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Dunn County Health Assessment Survey
Jeff Smith - First Glance at Governor Evers' Budget

#444444;">Governor Tony Evers presented his first budget to the Legislature on Thursday evening last week. It was a uniquely crafted budget. It contained encouraging policy for Wisconsin’s future. And many of the Governor’s budget provisions were long overdue.

#444444;">The Governor’s comments highlighted his goal to present the people’s budget to the Legislature: “It’s about creating a Wisconsin that works for everyone — a Wisconsin for us. This isn’t the Tony Evers’ budget, the Democratic budget, the speaker’s budget, or the Republican budget — this is the people’s budget. And it’s one that we crafted together.”

Panel on Septic Spreading and Health Hazards

The League of Women Voters of the Greater Chippewa Valley held a panel discussion on Feb. 28 on the health dangers of septage spreading on fields. The panel was moderated by Mark Leach, local ecologist. Panel members included Lindsay Olson, Dunn County Water Specialist, Paul Sterk, Waste Water Supervisor for Menomonie, Bob Colson, Planning and Zoning Manager for Dunn County, and Neil Koch, Retired Hydrologist. 

Why It's Difficult To Gauge The Effects Of Wisconsin's FoodShare Work Rules

As work-related eligibility rules for Wisconsin's food stamp program expand, it remains unclear to what extent the requirements already in place are having their intended effect: namely, to nudge able-bodied adults into employment that could replace their need for food assistance.

Governor Evers Proposes non-partisan maps in state budget

Today Governor Evers proposed a non-partisan solution to gerrymandering in the state, which will be included in the governor's budget which will be released Thursday.

This proposal would put drawing of legislative maps into the hands of a non-partisan commission of state employees at the Legislative Research Bureau. Members of the commission would be selected by the legislative leaders of both parties, and the chair would also be selected by a decision of the four legislative leaders. 

Menomonie School Board President Resigns, board re-organizes officers, mulls school day issue

Quick Update -- Due to road conditions our staff was unable to attend this meeting - I have filled in some information based on other media reports, primarily from the .

Governor Evers signs executive order to recall National Guard

Governor Ton Evers has signed an executive order withdrawing 112 Wisconsin National Guard members from the border. The National Guard had been deployed by former Governor Walker. 

A copy of the Executive order is attached.

Please --- just stay home

Roads in most of the state are largely impassible due to blowing and drifting snow.  A major multi-car accident has closed Interstate 41 between Neenah and Oshkosh. Roads in the Chippewa Valley are in general in terrible condition and most businesses are closed. Some areas in the state are reporting power outages, particularly in the Stevens Point area.  Portions of North Claremont in Eau Claire are closed to traffic due to the many cars stuck on the road.

There are also reports of barn collapses in the Mondovi and Osseo areas. There are probably more that are not reported.

Unless you are in a life-threatening situation, please stay home and let the emergency crews do their job. Stuck cars all over the roads are not useful to anyone.

Blizzard Warning for Dunn, Pepin, Pierce Counties

Please be careful. There is a blizzard warning for some of the local counties and storm warnings for the rest of the area.  The Blizzard Warning is in effect from 9 PM tonight (Saturday) through 6 PM on Sunday. Visibility will be extremely limited and travel  will be dangerous.

Blizzard warning is below:

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Looking back at the World-Wide-Web

This brings back memories.  Many many years ago in what seems like another lifetime, I was the head of the UNIX administration team at FERMILAB. We had I believe the 3rd website in the United States. Life was much simpler then - web browsers such as they were only showed text. Links were new and exotic. I remember one day Tim Berners-Lee was visiting the lab from CERN and we had a talk about a lot of different things, one of which was this new World Wide Web thing he was working on.  I told him I was not at all sure that it could get any traction - he didn't seem too sure either, but he had the vision to have faith and I did not. This is probably why he is now Sir Tim Berners-Lee. And I am here in Downsville running a little website. 

Local roads are very slippery - be careful

Please note that local roads are deteriorating quickly with this morning's heavy snowfall. Reports are coming in for crashes on I94 and Highway 29 that have closed traffic lanes. Some traffic on 94 is currently being diverted from Eau Claire to Foster (eastbound) on Highway 53.  Please avoid travel if at all possible.  Also note that almost all area schools are closed today due to the weather, which for some school districts may mean revising their plans again for adjusting the school year for the snow days. 

Farmers Union members set 2019 policy priorities

APPLETON – At the 88th annual Wisconsin Farmers Union State Convention Jan. 25-27 in Appleton, delegates from across the state adopted policy that will guide the family farm organization’s work in the coming year.

"The policy discussion at the annual State Convention is the democratic process in its purest form,” said WFU President Darin Von Ruden. "Farmers from a variety of backgrounds come together to respectfully discuss the issues impacting their farms and rural Wisconsin."

WFU members will travel to Madison on Feb. 27 for the Farm and Rural Lobby Day, where they will share the policy priorities with legislators. The stances will also be presented by Wisconsin delegates to the National Farmers Union Convention in Bellevue, Washington March 3-5.

Jeff Smith: Part Three - Water is Precious

This is the third of three columns describing the importance of water in Wisconsin

 

#111111;">#ffffff;">Water is cheap. Fixing water quality problems is expensive. Protecting our water before polluting it is less expensive. We can take steps now to preserve our cheapest most precious resource. Changing our perceptions about water use, using nature to help us preserve water and reinvesting in science are easy ways to show how an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Former Senator Vinehout's home lost in fire Saturday

Former State Senator Kathleen Vinehout's home burned down in a fire on Saturday morning. According to a Facebook post from her official account, the home is a complete loss, but the family is safe. Later posts indicate that Kathleen and her husband escaped the fire with only the clothes on their back. Eau Claire City Council President Andrew Werthmann has started a Facebook fundraiser to raise money for the family for immediate needs. Unfortunately since it is on Facebook there is no simple way to provide a direct link, so if you are interested in donating you will have to go to .  

Jeff Smith: Part Two: Water is Prosperity

#111111;">#ffffff;">Last week I wrote about how water is life. This week I hope to show how important water is for all of us to not only survive, but also to thrive.

#111111;">#ffffff;">In my Capitol office hangs an old re-election poster for former Governor Gaylord Nelson. The founder of Earth Day, Governor Nelson was one of Wisconsin’s fiercest advocates for our environment. He was also a pragmatist – he understood not only how important clean water was, but he also acknowledged its importance for our economy.

4 Forces Feeding Uncertainty About Foxconn's Future In Wisconsin

A bubbling sense of uncertainty enveloping Foxconn's plans for its manufacturing and research operations in Wisconsin has sparked considerable speculation around the state in the opening months of 2019. Industry analysts and other observers are wondering to what extent the company's promises would, or even could, come to fruition as its public commitments evolve at a fast clip.

As Number Of Wisconsin's Women Legislators Stalls, Partisan Mix Shifts

November 6, 2018 marked an historic election in the United States due to the unprecedented numbers of women elected to state and national offices. Iowa, Maine and South Dakota elected their first women governors, Arizona, Mississippi and Tennessee elected their first women senators, and 37 new women were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. These historic results, however, were not equally distributed between the two major political parties.

Conservation voters applaud plans to join U.S. Climate Alliance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019
CONTACT: Ryan Billingham, Communications Director, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, 608-208-1129 (office), 608-213-6972 (mobile/text), or ryan@conservationvoters.org

#000000;">MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers’ announcement today that he will join the U.S. Climate Alliance is a major step toward combating climate change in Wisconsin, and is a positive indication the Administration will deliver on its promised pro-conservation agenda.

#000000;">Executive Director Kerry Schumann offered this on the announcement:

Road conditions becoming treacherous in Chippewa Valley - Tuesday, 1/12/2019

This is getting tedious and I'm beginning to think I should just keep promoting this to the top. Road conditions are again terrible through the entire state, and reports are coming in of I-94 being shut down in several places due to accidents. Please do not travel if you can avoid it, and if you do go somewhere be extremely careful.

A quick update --- roads are again terrible in the Chippewa Valley due to some freezing rain this morning and continuing heavy snow.   Almost all of the area schools are closed, and many businesses and organizations are closing early today for safety purposes. Please be careful as the evening commute will be seriously impaired since road crews have not been able to keep up with the rate of snowfall.

Menomonie School District Board Meeting 2/11/2019

Agenda items will include plans to make up lost school days, funding for youth services officers, and a strategic planning update. Agenda is attached. We will start attempting to videotape meetings again starting this week.

I. OPENING ITEMS

A. Call to Order

B. Roll Call and Quorum

C. Pledge of Allegiance and Reading of Mission Statement

D. Agenda Order and Approval/Revision

E. Recommendations and Commendations

F. Highlight on Youth

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