Investigative Reporter
Recent Stories
Report: Housing demand falls as workforce shrinks
State still faces critical housing and economic issues
Wisconsin will need to build substantially fewer housing units by the end of the decade than previously projected, according to a new report, but the author says the revised estimate reflects not an improving housing market but a rapidly shrinking working-age population.
GOP lawmakers challenge Evers’s revival of commutations
Piwowarczyk: Victims should not be blindsided
Republican lawmakers took aim last week at Gov. Tony Evers’s decision to revive Wisconsin’s commutation process, warning that the program could undermine victims’ rights, reopen traumatic wounds for families, and erode confidence in the state’s criminal justice system.
Judge rejects Bangstad effort to federalize privacy lawsuit
Conley sends Walker, Holmes case back to Oneida County circuit court
A federal judge has rejected Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad’s attempt to move a state invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against him into federal court, ruling that the dispute is fundamentally a state-law tort case rather than a federal campaign-finance dispute.
Judge tosses Bangstad First Amendment lawsuit
Court says MBC owner repeatedly violated permit conditions
Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad suffered yet another major courtroom defeat last week, as a federal judge dismissed his First Amendment lawsuit against the Oneida County planning and development committee, ruling that the evidence overwhelmingly showed officials revoked his zoning permit because of repeated violations, not political speech.
Pfizer, Valneva report promising results in Lyme vaccine trials
Scientists hope second time could be the charm
A new Lyme disease vaccine candidate developed by Pfizer and Valneva has posted promising clinical trial results, raising hopes that the first widely available human Lyme vaccine in more than two decades could soon return to the market.
Oneida County board backs DNR land purchase
Another purchase as Stewardship heads toward expiration
In a strong show of support for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ land acquisition program, the Oneida County Board of Supervisors voted 15-2 Tuesday to support the agency’s proposed purchase of private land in the town of Minocqua using Knowles Nelson Stewardship tax dollars.
Oneida County panel forwards Stewardship land purchase
DNR seeks to buy 77 acres along the Tomahawk River
A divided Oneida County executive committee voted last week to send to the full county board a resolution of support for a proposed state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land acquisition in the town of Minocqua, setting up a debate over development, public land ownership, taxes, recreation, and the future of the state’s Stewardship Program.
Tiffany, Nass blast ‘backroom’ budget deal
Evers, GOP leaders strike bargain to spend budget surplus
Gov. Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders this week rolled out what they called a “blockbuster bipartisan” proposal to spend Wisconsin’s projected budget surplus on tax relief, school funding, and direct payments to residents, including $600 million for K-12 schools and providing up to $600 in direct support payments for working families.
Oneida County advances moratorium on data centers
State regulators also move to shield ratepayers
Though there are no proposals currently on the table to build a data center in Oneida County, local officials are moving proactively to get ahead of the contentious issue, voting last week to begin the process of enacting a one-year moratorium on such developments.
Aspirus fires vice president over assassination post
Visitors bureau says Bangstad comments don’t reflect community values
The escalating fallout from a Minocqua brewery owner’s social media post appearing to celebrate an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump has now cost a senior Aspirus Health executive his job and drawn sharp responses from local officials, tourism leaders, and federal law enforcement.