Wisconsin Right Now

Tony Evers celebrated his victory after winning a second term as Wisconsin governor early Wednesday morning by telling his supporters that some people called him boring during the campaign, but he said it didn’t matter. “You know what Wisconsin? As it turns out, boring wins,” Evers said. Evers comfortably beat Republican Tim Michels, grabbing 51% of the vote. Evers said Democrats “showed up” on Election Day. “You showed up for reproductive rights and the freedom for you and your neighbors to make their own health care decisions,” the governor said during his victory speech. “You showed-up for our kids, our educators, and our public schools…You showed up for LGBT folks and trans kids who want to be safe and who they are in our state. You showed up for conservation, for clean energy, to take climate change seriously, and a future that doesn’t treat protecting our environment and good-paying jobs like they are mutually exclusive.” Michels’ concession speech was brief, more of an...

Republican lawmakers were quick to say that they are responsible for the tax cuts and the $4 billion surplus. Gov. Tony Evers covered a lot of ground during his fourth State of the State, ranging from such topics as farm aid to the internet to tourism. But Republican lawmakers say the governor ignored two of Wisconsin’s most pressing issues: crime and election reform. “While crime is skyrocketing across the state, [Gov. Evers] has no plans to make us feel safer in our homes,” Sen. Van Wanggaard , R-Racine, said after Tuesday night’s speech. “He lamented his inability to accomplish ’justice reform,’ another way of lamenting that Wisconsin isn’t more like Illinois, California and New York. The solution isn’t weaker criminal penalties, defunding the police, prosecuting fewer crimes, or eliminating cash bail.” The senator continued, noting the state's crime rate has spiked upward at 9%. "Milwaukee just recorded a record high in homicides. And people don’t feel safe in t...

Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday said he “hopes” local schools talk about requiring teachers and school workers to get vaccinated. (The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s governor will not issue a statewide vaccine mandate for schools, but he is open to local vaccine requirements. The governor has been considering a vaccine mandate for state workers for weeks, but he has not yet issued the order. “Our staff needs to be vaccinated,” Evers told reporters. “I hope those conversations happen locally too.” The hurdle, of course, are teachers unions in the state. Evers’ comments about local school vaccine requirements comes one day after Milwaukee Public Schools’ board essentially ordered the district to come-up with a vaccination requirement for its teachers. Evers said he thinks unions could be brought on-board with a vaccine mandate. Gov. Evers used to be a teacher himself, then led the Department of Public Instruction as state superintendent, and received major backing from Wisconsin...

Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday said he “hopes” local schools talk about requiring teachers and school workers to get vaccinated. (The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s governor will not issue a statewide vaccine mandate for schools, but he is open to local vaccine requirements. The governor has been considering a vaccine mandate for state workers for weeks, but he has not yet issued the order. “Our staff needs to be vaccinated,” Evers told reporters. “I hope those conversations happen locally too.” The hurdle, of course, are teachers unions in the state. Evers’ comments about local school vaccine requirements comes one day after Milwaukee Public Schools’ board essentially ordered the district to come-up with a vaccination requirement for its teachers. Evers said he thinks unions could be brought on-board with a vaccine mandate. Gov. Evers used to be a teacher himself, then led the Department of Public Instruction as state superintendent, and received major backing from Wisconsin...