10/09/2025

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man accused of smuggling lab equipment to Russian companies in violation of trade sanctions will spend the next year in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge William Conley sentenced 68-year-old Andrew Pogosyan on Tuesday to a year and a day and fined him $10,000.   Federal prosecutors charged Pogosyan, a Russian-born U.S. citizen who lives in Madison, in June with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and three counts of smuggling.  According to prosecutors, Pogosyan started using his company, Omega Diagnostics LLC, in September 2022 to ship lab equipment to Russian companies, including one that performed chemical research for the Russian military.  Pogosyan pleaded guilty in July to all four counts. He had faced up to 35 years in prison.

10/09/2025

N. WISCONSIN - Policy experts are calling on Congress to not only extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, but to address the broader issue of rapidly rising health care costs that threaten to crush hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites.

People across the country are already feeling economically strapped. Angela Hanks with the nonprofit Century Foundation says many are now faced with a worsening health care affordability crisis caused by deliberate policy choices in Congress. Legislation passed over the summer would result in up to 15 million people losing Medicaid or health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, with enhanced A-C-A tax credits set to expire at the end of the year.

0:08  "We've put that as an average enrollee paying over $1,000 more next year for their health care if Congress takes no action this year."

An analysis from the Foundation shows rural counties will be disproportionately affected, with enrollees potentially facing a 28 percent higher cost increase than those in urban areas. Counties with higher cancer rates will also see greater premium increases. Wisconsin saw a record 18 percent jump in A-C-A marketplace enrollment this year with more than 313-thousand people purchasing a plan.

Insurance companies have already reported their rates for the next year, projecting an average 18 percent increase in premiums for ACA plans across the board. That's the largest increase in more than five years. This means A-C-A enrollees face both rising premiums and the potential loss of tax credits that help make insurance affordable.

10/08/2025

UPPER MICHIGAN - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan) signed the 2026 state budget yesterday.  In a video statement, Whitmer highlighted a $2 billion investment into Michigan roads.

“When I took office, I made a promise to fix the damn roads so Michiganders could get where they’re going faster and safer,” Whitmer said. “With this year’s budget, I’m proud to deliver on that promise. We’re making the biggest investment in state and local roads in Michigan history.”

Under the new budget, all of Michigan’s gas tax goes straight to road funding. The bipartisan agreement features several controversial items, including a 24 percent wholesale tax for the cannabis industry. The budget does NOT, include the $50 million in funding for the Copperwood Mine for Gogebic County.   The fiscal year 2026 budget contains $81 billion, which includes a general fund of $14.1 billion.  A major part of the budget is the state’s education funding. Upper Peninsula school districts could see more funding under Michigan’s agreed-upon $24 billion education budget. K-12 schools could receive $10,050 per student - a 5 percent increase from last year.  You can look through the budget we have a link on our website and Facebook page www.michigan.gov