Podcasts about wuwm's marti mikkelson

Former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson is back in the public eye. The Board of Regents announced late last week that Thompson will be the interim UW System president while the search continues for a permanent replacement for Ray Cross, who is retiring. Thompson will assume the job on July 1, after the lone finalist for the position took himself out of the running. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of wispolitics.com what he thinks an interim Thompson presidency will look like. He says it won't be easy.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin held its annual state convention on Friday night, virtually instead of in-person because of the coronavirus. Elected officials gave speeches, and then it was time for the headliner – presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. He talked about the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and said the country needs to confront systemic racism. In a swipe at Republican President Donald Trump, Biden said he’ll restore “real leadership” to the White House. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if he thinks Biden’s speech effectively rallied support for Democrats here.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin held its annual state convention on Friday night, virtually instead of in-person because of the coronavirus. Elected officials gave speeches, and then it was time for the headliner – presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. He talked about the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and said the country needs to confront systemic racism. In a swipe at Republican President Donald Trump, Biden said he’ll restore “real leadership” to the White House. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com if he thinks Biden’s speech effectively rallied support for Democrats here.

Protests continue across much of Wisconsin, after George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has asked the Republican-controlled Legislature to immediately pass a bill designed to reform use of force policies in Wisconsin In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what the chances are of a bill being passed.

Protests continue across much of Wisconsin, after George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has asked the Republican-controlled Legislature to immediately pass a bill designed to reform use of force policies in Wisconsin In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what the chances are of a bill being passed.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman testified before a state Senate committee last week about why many Wisconsinites still haven’t received unemployment benefits. Of about 2.5 million claims filed, nearly 750,000 are unpaid. Republicans on the committee accused Frostman of not being prepared for the surge in claims that happened when many people were laid off because of the coronavirus. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what kind of remedies have been put in place to speed up the process.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman testified before a state Senate committee last week about why many Wisconsinites still haven’t received unemployment benefits. Of about 2.5 million claims filed, nearly 750,000 are unpaid. Republicans on the committee accused Frostman of not being prepared for the surge in claims that happened when many people were laid off because of the coronavirus. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of wispolitics.com what kind of remedies have been put in place to speed up the process.

A group of Wisconsin residents filed a federal lawsuit late last week challenging some local stay-at-home orders that were put in place after the state Supreme Court threw out Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide policy. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare the local orders unconstitutional. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks will happen with this and another challenge that's before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

A group of Wisconsin residents filed a federal lawsuit late last week challenging some local stay-at-home orders that were put in place after the state Supreme Court threw out Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide policy. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare the local orders unconstitutional. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what he thinks will happen with this and another challenge that's before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

The conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order last week, effective immediately. Schools are still closed, but most nonessential businesses can resume operations — unless local governments have their own stay-at-home restrictions. At this time, there's no statewide plan for protecting public safety or reopening the economy. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if he expects Evers and Republican legislative leaders to craft a plan or if Wisconsin will move forward with a "patchwork" of rules.

The conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order last week, effective immediately. Schools are still closed, but most nonessential businesses can resume operations — unless local governments have their own stay-at-home restrictions. At this time, there's no statewide plan for protecting public safety or reopening the economy. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com if he expects Evers and Republican legislative leaders to craft a plan or if Wisconsin will move forward with a "patchwork" of rules.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit brought by Republicans in the state Legislature, challenging Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order. Republicans cried foul when Evers extended the order to May 26, amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. They’re demanding that he lift the order and take steps to reopen the state’s economy. Interested parties filed briefs last week and the court, which holds a 5-2 conservative majority, will hear arguments on Tuesday. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of wispolitics.com if he’s surprised that the court is taking the case.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit brought by Republicans in the state legislature, challenging Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order. Republicans cried foul when Evers extended the order to May 26, amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. They’re demanding that he lift the order and take steps to reopen the state’s economy. Interested parties filed briefs last week and the court, which holds a 5-2 conservative majority, will hear arguments Tuesday. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if he’s surprised that the court is taking the case.

Police estimate that 1,500 people rallied at the State Capitol on Friday, demanding that Gov. Tony Evers lift his safer-at-home order, so non-essential businesses can reopen. Evers recently extended the order about a month to May 26 because of the continued spread of the coronavirus. Many people at the event carried signs — some of them read "End The Tyranny" and "All Jobs Are Essential." Most of the protesters stood next to each other, not wearing masks or practicing social distancing. State Republican leaders also want to reopen the economy and have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn Evers' order. We haven't heard much from GOP leaders since the rally. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks is their take on it.

Police estimate that 1,500 people rallied at the State Capitol on Friday, demanding that Gov. Tony Evers lift his safer-at-home order, so non-essential businesses can reopen. Evers recently extended the order about a month to May 26 because of the continued spread of the coronavirus. Many people at the event carried signs — some of them read "End The Tyranny" and "All Jobs Are Essential." Most of the protesters stood next to each other, not wearing masks or practicing social distancing. The Latest WUWM & NPR Coronavirus Coverage Protesters Of Safer-At-Home Gather At Wisconsin Capitol State Republican leaders also want to reopen the economy and have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn Evers' order. We haven't heard much from GOP leaders since the rally. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what he thinks is their take on it.

Gov. Tony Evers has extended his safer-at-home order to May 26 due to fears over the coronavirus. He also announced that schools will be closed through the academic year. Republicans who control the Legislature are opposed to the extension, saying they want the economy to reopen, and have threatened to file a lawsuit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of wispolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that there's growing frustration with the governor’s order among the GOP.

Gov. Tony Evers has extended his safer-at-home order to May 26 due to fears over the coronavirus. He also announced that schools will be closed through the academic year. Republicans who control the Legislature are opposed to the extension, saying they want the economy to reopen, and have threatened to file a lawsuit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that there's growing frustration with the governor’s order among the GOP.

The results of Wisconsin’s presidential primary, state Supreme Court race, and spring local elections will be released Monday, under unprecedented circumstances related to the coronavirus. It won’t be your typical election night, with victory gatherings and supporters watching returns come in over the course of a few hours. In this week’s Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson spoke with JR Ross of wispolitics.com, about what this unusual “election night” might look like.

Wisconsin appears to be moving ahead with Election Day on Tuesday, April 7, despite multiple lawsuits to move the date because of the coronavirus – and an 11th-hour plea from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. He called the Republican-controlled Legislature into a special session to push the date to late May and conduct an all-mail election. The GOP went into special session Saturday as required, and then immediately adjourned without taking up Evers’ proposal. Meanwhile, Republican leaders challenged a federal judge's decision late last week to allow absentee ballots to be accepted in election clerks' offices until 4 p.m. April 13. And, another lawsuit pushes for the election to be moved months into the future, in part because of challenges faced by lower-income voters. For Capitol Notes , WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of Wispolitics.com to bring us up to speed with where things stand with the legal challenges.

Wisconsin appears to be moving ahead with Election Day on Tuesday, April 7, despite multiple lawsuits to move the date because of the coronavirus – and an 11th-hour plea from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. He called the Republican-controlled Legislature into a special session to push the date to late May and conduct an all-mail election. The GOP went into special session Saturday as required, and then immediately adjourned without taking up Evers’ proposal. Meanwhile, Republican leaders challenged a federal judge's decision late last week to allow absentee ballots to be accepted in election clerks' offices until 4 p.m. April 13. And, another lawsuit pushes for the election to be moved months into the future, in part because of challenges faced by lower-income voters. For Capitol Notes, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of Wispolitics.com to bring us up to speed with where things stand with the legal challenges.

It was another week of major changes in lifestyle and in the workplace because of the coronavirus. Gov. Tony Evers ordered bars and restaurants in Wisconsin to close, except for pickups and deliveries. He also directed salons, barbershops, spas and tattoo shops to shut their doors. Now, the Democratic governor and Republican leaders say they're working together on a legislative aid package to help small businesses and employees who are out of work. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what this aid package might look like.

It was another week of major changes in lifestyle and in the workplace because of the coronavirus. Gov. Tony Evers ordered bars and restaurants in Wisconsin to close, except for pickups and deliveries. He also directed salons, barbershops, spas and tattoo shops to shut their doors. Now, the Democratic governor and Republican leaders say they're working together on a legislative aid package to help small businesses and employees who are out of work. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what this aid package might look like.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has taken some dramatic steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Chair Ben Wikler says the party is following guidance from health officials to practice social distancing, so it's replacing its traditional door-to-door canvassing operation with a digital model ahead of the April 7 spring election and presidential primary. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what the new plan will look like and how it will affect the election.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has taken some dramatic steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus . Chair Ben Wikler says the party is following guidance from health officials to practice social distancing, so it's replacing its traditional door-to-door canvassing operation with a digital model ahead of the April 7 spring election and presidential primary. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what the new plan will look like and how it will affect the election.

Wisconsin's presidential primary will be held next month. When voters go to the polls, they'll notice the landscape has changed dramatically. In a matter of days over the past week, the field of Democrats running for their party's nomination narrowed to only two major contenders: former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. It happened after poor showings for the other top-tier candidates in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that he was surprised by how quickly the lineup changed.

Wisconsin's presidential primary will be held next month. When voters go to the polls, they'll notice the landscape has changed dramatically. In a matter of days over the past week, the field of Democrats running for their party's nomination narrowed to only two major contenders: former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. It happened after poor showings for the other top-tier candidates in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of wispolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that he was surprised by how quickly the lineup changed.

It appears the Republican-controlled state Legislature is unwilling to enact tougher gun laws this year — even in light of a mass shooting that left six employees dead at Molson Coors Brewery in Milwaukee. Just hours before the shootings, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers re-stated his commitment to adopting stricter legislation. At the same time, Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald voiced his opposition. After the tragedy, Fitzgerald called the shootings an "act of evil" but did not address the issue of gun control. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if the issue could haunt the Wisconsin GOP at the polls in November.

It appears the Republican-controlled state Legislature is unwilling to enact tougher gun laws this year — even in light of a mass shooting that left six employees dead at Molson Coors Brewery in Milwaukee. Just hours before the shootings, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers re-stated his commitment to adopting stricter legislation. At the same time, Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald voiced his opposition. After the tragedy, Fitzgerald called the shootings an "act of evil" but did not address the issue of gun control. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com if the issue could haunt the Wisconsin GOP at the polls in November.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature has passed a $250 million income tax cut and has sent the bill to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Republicans want to pay for the tax cut via a projected $600 million budget surplus. But, Evers wants to pour some of the money into public schools and lowering property taxes. He's also left the door open for a compromise with the GOP, meaning some money would go toward an income tax cut and some would go to the public schools. Or, he could veto the income tax cut outright. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks will ultimately happen.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature has passed a $250 million income tax cut and has sent the bill to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Republicans want to pay for the tax cut via a projected $600 million budget surplus. But, Evers wants to pour some of the money into public schools and lowering property taxes. He's also left the door open for a compromise with the GOP, meaning some money would go toward an income tax cut and some would go to the public schools. Or, he could veto the income tax cut outright. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what he thinks will ultimately happen.

The Republican-controlled state Assembly has passed a slew of tough-on-crime bills. One would allow extended supervision to be revoked, for someone who commits a felony while on release. Another would expand the list of crimes that could land a child in a youth prison. Republicans say the bills are necessary in order to keep communities safe. But Democrats have blasted the plan, arguing that many states instead have taken steps to reduce the prison population. And, it's likely that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will veto the measures. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com why the GOP pushed so hard for the bills.

The Republican-controlled state Assembly has passed a slew of tough-on-crime bills. One would allow extended supervision to be revoked, for someone who commits a felony while on release. Another would expand the list of crimes that could land a child in a youth prison. Republicans say the bills are necessary in order to keep communities safe. But Democrats have blasted the plan, arguing that many states instead have taken steps to reduce the prison population. And, it's likely that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will veto the measures. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com why the GOP pushed so hard for the bills.

Gov. Tony Evers wants the Republican-controlled Legislature to spend a chunk of a state budget surplus on the public schools. He's calling for a special session on the topic to begin this week. Republican leaders immediately dismissed the idea, saying they want to put surplus money toward a tax cut instead. Evers says the GOP could do both — cut taxes and spend more on schools. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that it's hard to say how this will play out.

Gov. Tony Evers wants the Republican-controlled Legislature to spend a chunk of a state budget surplus on the public schools. He's calling for a special session on the topic to begin this week. Republican leaders immediately dismissed the idea, saying they want to put surplus money toward a tax cut instead. Evers says the GOP could do both — cut taxes and spend more on schools. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of wispolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that it's hard to say how this will play out.

Republican Vice President Mike Pence apparently went where no other sitting Vice President has gone — he held a rally inside the Wisconsin State Capitol last week. He touted private school voucher programs as an alternative to public education at the rally. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos appeared with him. President Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson there are several reasons why Pence chose the liberal stronghold of Madison to bring his message.

Republican Vice President Mike Pence apparently went where no other sitting Vice President has gone — he held a rally inside the Wisconsin State Capitol last week. He touted private school voucher programs as an alternative to public education at the rally. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos appeared with him. President Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of wispolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson there are several reasons why Pence chose the liberal stronghold of Madison to bring his message.

Gov. Tony Evers is calling lawmakers into special session to pass a package of bills designed to help struggling farmers and rural communities. The idea drew mixed reviews from Republican leaders after the Democratic governor announced it in his State of the State address. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he's "all ears" on the plan and seems open to a special session. But, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos appears wary, saying Evers has ignored rural Wisconsin until now. Evers wants the special session to begin on Tuesday. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked Jeff Mayers of WisPolitics.com what he thinks the special session will look like.

Gov. Tony Evers is calling lawmakers into special session to pass a package of bills designed to help struggling farmers and rural communities. The idea drew mixed reviews from Republican leaders after the Democratic governor announced it in his State of the State address. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he's "all ears" on the plan and seems open to a special session. But, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos appears wary, saying Evers has ignored rural Wisconsin until now. Evers wants the special session to begin on Tuesday. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked Jeff Mayers of wispolitics.com what he thinks the special session will look like.

The voter purge case took some more turns last week. An Ozaukee County judge again ordered the Wisconsin Elections Commission to immediately drop more than 200,000 names from the voter rolls. It's suspected that those voters may have moved and haven't re-registered. Then, an appeals court sided with the commission and again put the purge on hold while lawsuits continue. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided not to take the case for the time being. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti MIkkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what it all means for the 2020 elections.

The voter purge case took some more turns last week. An Ozaukee County judge again ordered the Wisconsin Elections Commission to immediately drop more than 200,000 names from the voter rolls. It's suspected that those voters may have moved and haven't re-registered. Then, an appeals court sided with the commission and again put the purge on hold while lawsuits continue. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided not to take the case for the time being. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti MIkkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what it all means for the 2020 elections.

Republican and Democratic leaders met at the State Capitol last week to place names on the state presidential primary ballot. Democrats approved 14 names for the April 7 election. They include Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. But GOP officials submitted and approved only one name — that of President Donald Trump, even though other Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com about the decision in this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

Republican and Democratic leaders met at the State Capitol last week to place names on the state presidential primary ballot. Democrats approved 14 names for the April 7 election. They include Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. But GOP officials submitted and approved only one name — that of President Donald Trump, even though other Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com about the decision in this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

For this week's Capitol Notes, we look ahead to the political stories that'll likely make headlines in Wisconsin in 2020. Probably the biggest is Wisconsin's role in the presidential race. President Trump narrowly won the state in 2016, which means the spotlight is on Wisconsin this year, along with a few other swing states. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks the presidential race will look like in Wisconsin.

For this week's Capitol Notes, we examine the top political stories of the year. It began with the inauguration of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. He defeated Republican Scott Walker the previous fall. Evers' relationship with the GOP-controlled legislature was contentious from the start. Republicans passed laws before Evers took office, limiting Evers' powers, as well as those of new Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The move sparked protests at the State Capitol and a number of lawsuits. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com to recap the controversy, and describe where things stand now.

Foxconn is back in the news, with questions about whether it will qualify for up to $3 billion in state tax credits in coming years. The Taiwanese electronics giant signed a contract with the state when the company was planning to build large LCD screens at a huge plant in Racine County, creating up to 13,000 jobs. But Foxconn has since reduced the size of its plant and has said it'll manufacture smaller LCD screens. It's not clear how many jobs will be created. Gov. Tony Evers says Foxconn could still qualify for tax credits if it renegotiates its contract with the state, to reflect changes to the original plans. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, whether that would take place and what he thinks a renegotiated contract would look like.

The Wisconsin National Guard's top commander recently agreed to resign after a scathing federal report found he violated laws in investigating sexual assault complaints. Gov. Tony Evers asked Major General Donald Dunbar to step down. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if there could be more political fallout from the incident.

Concerns about school safety rocked Wisconsin last week. In both Waukesha and Oshkosh, authorities shot and wounded a student who brought a weapon to school. Threats were made in a number of other school districts. The events prompted Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to call for more mental health services and more police officers in the schools. Republican leaders welcomed Evers' proposals — after rejecting his call last month for a special session to take up gun control measures. For this week's Capitol Notes, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com whether Evers and the Legislature will compromise. Ross says he's not sure.

Results of the latest Marquette poll raised some eyebrows last week. It shows support for impeaching President Trump — and removing him from office — is slipping in Wisconsin. It also indicates that Trump holds a slight lead over the Democratic front-runners in the 2020 presidential race. Up until now, some national polls were showing at least three challengers beating Trump if the election were held today. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he makes of the results.

Last week saw a war of words at the State Capitol, at least on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' part. Evers apparently was still reeling from the Republican-led Senate's failure to confirm Brad Pfaff as state Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary. Evers reportedly told state workers that Republicans are "amoral and stupid" for essentially firing Pfaff. Then, Evers reportedly referred to Republicans as "bastards." He later backpedaled on that comment, saying he doesn't really think Republicans are bastards, but rather, he was invoking a well-known saying. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks of the state of relations at the Capitol right now.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature last week essentially ignored Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' call for a special session to take up gun control measures, such as universal background checks and passage of a "red flag" law. In each house, only one or two GOP members came to the floor, called the session to order and then immediately adjourned it. Republican leaders say neither house had the votes to pass, but Evers says they did this at their own peril because now they have to explain their actions to voters. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com whether he thinks the Republicans' actions will come back to haunt them.

Democrats at the State Capitol introduced yet another marijuana bill last week. This one would decriminalize possession of smaller amounts of the drug — 28 grams or less. Democrats say decriminalization would decrease racial disparities in the criminal justice system. This is the third bill regarding marijuana that's currently in the Legislature. The other would legalize recreational marijuana while another would legalize only medical marijuana. Like the others, as soon as Democrats introduced their latest bill, Republican state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald squelched it. He says he's long been opposed to decriminalization and doubts Republicans would support it. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com why Democrats continue to push the matter.

State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald joined the chorus of rebukes last week of President Trump's likening the impeachment probe to a lynching. Fitzgerald called lynching a "terrible word" and instead called the impeachment probe a "political witch hunt." Fitzgerald is running to replace Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, who is retiring in 2020. He's rarely criticized Trump. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com what voters in the heavily-Republican 5th Congressional district might think of Fitzgerald's remarks.

The unprecedented powers of the Wisconsin governor went under a microscope last week. The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear a case seeking to dramatically scale back the ability of governors to use partial budget vetoes to change the intent of the Legislature. The conservative group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty brought the case, which seeks to overturn a handful of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' budget vetoes this year. The group argues that Evers unlawfully used partial vetoes to give public schools $65 million more than what the Republican-controlled Legislature had approved in the budget. Conservatives control the court 5-2, and the court agreed to take the case directly, without it going through the lower courts. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com how he thinks the case will turn out.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is supporting President Trump in light of an impeachment inquiry from House Democrats. Johnson says he sees nothing wrong with Trump asking Ukraine and China to investigate former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and his son. And Johnson says it's "perfectly appropriate" for American law enforcement agencies to enlist the help of other countries. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he makes of Johnson's steadfast support of the president.

Lawmakers at the State Capitol introduced a bill last week that would legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin. Two of the authors are Democrats but one is a Republican — state Sen. Patrick Testin of Stevens Point. GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said he's open to legalizing medical marijuana. But Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has said "no" for years and rejected the idea again last week. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson why some Republicans are breaking with leadership on the issue.

A standoff persists between Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul and Republican members of the Joint Finance committee. Kaul said last week he would not join a multi-state settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma for its role in the nation's deadly opioid epidemic. He says he'll continue to pursue Wisconsin's case against the company, which is now filing for bankruptcy. Under the lame-duck laws the Republican-controlled Legislature passed last year, Kaul has to get permission from the GOP-controlled Joint Finance committee to settle lawsuits. He recently asked members to sign confidentiality agreements to discuss cases, but they refused. Now the two sides are at an impasse. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that hundreds of millions of dollars in lawsuit settlement money could be at stake. And, the OxyContin settlement is at the center of the gridlock.

Longtime Wisconsin Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner says he won't seek reelection in 2020. He's been serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for about 40 years and says it's time to pass the torch to somebody else. Sensenbrenner's district north of Milwaukee leans heavily Republican. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if a long list of Republican candidates might appear on the primary ballot next August.

Republican Congressman Sean Duffy announced last week that he is stepping down from the job. Duffy represents northern Wisconsin and says his last day will be Sept. 23. He says he wants to spend more time with his family, especially since discovering his baby will be born next month with a heart condition. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross, of WisPolitics.com, when Gov. Tony Evers might call a special session — and whether Democrats can flip the heavily Republican-leaning seat.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers doubled down on talk of gun control last week. He called Republican concerns over bills that he is pushing "BS," and said he may call the Legislature into special session to take up the measures. One measure Evers is thinking about proposing would require universal background checks on gun purchases in Wisconsin, and the other would establish a so-called red flag law. Evers also predicted that Republicans would "pay the price at the polls" if they don't take up the bills. The GOP has expressed concerns about Second Amendment rights in response to the proposed legislation. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what he thinks of the latest developments.

Mass shootings in Texas and Ohio drew a response again last week at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Gov. Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill requiring universal background checks for most gun purchases. Republicans who control the Legislature have repeatedly opposed such calls. Could this case be any different? WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com in this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

Talk of gun control surfaced in the State Capitol last week after mass shootings occurred in Texas and Ohio. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass a bill that would require universal background checks for gun purchases. He also called for a "red flag" law to make it easier to remove guns from people believed to be a danger to themselves or others. Republicans have opposed the measures in the past. So, what does the future hold for these proposals? WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com in this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

Some Republican state lawmakers are suing Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, saying he's not complying with laws passed during a lame-duck session late last year. The laws were designed to limit Kaul's powers, along with those of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The GOP has asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take the case directly, bypassing the lower courts. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that both sides are commenting on the case.

Wisconsin saw a whirlwind of political activity last week, and it was all focused on Milwaukee. President Trump visited Derco Aerospace on the city's northwest side, and urged support of his U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. He also attended a fundraiser. At the same time, the Latino civil rights group LULAC sponsored a town hall in downtown Milwaukee that featured several Democratic presidential candidates. Members of LULAC marched through the streets of downtown Milwaukee during the president's visit. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com what all the activity says about Wisconsin's importance in next year's presidential election.

The Joint Finance committee wrapped up its work on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' proposed budget last week. The panel finished by approving $500 million in tax cuts. It's expected to go to the floor of the Legislature next week. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com whether the document will sail through both Republican-controlled houses.

The Republican-controlled Joint Finance committee last week approved a funding plan to fix the roads in Wisconsin. Lawmakers removed Gov. Evers' proposal for a hike in the gas tax, and instead voted for increases in title and registration fees. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com why the GOP decided to go that route.

Thousands of Democrats descended on Milwaukee over the weekend for the party's annual state convention. Many top Democrats spoke, including Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. The recurring theme for the weekend was the party's desire to defeat Republican President Donald Trump in 2020. So, how confident are delegates that this will be achieved? WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross that question for this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

The Republican-controlled Joint Finance committee last week continued its work on Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal. It voted to increase funding for public schools by $500 million, rejecting Evers' request for $1.5 billion. Republicans say $500 million is the most the state can afford, while Evers hopes to work with the GOP to get more money. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asks JR Ross, of WisPolitics.com, if he thinks Evers will get a better deal.

WUWM is diving into the topic of clean water, or the lack thereof, in southeastern Wisconsin for our Project Milwaukee Series: Great Lakes, Troubled Waters . Tuesday’s live Lake Effect examines some of the main threats to our waterways. Here's an overview of those threats, in no particular order, along with links to some of our in-depth reporting for the Project Milwaukee series. Plus, you'll find some examples of what's being done to address them. » Overall Health Of Our Water » Solutions To Our Water Challenges Runoff To Val Klump, dean and professor at UW-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences, runoff is the greatest threat and one of the biggest challenges to clean water in the Great Lakes region - especially in suburban and rural areas. One example is Ulao Creek, as WUWM's Marti Mikkelson reports . It's a tributary of the Milwaukee River in Ozaukee County. Like many other riverways in Wisconsin, a lack of vegetation creates the opportunity for large amounts of sediments to

Gov. Tony Evers last week sought to clarify some comments he made about Foxconn. He said he wanted to renegotiate the state's contract with the Taiwanese company because it's "unrealistic" to think it will create 13,000 jobs at the LCD screen plant it's building in Racine County — especially given the reduced size of the project. Republican Legislative leaders blasted Evers, accusing him of trying to undermine the deal. Evers then sent a letter to Foxconn, seeking confirmation that the company came to him with "several changes" it wanted to make to the contract. Foxconn responded by saying it's looking for "more flexibility" within its existing agreement with the state. But then, a Foxconn official tweeted that "nobody has a crystal ball" to predict if 13,000 jobs will be created. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross, of WisPolitics.com, if these developments put an end to Republicans' — or Democrats' — concerns.

The results of the state Supreme Court race were finalized last week when Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer, who was backed by Democrats, conceded to conservative Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn. The court currently leans 4-3 conservative. When Hagedorn takes office in August, the gap will increase to 5-2 conservative. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, tells WUWM's Marti Mikkelson that the wider gap could bode well for Republicans who control the Legislature.

News about the lame-duck laws approved in December dominated the headlines again last week in Wisconsin politics. A second Dane County judge blocked portions of the laws, which limit the powers of new Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul. Then, an appeals court reinstated the laws except for the parts that the Dane County judge blocked. But, before the courts reinstated the laws, Evers had already rescinded 82 appointments that Republicans approved during the lame-duck session. So, what's the status of those appointments now? That's what WUWM's Marti Mikkelson speaks with JR Ross, of WisPolitics.com, about in this week's Capitol Notes conversation.

We've been talking about Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' proposed biennial state budget for months. Then last week, he released his capital budget — a separate plan that includes the amount of money he's proposing for construction and building projects across the state. Evers wants to borrow an additional $2 billion to renovate UW System buildings, and to build a new adult prison near the troubled Lincoln Hills juvenile facility in northern Wisconsin. Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald calls the level of spending and borrowing in the plan alarming, especially given tax increases in Evers' overall state budget proposal. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, if the capital budget plan can make it through the Republican-controlled legislature.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said last week he gives Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' plan to legalize marijuana, and decriminalize small amounts, a 10 percent chance of passing the Republican-controlled Legislature. Vos called the proposal a "very difficult sell" because it would decriminalize recreational marijuana. Evers plans to introduce the proposal as part of the state budget later this week, but Vos says the item will be removed. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross, of WisPolitics.com, if the proposal would then be introduced as a separate bill.

This episode aired Feb. 18, 2019. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed a middle class tax cut last week. It includes using a surplus to pay for the cut. Now, the ball is in Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' court. He also is pushing for a tax cut — but to pay for it, he wants to virtually eliminate a manufacturing tax credit. There's been talk that Evers will veto the GOP tax plan, and unveil his own, in his budget address later this month. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com about the issue in this week's Capitol Notes conversation. Ross says the "going bet" is that Evers will reject the Republican proposal, because he doesn't think it's properly funded.

Gov. Tony Evers raised eyebrows last week when he announced in his first State of the State address that he was directing Attorney General Josh Kaul to withdraw Wisconsin from a federal lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act. Evers took back his comments, after Kaul said he has no authroity to do so. That's because the Republican-controlled Legislature passed laws last month which took away that power and gave it to lawmakers. Kaul is now asking the Joint Finance committee if it would approve getting the state out of the suit. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com if he thinks the committee will approve the request.

New Gov. Tony Evers got some help last week when a coalition of liberal-leaning groups filed a lawsuit which, if successful, would benefit him. The suit seeks to overturn the laws Republican lawmakers approved last month that limit the Democratic governor's powers. The suit argues that GOP lawmakers illegally convened the lame duck session according to a joint rule, which doesn't have the force of law. Evers and other Democrats have blasted the lame duck bills, yet Evers predicted that outside groups would be the first to bring a lawsuit. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, how he thinks this will play out.

ov. Tony Evers' term could be marked by gridlock as he battles a Republican-led legislature, which has already taken steps to limit his power. For this week's "Capitol Notes," WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, about the other challenges Evers will face in the first few months of his tenure.

Gov. Scott Walker avoided the public eye in the week following the election, in which he narrowly lost to Democratic challenger Tony Evers. But late last week, he surfaced. He says he's open to moving the date of Wisconsin's presidential primary in 2020, so that it won't be held on the same day as the state Supreme Court election. The move would help conservative Justice Daniel Kelly, a Walker appointee who would be up for election to a 10-year term in April of 2020. It looks like a bill would be introduced in a lame duck session next month. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com about the chances of such a bill passing.

WUWM's Marti Mikkelson speaks with JR Ross of wispolitics.com, in this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation Last week saw more fallout from the Nov. 6 election. Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel decided not to seek a recount in the race that he narrowly lost, to Democratic challenger Josh Kaul. The next day, outgoing Gov. Scott Walker appointed Schimel to the post of Waukesha County Circuit Judge. Some legislative Democrats decried the move, calling it "backscratching." In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, what he thought of the optics surrounding the appointment.

Gov. Scott Walker and his Democratic challenger Tony Evers, traded barbs in their first debate Friday night over taxes, health care and education. But, the candidates also found themselves addressing some bombshells that dropped earlier in the week. Walker accused Evers of plagiarizing parts of his budget proposals as head of the Department of Public Instruction. At the same time, Walker faced heavy criticism from some former cabinet secretaries, who signed an open letter saying the Walker administration "lacked integrity" during the time they served. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, whether he thinks voters will be satisfied with the candidates' responses.

Last week saw two debates between Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger Leah Vukmir. Both debates were characterized by tension and hostility as the two clashed over abortion, immigration, health care and a host of other issues. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com why he thought the debates were so combative.

After a bitter fight that culminated in sexual assault accusations and an FBI investigation, Judge Brett Kavanaugh is now Justice Kavanaugh. The U.S. Senate confirmed Kavanaugh over the weekend and he was then sworn in to a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Wisconsin's U.S. senators split on the matter, with Republican Ron Johnson voting yes and Democrat Tammy Baldwin voting no on confirmation. In this week's Capitol Notes conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, whether those votes will come back to haunt the two senators.

The Kavanaugh hearings took center stage last week in Washington, and both candidates is Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race weighed in on President Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court. Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin asked for an FBI investigation into claims that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when the two were teenagers. Baldwin's Republican challenger Leah Vukmir, meanwhile, called for quick confirmation of Kavanaugh. For this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson discussed the candidates' stances, with JR Ross of WisPolitics.com. Ross talked about what's at stake for Vukmir in backing Kavanaugh.

The candidates for governor traded more barbs last week. State School Superintendent and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers took the opportunity to criticize his opponent, Republican Gov. Scott Walker, in his "state of education" address. Evers said Walker's education priorities are "out of whack" and that his policies are failing Wisconsin. Walker answered by launching an ad that warns voters Evers will increase taxes and take the state backward if he's elected. Evers responded by saying he's "open to raising a variety of taxes." In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, what he thinks of all these developments.

Gov. Scott Walker is imploring state senators to return to the capitol, and vote on a bill that would provide $100 million in tax incentives to Kimberly-Clark. The company says it will close one of its plants in the Fox Valley, if the Senate doesn't approve the incentives by the end of the month. The Assembly passed the incentives in February, but the bill stalled in the Senate, because there wasn't enough Republican support. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson talked about the issue with JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, for this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation. Ross says the chances of the Senate coming back are slim.

Last week, we saw Republican Gov. Scott Walker inserting himself into the national anthem debate. He called on all NFL players to stand during the anthem, instead of taking a knee. In doing so, Walker sided with President Trump, who's been vocal on the issue. It happened during a rough week for Trump, as a book and an op-ed came out, which appear to show members of his administration are very critical of him. And, Walker already has been saying that this midterm election year could be threatened by a "blue wave" that could sweep him out of office, as he's locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Tony Evers. In this week's "Capitol Notes" conversation, WUWM's Marti Mikkelson asked JR Ross of wispolitics.com, why Walker entered the foray, and if he's taking a risk by aligning himself with Trump.