Editorial Columns

Your Right to Know: Record location fees invite abuses

Published by admin on Mon, 04/05/2021 - 8:43am

It happens all the time.

A member of the public or representative of the press will file a request under Wisconsin’s open records law, which applies to all state and local government entities. Instead of records, the requester gets a bill.

UW System planning to maximize in-person instruction

Published by admin on Thu, 03/25/2021 - 6:00am

In a traditional university setting, students learn and grow through their interactions with peers and faculty. This sort of engagement — in and out of the classroom — builds sharper thinking, contributes to social development and enriches communities.

Stabilizing ag economy requires structural reform

Published by admin on Thu, 03/25/2021 - 4:00am

Wisconsin dairy farmers were treading water in 2020, kept afloat by direct payments from the federal government. The aid resulted in a sharp decrease in herd exits: 360 dairy farms went out of business in Wisconsin last year compared to 818 closures in 2019.

Your Right to Know: The ‘Opees’ in the age of COVID-19

Published by admin on Wed, 03/24/2021 - 1:35pm

For the 15th consecutive year, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is presenting its Openness in Government Awards, or Opees, recognizing outstanding achievement in the cause of transparency. Several of this years’ awards are related to the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced wholesale changes in how government officials conduct the public’s business. All are predicated on upholding the public’s right to know. And the winners are:

Media Openness Award (“Mopee”): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Every community should have a Tom Lyon

Published by admin on Thu, 03/18/2021 - 1:34pm

Tom Lyon, former long-time Shawano resident, died on March 8 from a rare form of leukemia at his home in Cambridge, Wisconsin. He was 80 — and he was my best friend.

Over the past few months, I was fortunate to talk to Tom several times on the phone. During one of those visits, he said, “Jim, I don’t think I’m going to win this one. So, do me a favor. Remember all the great times we had, okay?”

YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW: Officials’ behavior is reckless and illegal

Published by admin on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 12:02pm

To keep each other safe, we’ve been asked to add barriers — distance and masks — to our face-to-face interaction. We also have videoconferencing to help overcome those barriers.

Yet to this day, Republican leaders in the state Assembly are holding meetings without requiring attendees to wear masks or offering a video option for those who don’t feel safe attending.

Voting important to maintaining our democracy

Published by admin on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 11:50am

In a democracy, the people hold the political power. Every citizen controls that power through their vote. We can hire the people who we think will be best for maintaining our democracy, or we can fire those who don’t have our best interests in mind.

Democracy requires the people to exercise their right to vote. Throughout our nation’s history, there have been struggles for voter access. It continues today with the crackdown on voting rights that the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature is expected to pursue.

Wisconsin to Johnson: Join calls for justice or resign

Published by andynewsengin on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 11:23am

Days after it became clear that Joe Biden had won the 2020 election, Sen. Ron Johnson was asked by a reporter if he was congratulating Biden on his win. “Nothing to congratulate him for,” was Johnson’s snarky reply. A month later, Johnson used his platform as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee to broadcast conspiracy theories about the election. In early January, Johnson announced his intention to vote against certification of the election results, a plan interrupted only by a violent mob of right-wing militants attacking the Capitol, incited by President Donald Trump.

Mursau explains vote against ending mask mandate

Published by admin on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 8:31am

State Rep. Jeff Mursau, R-Crivitz, was among seven Republican members of the Wisconsin State Assembly who voted Feb. 4 against a resolution that formally repealed Gov. Tony Evers’ COVID-19 public health emergency order and, in turn, the extension of his statewide mask mandate. The measure passed 52-42, with all Democrats in attendance also voting no.

Evers issued a new emergency order and mask mandate later in the day.

Mursau and three other lawmakers issued this statement.

Electoral College fights for the American voice

Published by admin on Mon, 12/07/2020 - 12:44pm

Do you know why the founding fathers of this country instituted the Electoral College? The founders did not want a direct popular vote; a concern was that the most populated states would control the vote. Another concern was that individual voters might not have sufficient information to elect a president, so electors are what we are actually voting for on Election Day.