Wednesday, 11.28
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb suspends, for at least two weeks, plans for a nighttime deer hunt by the Chippewa tribe. Crabb will consider the tribe's request to exempt its members from the state restriction on Dec. 12.
Thursday, 11.29
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the National Agricultural Statistics Service plans to reduce its Madison office from 18 to two people, folding its operations into a three-state office headquartered in Iowa. According to Ben Brancel, head of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the service compiles invaluable agricultural information. "Most farmers may not see the direct benefit, but I would say the information derived from those surveys is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to some and millions of dollars to others."
Friday, 11.30
Officials at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. - under fire for losing track of $12 million in development loans - announce that they've hired an accounting firm and a financial institution to help them get their books in order.
Sunday, 12.2
The State Journal reports that state prison guards represented by the Wisconsin State Employees Union are attempting to break away and form their own union. Almost 2,000 of the 5,800 prison workers reportedly signed a petition seeking a new union. WSEU director Marty Beil says a new union will be too small to serve the employees well. "They're going to get slaughtered, but they won't listen to anything."
Monday, 12.3
Unhappy that the Government Accountability Board has sometimes ruled against Republicans in the past year, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald calls for the GAB to be restructured and made more partisan. The current GAB is composed of six retired judges, but Fitzgerald pines for the GAB's predecessor, the Elections Board, which consisted of partisan appointees. GAB chairman David Deininger defends the board, saying, "From my perspective, we've caught it from both sides, based on the calls we make, just like referees at a Packers game." Just imagine if Republicans and Democrats got to pick the refs.
The State Journal reports that the state's two largest teachers unions, the Wisconsin Education Association Council and American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, have formally entered merger discussions. WEAC president Mary Bell says: "It's more useful for us to work together."
Wednesday, 12.5
The UW School of Business releases a report showing that business is picking up in Dane County. The school found that 47% of businesses expect profits to increase in 2012. In 2011, only 10% of business reported a profit hike.
Compiled, in part, from local media.
