2/24/2026

MADISON - Wisconsin voters will decide this November if the governor should be able to use a partial veto to increase taxes or fees.  The Wisconsin state Assembly Republicans passed the resolution to add the constitutional amendment question to the ballot. The resolution is a response to Gov. Tony Evers’ use of a partial veto that allowed school districts to raise property taxes to fund schools for the next four centuries — a move that became known as the “400-year veto.”   Wisconsin governors have long used what has become known as the “Vanna White veto,” striking letters or words from legislation to change its meaning.  Both Democratic and Republican governors, including Tommy Thompson, have used partial vetoes in Wisconsin.  If the amendment passes, it will not affect Evers. It would take effect for whoever serves as the next governor of Wisconsin.

2/23/2026

IRONWOOD - An Ironwood Man is Charged with Posting Threats to Kill ICE Agents.  33-year-old Justin P. Ward, of Ironwood, is charged with using interstate commerce to transmit threats to injure another person. The indictment alleges that on January 29, 2026, Ward posted threats to kill ICE agents on Facebook. If convicted, Ward faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the FBI; Minnesota State Patrol; Saint Paul, Minnesota Police Department; and the Gogebic County Michigan Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is currently handling the case.

2/23/2026

ODANAH - A Wisconsin attorney is calling out government officials for continuing to shrink in the face of conglomerate oil companies like Enbridge.

Last week, an administrative law judge upheld the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' approval of the company’s Line 5 reroute project. Environmental and Tribal advocates argue a section of the pipeline has been operating illegally on the Bad River Reservation for more than a decade. John Petoskey with Earthjustice is one the attorneys representing the Bad River Band. He says the significance of the affected area can't be overstated, and decisions like these continue to endanger important public rights and resources.

                    0:13  "Nobody is standing up against Enbridge in the way that they should. This is part of a broader trend at reducing environmental quality and eliminating protections for health and welfare for profit."

The Band is challenging the decision and has filed a petition for judicial review and a motion to halt any construction. Enbridge argues the ruling validates that the D-N-R conducted a thorough review of the project and correctly issued the necessary permits.