message and quote someone who will cheerlead for Wisconsin,
like Tommy Thompson did, end quote. Bishop has been critical of Congressman Tom Tiffany for
rejecting the 2020 election results and says voters are tired of Washington politics. Bishop
plans to make a final decision after exploring if he can raise the funds for a statewide campaign.
Proposed legislation in the Wisconsin State Senate would restore some legal protections for
individuals who provide aid to someone suffering from an overdose. Civic Media's James Kelly has that
story. The bill is currently being considered by the State Senate Committee on Mental Health,
Substance Abuse Prevention, and Children, and Families. If passed into law, an individual who calls
911 for someone during an overdose would be immune from prosecution and a revocation of their
parole, probation, or extended supervision for drug possession or drug-related materials.
Those protections previously existed under Wisconsin Act 33, which was passed into law in 2017.
Act 33 also included the expanded protections for individuals who were on parole,
probation, or extended supervision, but the expanded protections were temporary and expired in 2020.
This bill would restore those protections permanently. Lawmakers say the goal is to encourage
people to call for help immediately to save lives without fear of negative consequences.
For Civic Media News, I'm James Kelly. A senator from Wisconsin says she's opposed to
Brad Shimmel continuing as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
when his temporary appointment expires this month. Tammy Baldwin said she's concerned about
political partisans filling the justice system. Now the U.S. Attorney General positions require
Senate approval, but President Trump appointed Shimmel to be the interim U.S. attorney for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin. Interim appointments are limited to only 120 days. Baldwin said,
quote, sometimes it's hard, but getting the right person who will uphold the rule of law,
not pledge loyalty to the president is more important than ever. End quote.
A final federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clears the way for construction to start
on Imbridge's Line 5 Relocation Project. Civic Media's Maddie Schaefer reports.
The new 41-mile segment will move the pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
reservation. In a statement, Enbridge says crews will employ more than 700 union workers and
expects to spend millions on construction-related projects in Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties.
The company adds Line 5 supplies crude oil and propane to 10 refineries, serving millions across
the Midwest and Great Lakes region. Environmental groups argue the new route would cross roughly
185 waterways and impact more than 100 acres of wetlands. They say those wetlands are critical
to wild rice beds, fish habitat, and the broader Lake Superior watershed. For Civic Media News,
I'm Maddie Schaefer. A bill that could open Wisconsin highways to self-driving cars
has cleared its first hurdle at the state capital. The Senate Transportation Committee voted
three to two to advance the plan. It would create a board to test and regulate the vehicles,
and to make sure companies are liable for any damage or injuries. Supporters see it as a way
to improve safety and mobility, motorcycle advocates warn it could lead to more crashes.
In the WCHA finals, they saw 2pm, Mark Johnson could become the first ever college hockey head coach
with 700 career wins. You know, and hockey, you know, maybe unlike other sports as unique,
because if I have a goal tender that is really good on a particular day, I might have a chance.
It's become very much more competitive than it's ever been. NFL former Packers president Bob
Harlan has passed away. In 2020, I asked them for his reaction to the team drafting quarterback
Jordan Love the night before. He remembered Farve and Rodgers. And both decisions turned out
three to the best decisions in the history of the organization. So I think you should sit back and let
time go by and see where it is. And with the future holds, you can make a judgment on draft day.
Bob Harlan was 89 with sports on Mike Clemens. Cloudy and Foggy was scattered rain today. We could
get a quarter to a half inch of rain by the time the day winds down or a high right around 58 this
afternoon. More rain and thunderstorms tonight will drop to 48 for a low tomorrow showers early
than mostly cloudy with temps in the upper 40s to near 50. I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
That's your Green Bay news round up from 97.9 WGBW. Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify,
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