Investigative Reporter
Recent Stories
Times files open records complaint against Rio
After waiting more than a month for requested records that as of this writing have not been released, Lakeland Times publisher Gregg Walker has filed an open records complaint against Oneida County supervisor Tony Rio.
Vos, Evers administration: High court should reject school choice lawsuit
It’s rare that the administration of Gov. Tony Evers and Assembly speaker Robin Vos join forces, but somehow Kirk Bangstad has managed to unite them, with both parties aligning against Bangstad’s bid to have the Supreme Court bypass lower courts and directly take up his challenge to the state’s school choice programs.
Marshfield Clinic cuts executive pay by 15%
System says compensation cuts temporary as financial woes continue
Marshfield Clinic Health System has announced what it calls a temporary pay and benefits cut for employees, including executive staff, as it continues to try and cope with ongoing financial difficulties.
Oneida County mulls new organizational structure
While the Northwoods of Wisconsin has a strong identifiable character that has pretty much persisted for the entirety of the state’s existence — its forests, its lakes, its lumberjack lore — the same cannot be said of Oneida County government, which every decade or so goes through some soul searching to try and find its true self.
Bangstad’s insurance companies move to drop him as client
Firms say malicious defamation, noncooperation violates terms of policies
The two insurance companies representing Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad during his recent defamation trial have filed a complaint to intervene in the case, saying he violated the terms of his policy and thus they have no obligation to defend him or pay the costs of the verdict or the judgment against him.
County approves creation of panel to oversee HSC transition
Supervisors: HSC board says the sky is falling but it isn’t
On a 16-2 vote last Tuesday, the Oneida County Board of Supervisors voted to create a tri-county panel to oversee the transition of services now provided by the Human Services Center to another delivery structure.
WILL wins nationwide injunction against pistol brace rule
Rule reclassification could affect millions of veterans
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) has won a major Second Amendment legal victory, securing a nationwide injunction against a proposed Biden administration rule that would require millions of Americans, including many disabled veterans, to register and pay taxes on up to 40 million pistols with stabilizing braces.
Oneida County board makes good on passing tax-increase budget
Holewinski issues warning on skyrocketing wage increases
Without an amendment, at least not a successful one, and without a discouraging word, at least not many of them, the Oneida County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Tuesday a 2024 budget that will raise taxes by 5 percent.
Hartman asserts authority to enforce county code
Sheriff won’t issue citation for parliamentary violation
Pushing back against some county officials, Oneida County sheriff Grady Hartman says he has full authority to enforce the county code — authority in fact given to him by the county code — but has decided against issuing a citation to zoning committee and county board chairman Scott Holewinski, who has acknowledged violating the code by breaking parliamentary procedure.
GOP bill would prohibit race-based UW grants and loans
Republicans shift admissions from race to need, protect free speech
On votes taken largely along party lines, the state Assembly last week passed several measures related to the UW System, including a bill to prohibit race-based higher education grants and loans, redirecting such programs as the minority teacher loan program and Lawton grants to favor disadvantaged students rather than minority students.