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The latest look into Wisconsin schools shows some of the impact of the coronavirus. The Wisconsin Policy Forum released a report yesterday that says enrollment is way down in the state, but graduation rates are up. The numbers come from both the end of the last school year and the beginning of this year. The Policy Forum says 25-thousand fewer kids are enrolled in Wisconsin schools, most of them are young kids who didn’t report to closed-down kindergarten classes. While graduation rates jumped for most students,

A 911 operator in Eau Claire has a stork pin and another story to tell forever. Eau Claire Police yesterday honored Danielle Wik for helping to deliver a baby over the phone last month. Wik says she was working on April 19th when a grandpa-to-be called and said his daughter was going into labor. Wik helped talk them through delivery, and the baby came before an ambulance could arrive. Wik says this is the fourth baby she’s helped deliver on

The next state budget will look a lot like Wisconsin’s last state budget. The Republicans who control the state legislature yesterday began work on what will likely be a 40-billion-dollar a year spending plan. They started by stripping-out Governor Evers’ proposed tax and spending increases, and ignoring his request to expand BadgerCare. State Rep. Mark Born said families in the state wouldn’t budget like the governor is proposing, so neither will lawmakers. The Republicans control the budget process, but the governor

The latest plan for the UW System wouldn’t get rid of campuses, but would regionalize the school. State Senator Roger Roth is asking lawmakers to vote today on a plan to organize the UW System’s 13 campuses into four regions. UW-Madison would be exempt, of course. Roth says regionalizing the school would allow the university to save money on everything from IT to food ordering. He says the university needs to modernize. UW President Tommy Thompson says the regional idea

At a special meeting of the Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) District Board of trustees acted to approve the contract for Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia, the College’s next president. A public college administrator from Florida, Dr. Beaton-Garcia will serve as the eleventh president of CVTC, becoming the first woman and first Latina to lead the College. She succeeds Bruce Barker, who has served as president since 2008 and will retire July 1, 2021. Dr. Beaton-Garcia has more than 12 years of

Voting rights advocates are making their voices heard before Congress.  Testifying before the House subcommittee on elections, ACLU representative Sophia Lakin talked about how eligible minority voters have been targeted in recent legislation. Kaylan Phillips with the Public Interest Legal Foundation said the most significant problem in America is the “chronic inaccuracy and lack of integrity in the voter rolls.” Democratic Congressman G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina said areas with large minority populations have been targeted by conservative groups to

 Wisconsin legislators are starting the budget process from scrap.  The Joint Finance Committee voted today to ignore proposals from Governor Tony Evers who was hoping to raise taxes and get more federal aid.  Beaver Dam Representative Mark Born tells Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the budget will be based on the 2019 budget.  He believes there’s enough of a surplus to fill any gaps. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is not happy with the legislature’s decision to ignore his budget proposal.  He tells The Milwaukee

Run The Jewels, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Shaquille O’Neal will all be part of this year’s Summerfest.  Milwaukee festival organizers revealed the artists today, which also include country star Luke Bryan, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers.  Chris Stapleton and Sheryl Crow will also be performing.  Summerfest was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.  This year’s festival is taking part in September instead of its typical June-July dates to make sure people get the COVID vaccine.

 Three Dunn County institutions are partnering to offer a free Community Vaccination Clinic at University of Wisconsin-Stout. UW-Stout, Mayo Clinic Health System and Dunn County Public Health will hold the clinic from 1 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, in the Multipurpose Room at the university’s Sports and Fitness Center, 220 13th Ave. E. The center is part of the athletics complex on the south end of campus. Parking will be available in lots 4 and 29 near the building.

Police say a man is facing more than 20 years in prison after he barricaded himself inside his house and threatened to blow it up. Barron County jail records show 35-year-old Kevin Swartz was arrested Monday and charged with bomb scares, disorderly conduct, battery to a law enforcement officer, drug possession and terroristic threats. In a criminal complaint, police say Swartz claimed he had dangerous explosives, so officers evacuated neighbors from their homes. A standoff lasted about six-hours before the