ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A $2 billion bonding measure failed in the DFL-controlled Minnesota House after Republicans said the bill was too massive to pass while the state is dealing with money woes due to the coronavirus. The long-mired public construction borrowing bill needed to meet a three-fifths margin required to pass bonding legislation that authorizes long-term debt. Saturday’s…
DULUTH, Minn. – According to a Friday press release, the Superior National Forest will reopen the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for both day and overnight use starting May 18. “We are happy to be fully allowing visitors into the BWCAW,” says Connie Cummins, Forest Supervisor. “We ask that visitors please continue to follow local, state, and federal guidelines on…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former state Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling resigned from the Legislature on Friday, hinting that she has an employment opportunity that conflicts with state government work. Shilling, a Democrat, sent Senate President Roger Roth a letter Friday morning saying she would resign at the end of the day. Shilling announced in early April she wouldn’t seek…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A bonding bill has made it through committee in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and a lot of Northland projects are included in the proposal. The $2.5 billion bonding bill would provide $13.5 million in funding for Duluth’s seawall restoration project. It would also fund an $8 million renovation project at the Duluth Depot, and a…
DULUTH, Minn.- COVID-19 has dealt a financial blow to St. Louis County in the form of a projected budget shortall. According to County Auditor Nancy Nilsen, the budget shortfall is expected to be at least $6 million. She said her office is not looking at layoffs or furloughs, but instead plan to save money with a hiring freeze leaving about…
(District 7 – Tom Tiffany (R))WISCONSIN- Wisconsin Republican state senator Tom Tiffany has won former Representative Sean Duffy’s seat in the 7th district special election. With 99% of precincts reporting, Tiffany won 57.26% of the vote, with 108,570 ballots cast in his favor compared to his Democratic challenger, Tricia Zunker, who took home 42.74% of the votes with 81,026 ballots…
FOX NEWS – President Trump said Monday his administration is considering a second round of coronavirus stimulus payments. “We’re talking about that,” Trump said when asked about a Democratic proposal to send another round of relief checks. “We’re talking about that with a number of different people. We’re talking about a payroll tax,” the president said. “I want to see various things, but…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, says states that ignore the national guidelines for reopening the economy run the risk of spikes in coronavirus cases that may turn into new outbreaks. “The consequences could be really serious,” Fauci tells the Senate Health, Labor and Pensions committee. Problems will escalate if states do not have the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Tuesday’s special election will help measure the enthusiasm of Republicans in a deeply conservative part of Wisconsin just over a month after a liberal-backed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate won a statewide race over a Trump-backed candidate. The winner in Wisconsin’s deeply conservative 7th District will replace Republican Sean Duffy who held the seat since 2011 and…
Ashley Grimm DULUTH, Minn. – Ashley Grimm has landed the DFL endorsement for St. Louis County Commissioner Dist. 3, which represents the western portion of Duluth. Grimm received more than 69 percent of the votes cast by convention delegates at the first-ever electronic virtual convention. This came after a 2-week balloting period. DFL competitor Noah Hobbs received the remaining votes….
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Conservative justices who control the Wisconsin Supreme Court raised doubts Tuesday about whether Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order is legal, asserting that the Legislature never intended to give the executive branch so much power. Justice Rebecca Bradley suggested during oral arguments over the order that state Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm’s decision to…
TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an immediate ban Friday on the sale and use of assault-style weapons in Canada, two weeks after a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia. “Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers,” he said, rejecting the reaction of many politicians after mass shootings. Trudeau cited numerous mass shootings in the country, including…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council will take up resolution at the next council meeting May 11 to decide how to fill a council seat vacated by Barb Russ who recently announced she was resigning for health reason. The vote will be whether to call for applications from the public, which has been traditionally done in the past. The…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — More than 50 people who voted in person or worked the polls during Wisconsin’s election earlier this month have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. The state Department of Health Services reported the latest figures on Tuesday, three weeks after the April 7 presidential primary and spring election that drew widespread concern because of voters waiting…
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence chose not to wear a face mask while touring the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. It’s an apparent violation of the world-renowned medical center’s policy requiring them. Video feeds show he didn’t wear a mask when he met with a Mayo employee who has recovered from COVID-19. He was also maskless when he…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday meant to stave off a shortage of chicken, pork and other meat on American supermarket shelves because of the coronavirus. The order will use the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as a critical infrastructure to keep production plants open. The order comes after industry leaders warned that consumers…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has an appointment today at Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic to learn about a new coronavirus testing “moonshot” that has the famed clinic partnering with the state and its flagship university to quickly boost the state’s capacity to 20,000 tests a day. It’s an approach that leverages a health care infrastructure not all states can…
VIRGINIA, Minn.- The City of Virginia is set to furlough up to 28 employees beginning May 4th due to projected revenue losses. Mayor Larry Cuffe said a majority of the 28 employees are expected to come from Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Golf Course staff. While they’re avoiding cutting any staff from public safety departments right now, the Mayor…
DULUTH, Minn.- Mayor Emily Larson made a rare appearance at Duluth’s virtual City Council meeting to give councilors a detailed outline, and uncertain look towards a grim future after she announced the city’s budget shortfall–which was unveiled to now be about $20.7-$38.2 million. According to city officials, due to the city’s “strong mayor system,” Larson can make any decisions she…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Keith Kern, member of the Superior City Council and small business owner, announced his candidacy to represent the 73rd Assembly District on Friday afternoon. “Growing up in Superior, my parents taught me the value of community and hard,” said Kern “those values have served me well as a small business owner and member of the city council,…
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has signed a nearly $500 billion coronavirus aid package into law, the latest federal government effort to stimulate a reeling economy and overwhelmed hospitals. The legislation is the fourth coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress. All told, Congress has delivered at least $2.4 trillion for business relief, testing and treatment, and direct payments to individuals…
(courtesy: wisconsin.gov) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats in the Wisconsin state Senate chose Janet Bewley as their new leader Friday as they gear up to try to recapture control of the chamber in November. Bewley replaces Jennifer Shilling, who announced earlier this month that she won’t seek re-election this fall. Shilling said Tuesday she would step down as minority leader,…
DULUTH, Minn. – Amid growing concern, many questions are surrounding how the COVID-19 pandemic could impact the 2020 Presidential election. Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Trump are having to use different platforms on the campaign trail. Much of the media attention is focused on how Mr. Trump is handling the pandemic, which in turn leaves voters to analyze how…
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — A nearly $500 billion coronavirus aid package flew through the Senate on Tuesday after Congress and the White House reached a deal to replenish a small business payroll fund and provided new money for hospitals and testing. It now goes to the House. Passage was swift and unanimous, despite opposition from conservative Republicans,…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican leaders of the Wisconsin Legislature asked the Conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday to block an order from Gov. Tony Evers’ administration extending a stay-at-home order until May 26. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald asked the Supreme Court to take the case directly, a move that would skip lower courts…
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says an agreement has been reached on major elements of a nearly $500 billion coronavirus aid package for small businesses, as well as additional help for hospitals and virus testing. Schumer said post-midnight talks among Democratic and Republican leaders, along with Trump administration officials, including White House Chief…
(Angela Major/The Janesville Gazette via AP) MILWAUKEE (AP) — Officials have identified seven people who appear to have contracted the coronavirus through activities related to the April 7 election in Wisconsin, Milwaukee’s health commissioner said. Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said six of the cases involve Milwaukee voters and one is a Milwaukee poll worker, the Journal Sentinel reported. Officials hope to have additional…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Donald Trump has tweeted his support for a protest by conservatives Friday outside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s official residence in St Paul. The protest is being organized under the theme “Liberate Minnesota” by grassroots Trump supporters who oppose Walz’s stay-at-home order. It’s one of several taking part across the country this week as conservatives push back against economic…
MINNESOTA, As stimulus checks begin rolling out, additional help through forgivable loans have been awarded to over 33,819 Minnesota small businesses as of Monday. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) grants loans to small businesses as part of the Stimulus Package. The loans are forgivable to businesses who retain or rehire their workers. Senator Tina Smith (D), who helped pass the…
Categories: News, News – Latest News, Political, Wisconsin
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The results are in from last week’s Superior City Council races. In District 1, Nicholas Ledin defeated Kalee Hermanson 383-342. Ledin will replace Dan Olson, who is leaving his seat. In District 3, incumbent Warren Bender defeated Kelly Schoen 344-205, while in District 5, incumbent Brent Fennessey defeated Amanda Foster 469-369. You can view a full list…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Joe Biden has defeated Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin’s presidential primary, which was held last week during the coronavirus pandemic. Biden’s victory became academic after Sanders dropped out last week, one day after Wisconsin held in-person voting despite widespread concern over the health risks. Republican legislative leaders refused to delay the election, and the party won a…
(Angela Major/The Janesville Gazette via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Municipal clerks across Wisconsin on Monday were set to start tallying votes from last week’s chaotic presidential primary, a count that was delayed for several days by the legal struggle over whether to postpone the election due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of voters congregated for hours in long lines on Tuesday,…
MILWAUKEE (AP) – U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson, in rare bipartisan unity, are calling on the U.S. Postal Service to investigate what happened to missing absentee ballots in Wisconsin. In a letter to the Inspector General, the senators cite numerous accounts from the state that the Postal Service failed to fulfill its critical mission of getting all those…
DULUTH, Minn. – After nearly 12 years as the city of Duluth’s top attorney, Gunnar Johnson has decided to resign amid complaints filed against him by employees in the attorney’s office. Johnson was placed on administrative suspension two months ago. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger takes a look at the findings from an investigative report into those complaints, what Johnson is…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bernie Sanders, who saw his once-strong lead in the Democratic primary evaporate as the party’s establishment lined swiftly up behind rival Joe Biden, ended his presidential bid on Wednesday, an acknowledgment that the former vice president is too far ahead for him to have any reasonable hope of catching up. The Vermont senator’s announcement makes Biden…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – While some folks are still going to the polls, more voters are taking advantage of sending their vote through the mail as absentee ballots are up. Government officials were pushing for more people to mail in their vote. To date, more than 4,000 voters requested absentee ballots. So far, about 3,000 of those ballots have already been…
(FOX 9) – President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration in Minnesota due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This declaration allows for federal funding to aid the state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain nonprofits in areas impacted by coronavirus. Earlier this week, the Minnesota Congressional Delegation urged Trump’s administration to approve Minnesota’s request for a major declaration. “The coronavirus pandemic…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has removed the inspector general tapped to chair a special oversight board for the $2.2 trillion economic relief package on the coronavirus, the latest in a series of steps Trump has taken to confront government watchdogs tasked with oversight of the executive branch. In the past four days, Trump has fired one inspector general tied…
(Angela Major/The Janesville Gazette via AP) MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported Tuesday morning that it had received no reports of polling places being unable to open as planned. There had already been plans to consolidate polling places, especially in larger cities, due to poll workers refusing to show up due to fears of the coronavirus. Milwaukee reduced…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin is asking hundreds of thousands of voters to ignore a stay-at-home order in the midst of a pandemic to participate in Tuesday’s presidential primary election, becoming a test case for dozens of states struggling to balance public health concerns with a core pillar of democracy. The National Guard is helping to run voting sites across the state…
SUPERIOR, The Mayor of Superior’s right-hand-woman, Rani Gill, is retiring after 30 years serving the city as the mayor’s Chief of Staff. Gill has served six different Superior mayors, and was actually the first official “Chief of Staff,” according to Mayor Jim Paine. “She’s an institution in this city,” Paine said, “she has served a number of mayors, a lot…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- After going through three changes in the span of one day, Wisconsin Elections will carry on as normal. Rulings from both the Wisconsin and U.S. Supreme Courts now make Wisconsin the only state with an election scheduled in April that is proceeding as planned. Governor Tony Evers signed an Executive Order early Monday postponing the election to June….
(AP Photo) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers could not postpone the state’s presidential primary, striking down his order to move the election to June over coronavirus outbreak fears. The court ruled 4-2 that Evers lacked the authority to move the election on his own — meaning the election will…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota has one of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in the country but the state must not get complacent, Gov. Walz said Monday, as he prepared to extend a stay-at-home order that he imposed nearly two weeks ago. “Minnesota is 17 per 100,000 right now,” Walz told reporters of the state’s infection rate. “It puts us best…
(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) UPDATE: MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers could not postpone the state’s presidential primary, striking down his order to move the election to June over coronavirus outbreak fears. The court ruled 4-2 that Evers lacked the authority to move the election on his…
(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin moved forward Monday with plans to hold in-person voting for its presidential primary on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic with help from National Guard members staffing the polls, even as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether to intervene. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who had originally pushed for the election to…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – While much of the Northland is shut down in some way because of the coronavirus outbreak, it is not stopping Tuesday’s spring election in Superior. As of Sunday evening, the deadline for absentee ballots in Wisconsin has been moved until next Monday for people who have already requested the ballots. This comes along with several other measures…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- A special session of the Wisconsin Legislature was held Saturday, to discuss making the Wisconsin Primary Elections all-mail, and extending absentee voting until late May. The meeting came to a halt when state Republicans shot down the request citing concerns for election security, and adjourned the meeting immediately. “Folks let me be clear this is not a Republican…
Manufacturing giant 3M pushed back Friday against criticism from President Donald Trump overproduction of face masks that are badly needed by American health care workers. 3M said the administration asked it to stop exporting medical-grade masks to Canada and Latin America, which the company said raises “significant humanitarian implications” and will backfire by causing other countries to retaliate against the…
