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The Wisconsin Institute for Leadership is working to help repeal the Minimum Markup Law. Watch a two-minute video here.
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What is the average cost of gas on a region-by-region basis today? How much is that drive to Florida going to cost you? Learn more here. |
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 Today, July 29, is the last day for the reduced pre-registration rate for "Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Society Statewide Summit." The WCA sponsored event will be held August 19-20, 2008 at the Marriott Madison West. The two-day conference will take an in-depth look at aging issues and bring together some of the state's leading experts.
In addition to general sessions each of the days, there will be concurrent workshops on issues such as aging and disability resource centers, transportation coordination, and caregiver support. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Robert Applebaum, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Gerontology and Director of the Long-Term Care Project at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
The WCA Aging Summit has been an initiative spearheaded by WCA President and Oconto County Board Chair Lee Rymer and promises to be a worthwhile event for county officials around the state. Sign up today, as space is limited.
Click here for a full tentative agenda, including registration and housing information. |
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On August 25, WCA will host an educational seminar in Stevens Point at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, "Current Issues in County Organization." Like all WCA seminars, this session will be submitted for continuing education credits. Learn more here, including registration information. |
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The Sheboygan County Board was recognized in an editorial last week in the Plymouth Review for their positive work on the county budget: "One time was newsworthy, a second time would have to be considered a remarkable achievement. The Sheboygan County Board of Supervisors has set its goal for the county's 2009 budget to repeat it's triple play of last year; decreasing spending, lowering the property tax rate and dropping the property tax levy."
Read the full Plymouth Review editorial here. |
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 Phase Two of The Wisconsin Way is now underway, with several public forums being held this week. Remaining dates and locations for the statewide forums include:
La Crosse: July 29
Janesville: August 4
Platteville: August 5
Superior: August 7
Milwaukee: August 11
Rhinelander: August 12
Appleton: August 14
Madison: August 19
For more detailed information on each location, click here.
Online registration is currently available for the second round of public forums. Registering ahead of time helps ensure there is sufficient space and seating, so please register and please pass the word.
You can also find recently posted data from public opinion polls conducted in January and May. Simply log in to the Web site with your e-mail address, and you'll be able to access this research and learn what residents across the state are saying about taxes, local services, economic development and the future of Wisconsin. |
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In his speech at NACo's recent Annual Conference, former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker issued grave warnings for the economy, claiming that the federal government has become "out of touch and out of control." Watch the video on the NACo Channel. |
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A Wall Street Journal article that ran on Monday, July 28 discusses how funds for highways are plummeting as people decrease their driving in light of high gas prices. Read it here. |
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 UW-Extension Food Service Specialist Barbara Ingham has written an article on the safety of produce from gardens that were underwater. Contact Barbara with any questions or comments at 608.263.7383 or barbara.ingham@ces.uwex.edu.
Many gardens were underwater as a result of recent flooding in the state. When flood waters subside, is the produce left behind safe to eat?
"The answer depends, to a large degree, on how 'clean' the flood water was, or whether it was likely to have been contaminated by sewage, river water, farm run-off or industrial pollutants," says Barbara Ingham, food science specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
"The most conservative answer, and the one that eliminates any and all risks, is to discard produce that was touched by flood water," Ingham says. "In general, produce that was touched, even splashed, by flood waters, presents a potential risk."
But with weeks still left in the growing season, people may try to salvage some garden crops. Ingham offers tips below on what to discard and what's okay to use. Full Story... |
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Patrick Walsh, Co-Director of UW-Extension's Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, has written an article on the impact of natural gas prices not only on heating bills, but electricity and other prices as well. For questions or comments, contact him at 608.265.8152 or pat.walsh@ced.uwex.edu.
While the national spotlight focuses on rising gasoline prices at the pump, natural gas prices are also quietly going up, nearly doubling over the last year. Natural gas price hikes will affect not only this winter's heating bills, but also electricity and fertilizer prices.
"We're all focused on gas prices right now," says Pat Walsh, co-director of the UW-Extension's Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center. "But higher natural gas prices could cause problems for families, businesses, farmers and local governments."
Natural gas is used to produce electricity, and some business and residential customers around the state have already seen their bills jump. Full Story... |
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