Coming to a backyard near you: the 20th annual Great Backyard Bird Count.The count takes place Feb. 17-20 in backyards, parks, nature centers, on hiking trails, school grounds, balconies, and beaches — anywhere people spot birds.Birdwatchers tally the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, then enter their checklists at birdcount.org. All the data con.... Read More
Some Madison residents are eligible for a program in which doctors prescribe healthy and fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.The city announced the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program — FVRx — is focused at the neighborhood level, with financial support from Wholesome Wave and a partnership between Willy Street Co-op North and UW Health Northeast Family Medical.Wholesome Wa.... Read More
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said this week that he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about how the White House can implement on a federal level parts of the Republican governor's contentious measure that all-but eliminated collective bargaining for public sector unions in the state.Pence, when he was governor of Indiana, frequently sparred with public employee unions and only awarded pay in.... Read More
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce announced that Kohler Co. has joined the Chamber as its newest Gold Founding Member.“We are proud to welcome Kohler Co. as the newest gold founding member of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce,” said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “Kohler Co. understands the importance of being an inclusive and supportiv.... Read More
About 16 months ago, the Wisconsin Department of Justice received federal grant money to test rape kits but the DOJ has tested nine out of 6,000 kits.State Sens. Jon Erpenbach and Lena Taylor and state Reps. Gordon Hintz and Katrina Shankland are asking Attorney General Brad Schimel why.Here's the lawmakers' letter to the AG:We were deeply concerned to learn that the Department o.... Read More
Activists in the Midwest are planning a special event to protest Donald Trump’s presidency and his refusal to release his taxes — a mass mooning.Organized by S#!TSHOW, which describes itself as “a satirical news show covering the worst in current events, politics and more,” Chicago Moons the Trump Tower will take place on Feb. 12 at 3:30 p.m. at Trump International Hotel and Tower, 401.... Read More
Milwaukee County supervisors voted on Feb. 2 to re-affirm their opposition to all forms of discrimination.Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic offered the resolution, seen as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s executive order banning people from traveling to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries, his hold on the U.S. refugee program and promises of further anti-immigran.... Read More
The White House this week said it would not roll-back Obama administration protections for LGBTQ people employed by the federal government or its contractors. However, the statement from the Trump administration provided no comfort in the wake of a rash of discriminatory executive orders signed by the president in his first weeks in the Oval Office.More orders may come, as hundreds of draft d.... Read More
The Senate today voted to confirm former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. This is a statement from Friends of the Earth president Erich Pica.Welcome to the United States of Exxon, where Big Oil no longer has to buy off the government because it now actually is the government. Rex Tillerson, the country’s chief Oil Baron, is now the country’s chief diplomat.Trum.... Read More
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is very unpopular and has almost no chance at being reelected next year, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey.Only 31 percent of those surveyed in the county approve of the job Clarke is doing, while 62 percent disapprove.The survey also found that voters consider Clarke’s bizarre behavior and outrageous statements to be a national embarra.... Read More
