Dean of the Wisconsin Business School in Madison Michael Knetter and President and CEO of the Wisconsin Bankers Association Kurt Bauer discussed the status of the national and state economies in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on February 29.

In conjunction with an Wisconsin in Words interview WisconsinEye did of Bob Wills at Cedar Grove Cheese, Wills took us on a tour of the facility, giving us a unique view into how he and his team makes awarding winning Wisconsin cheese.

Black History Month was observed in the State Capitol on February 28th in the Senate Parlor. Sen. Lena Taylor and Sen. Spencer Coggs lead a short program that commemorated influential members of the black community in Wisconsin. Guest speaker Rev. Lucius Walker gave remarks at the ceremony.

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Superior Days is an annual grassroots approach to community development, helping to bridge the distance that local residents feel geographically and politically from the southern half of the state (Source: Superior Days Website). As part of Superior Days, Secretary of Treasury Dawn Marie Sass, addressed a breakfast audience held prior to the day's lobbing activities. She took the opportunity to describe and promote several programs; the Wisconsin Saves Program, Wisconsin Scholars Program and the Wisconsin Unclaimed Property Program.

Superior Days is an annual grassroots approach to community development, helping to bridge the distance that local residents feel geographically and politically from the southern half of the state (Source: Superior Days Website). As part of Superior Days, Governor James Doyle addressed a breakfast audience held prior to the day's lobbing activities.

Superior Days is an annual grassroots approach to community development, helping to bridge the distance that local residents feel geographically and politically from the southern half of the state (Source: Superior Days Website). After an address by Governor James Doyle, WisconsinEye had the opportunity to interview several of the attendees, Alan Jaques, Douglas County Board Supervisor; Elaina Ilminer, Senior UW-Superior; Kaitlyn Colgrove, Bayfield 4-H and Tom Stewart, Douglas County Board.

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Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. WisPolitics.com Editor JR Ross and Capital Times Political Reporter David Callender are guests on this week’s show.

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Wisconsin's State of the Tribes Address was preluded with a ceremonial parade around the state capitol. Flags designating Wisconsin's individual tribes were carried by tribe members following behind a drum circle which provided the marching song. The State of the Tribes Address was given at the state capitol on February 26.

A joint session of the legislature met in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, for the annual State of the Tribes Address.

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Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler and the Hon. Michael Gableman, candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, participated in a debate at the Concourse Hotel in Madison Wisconsin. Hosted by the Dane County Bar Association, the candidates made opening and closing statements as well as answered questions offered by the audience. Justice Butler is being challenged by Burnett County Circuit Judge Michael Gableman. The winner in the April 1 election will serve a 10-year term.

Jeff Landin, president of the Wisconsin Paper Council, discussed the status of Wisconsin’s paper producing industry, the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact, and the group’s role on the Governor’s Task Force on Global warming in an interview conducted from WisconsinEye’s Madison studio on February 25.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) held their regional meeting at the Regency Suites Conference Center in Green Bay on February 22, 2008. The main focus of the meeting was the upcoming Supreme Court election and their position on the candidates. Tom Meinz, Executive Vice President of External Affairs for Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and James Buchen Vice President of WMC spoke at the meeting. Several demonstrators lined the sidewalk in front of the conference to oppose WMC's role in the election.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton discussed her role in state government, the possibility of becoming governor and her recent support of the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, in an Newsmaker Interview with WisconsinEye host Steve Walters, the Madison Burearu Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Clinton lost Wisconsin’s primary earlier in the week to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, who had been endorsed by Gov. Jim Doyle. The interview took place in Lawton’s office in the state Capitol on February 21.

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WisconsinEye visited the studio of talk radio host Charlie Sykes during his program, Midday with Charlie Sykes, on Wednesday, February 20. The main topic of the call-in program was the Wisconsin Primary results.  His daily radio program can be heard on WTMJ AM 620 based in Milwaukee, WI. In addition to radio host, Sykes is an author, college lecturer and television host.

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Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. This week’s show focused on the Wisconsin Presidential Preference Primary.

Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

The presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, held an election night party at the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Company in Madison on February 19 to watch the results from the Wisconsin Primary. Gov. Jim Doyle and wife Jessica Doyle attended the event with a number of state democratic legislators. Obama defeated U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, with 58 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 41 percent. Doyle and Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz made brief results after the results were announced.

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Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

On the day of Wisconsin’s Presidential Preference Primary (February 19) WisconsinEye took a look behind the scenes at the Madison campaign office of Democratic Presidential Candidate U.S. Sen Hillary Clinton, D-New York. The office was housed in the basement of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union at 8033 Excelsior Drive.

On the day of Wisconsin’s Presidential Preference Primary (February 19) WisconsinEye took a look behind the scenes at the Madison campaign office of Democratic Presidential Candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois. The office was housed in the downtown Madison business Laundry 101, a laundry mat and bar, located at 437 West Gilman Street.

The Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb Exhibition sponsored a public hearing on Saturday morning, February 16th at 10 a.m. in the Capitol to stop military plans for the new nuclear weapons program, "Complex Transformation." Speakers included: Senator Mark Miller; Katie Crawley, appearing on behalf of Senator Russ Feingold; Brett Watson, appearing on behalf of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin; Lee Brown, Chair, Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Exhibition Committee; Nick Roth, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Alfred Meyer, Alliance for Nuclear Accountability; Paul S. Boyer, Professor Emeritus, History; Dr. Jeff Patterson, Physicians for Social Responsibilty; Dr. Seymour Abrahamson, Genetics Specialist. A public hearing followed the invtited speakers.

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The Democratic Party of Wisconsin held the Founders Day Gala at the Midwest Airlines Center on February 16, 2008 in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Members of the party from around the state gathered to hear Presidential Candidate U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton D-New York and Presidential Candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama D-Illinois speak. The candidates were joined by other Democratic political leaders such as U.S. Sen. Feingold D-Wisconsin, Governor Jim Doyle, and U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen D-Appleton 8th District.

Prior to a speech by Republican Presidential Candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, Burnett County Circuit Court Judge Michael Gableman, a candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, gave a speech and shook hands at the Milwaukee County Reagan Day Dinner on February 28 in Milwaukee.

Legislative Fiscal Bureau Director Bob Lang discussed the state’s projected $652.3 million shortfall for the biennium in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on February 15. The Fiscal Bureau revised an estimated shortfall of as much as $400 million in early February with the larger number.

We the People - Wisconsin hosted a celebratory event that mirrors the organization’s commitment to enhancing public discourse about the issues of the day. The event, celebrating 15 years in existence, was a reception at which guests had the opportunity to connect and talk about issues of the day. We the People - Wisconsin is a multi-media partnership that aims to reconnect citizens with public life through town hall meetings, candidate and issue forums and citizen-based reporting. The non-profit coalition includes the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio, WISC-TV (CBS, Madison), WisPolitics.com and Wood Communications Group (Source: We The People/Wisconsin website). MCing the event were Neil Heinen of WISC TV in Madison, WI, and joy Cardin, Executive producer for Wisconsin Public Radio. Each addressed the audience as well as introduced several video presentations which celebrated We The People / Wisconsin history. A special appearance was made by General George Buskirk, Ret., on behalf of the campaign for Hillary Clinton. Following, Fred Mohs made an unofficial appeal on behalf of John McCain.

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Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

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Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

WisconsinEye Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer moderated this discussion among a group of Democratic-leaning voters on February 14, 2008. The guests, members of the La Crosse Rotary Club, spoke about their preference for the Democratic Party nomination, the issues they feel are most important and their feelings on Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and the Republican nomination race.

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Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

Continuing coverage of Campaign 2008. Description to follow.

Presidential candidate Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Arkansas held a campaign rally in Madison at the Concourse Hotel on February 14, 2008. He focused on the differences between himself and Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, as it relates to conservative issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and taxes. After the rally Huckabee answered questions from the media at a news conference in another room in the Concourse.

AARP Wisconsin organized a panel discussion of local pundits to explore Wisconsin’s political landscape during the February primary season. Judy Davidoff (The Capital Times), John Powell (former Wisconsin Public Radio reporter and host for WisconsinEye) and Jeff Mayers (WisPolitics.com) gathered at the Concourse Hotel in Madison to discuss the topic in front of an audience.

With less than a week before Wisconsin’s presidential primary on February 19, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, held a town hall meeting at the General Motors Plant in Janesville on February 13. During his speech to Janesville leaders and plant workers Obama focused on economic issues.

As U.S. Senator Barack Obama prepared to leave for Janesville Wisconsin on the 2nd day of his campaign tour, WisconsinEye caught him as he boarded his bus. Senator Obama spent a brief moment with onlooker who had gathered to see him, and after, we had a moment to visit with one of them to get her take Senator Obama's run for the Democratic nomination.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, held a campaign event in Madison’s Kohl Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus on February 12. The event took place as results from Tuesday’s primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia were being reported.

Dane County Executive, Kathleen Falk, a member of the Wisconsin Steering Committee for the Presidential Campaign of Sen. Hilary Clinton, D-New York, and Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, who has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, for president, met in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio on February 12 to discuss why they are supporting the respective candidates. Falk and Parisi explained why they think Wisconsinites should vote the candidates in the state’s February 19 primary.

Coping With Climate Change Segment One:

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair James Hoecker highlighted the morning keynote session of "Coping with Climate Change," a conference hosted by WisPolitics.com. The half-day conference at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison brought together energy experts with Wisconsin, Midwest and Washington, D.C. perspectives to discuss the ins and outs of how energy providers, energy distributors and energy regulators are coping with the prospect of broad and rapid climate change. In this segment, US Representative Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison and member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, addressed the audience on what is taking place in Congress on this topic. Baldwin represents Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District since being elected in 1998 and her committee was instrumental in passing the new Energy Independence and Security Act, which aims to move the United States closer to energy independence. Baldwin, a member of the committee's energy subcommittee, added language to the bill to increase industrial and home energy efficiency standards, encourage advanced battery and plug-in hybrid programs, minimize exposure to mercury in energy-efficient light bulbs, and study the adequacy of railroad transportation for renewable fuels. (Source: Conference Brochure).

Segment Two: As a continuation of the "Coping with Climate Change" conference hosted by WisPolitics.com, a breakout panel was assembled to greater discuss Midwest energy issues. Titled, Energy Today, members of the panel included Michael L. Corrandini, Professor of Nuclear Engineering – UW Madison, Jim Turnure, Environmental Policy Manager for Xcel Energy, Lou Hayden, Policy Analyst for the Petroleum Institute and Charlie Severance, General Manager for Wholesale Electric & Renewable Energy at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.

Segment Three: As a continuation of the "Coping with Climate Change" conference hosted by WisPolitics.com, a breakout panel was assembled to greater discuss issues of energy policy, where the panel focused on future regulatory control of a carbon economy, energy transmission, generation, conservation along with energy independence. Titled, Energy Policy – Today and Tomorrow, members of the panel included Banko Terzic, Deloitte Services, Dan Ebert, Chair Wisconsin Public Services Commission, Robert Garvin, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs of Florida Power and Light (FPL) Energy and Sen. Jeff Plale, (D) South Milwaukee Chair of Senate Utilities Committee.

Segment Four: Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner highlighted the afternoon keynote session of "Coping with Climate Change," a conference hosted by WisPolitics.com. US Representative Sensenbrenner is ranking Republican on Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Science Committee. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1978, residing in Menomonee Falls, and represents Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District. (Source: Conference Brochure) In Sensenbrenner’s keynote address, he describes problems associated with proposed cap and trade regulatory control of greenhouse gases. He warns that this policy will result in a weaker jobs profile fore Wisconsin and the nation.

Segment Five: As a continuation of the "Coping with Climate Change" conference hosted by WisPolitics.com, a breakout panel was assembled to greater discuss issues of energy policy, and the final Keynote address of the day was held. The panel discussion, titled Energy Tomorrow, was moderated by Mark Williamson, who is a partner in the Madison public relations firm Putnam Roby & Williamson, and a former executive at American Transmission Co. and Madison Gas & Electric. Panel members included Judy Ziewacz, Director of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence; Brett Hulsey, President of Better Environmental Solutions; Dave Parker, Senior Analyst at Robert W Baird & Co and Rob Olszewski, Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Plum Creek. The final keynote address was given by Philip Moeller, Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He spoke of his experience on the commission, touching topics such as regulatory jurisdiction, oil pipelines, hydroelectric regulation, natural gas infrastructure, wholesale electric markets, national grid reliability (NERC) and enforcement authority of FERC. He also made a comparison on where we are today with energy issues to where we have been. He did so in describing a daylong session in 2003 on Global Climate Change when he was in Madison as part of Alliant Energy. What came out of that day in 2003 was that the electric industry felt that a voluntary carbon regulatory scheme incorporating market forces was best approach to regulating the energy industry. The environmental movement however was more for a mandatory approach and skeptical of using the market to manage the value of greenhouse gasses. Moeller described that today in 2008, the two groups appear to be online with a mandatory carbon market scheme to manage carbon.

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, held a question and answer session in the Main Lobby of UW-Madison's Memorial Union. Ms. Clinton's visit, made in promotion of her mother's bid for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, occurred 8 days before Wisconsin's primary elections.

With Wisconsin's primary contest a little more than a week away, College Democrats and College Republicans from the University of Wisconsin-Madison gathered at the Memorial Union for a debate on the issues which are expected to be relevant in the 2008 Presidential Election. Hosted and moderated by The Badger Herald, the University's student newspaper, the event took place on February 11.

The 2008 sturgeon spearing season started on February 9 on lake Winnebago. WisconsinEye visited the town of Stockbridge, "The Sturgeon Capital of the World," on the east shore of lake Winnebago and spoke to sturgeon spearers, business owners, DNR workers, and State Representative Alvin Ott (R) District 3.

Americans for Prosperity Foundation - Wisconsin Chapter hosted the 2008 Defending the American Dream Summit in Pewaukee, WI on February 9th at Country Springs Hotel. Speakers included, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Congressman Paul Ryan, Steve Moore from the Wall Street Journal, former Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, Candidate for Supreme Court Mike Gableman, Congressman James Sensenbrenner and other leaders from across Wisconsin.

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The Capital Times, Madison’s afternoon daily newspaper, announced a major shift from its print edition to the internet February 8. Representatives of the newspaper said they would reduce printing to two days a week and expand its online presence at www.captimes.com. The announcement was made from the newspaper’s Madison offices.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced February 8 that the investigation into the October 7, 2007, shootings in Crandon had closed. Information about the investigation was made available on the Department of Justice homepage at http://www.doj.state.wi.us. Van Hollen was joined at the press conference, held at the State Capitol, by Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) by Acting Administrator Mike Myszewski, DCI Special Agent Bradley Kust and Forest County District Attorney Leon Stenz.

As part of the Midwest Ag Energy Conference, a panel discussion was held to address the future of agricultural energy. On the panel was Jim Burg of the South Dakota Farmers Union, Dave Miller the Director of Research and Community Services - Iowa Farm Bureau, Roger Moore the President of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Butch Johnson, CEO, Johnson Timber and Rod Nilsestuen Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. Topics discussed were the future of BioFuel generation in US agriculture and forestry, the carbon economy, and investment opportunities farmers might realize with their increased land equity. Should they invest in the next generation of BioFuels? Or is the risk too great?

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Midwest Ag Energy Network's convention "Next Generation Ag Energy: Policies to Advance Regional Growth" on February 5, 2008 began with a welcome address by Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection and a keynote address by energy analyst Randy Udall. The event focused on the importance of energy today and the options for renewable sources of energy through agriculture, as well as infrastructure and policy necessary to implement it.

Midwest Ag Energy Network's convention "Next Generation Ag Energy: Policies to Advance Regional Growth" held a session titled "Local Ownership: Update on State and Federal Policy" on February 5, 2008. Charlie Kubert of Environmental Law and Policy Center, Sara Whire of Center On Wisconsin Strategy, and Judy Ziewacz of Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence discussed state and federal legislation influencing local ownership of ag energy.

Midwest Ag Energy Network's convention "Next Generation Ag Energy: Policies to Advance Regional Growth" held a session titled "Ag Energy and Global Warming: Low Carbon Fuel Standard - Challenges and Opportunities" on February 5, 2008. Brett Hulsey of Better Environmental Solutions, Doug Scott of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Dr. Michael O'Hare of the University of California Berkeley discussed low carbon fuel standard policies, their merits and shortcomings, as well as their potential impacts on agriculture.

Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, and Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council and News Editor of Madison's Isthmus newspaper, discussed different perspectives on privacy and the public's right to know. Schneider and Lueders discussed legislation which could limit online access to the state's circuit court system records -- also known as CCAP. This program took place in WisconsinEye's Madison Studio on February 5.

WisconsinEye traveled to Hudson to experience the 19th Annual Hudson Hot Air Affair February 3rd, an event that draws people to Wisconsin from all over the country. This year's theme was "Mardi Gras! Balloons & All That Jazz." Weather conditions prevented a Sunday launch, however, WisconsinEye was on-site to see hot air balloon demonstrations. We also learned why the event is important to the city of Hudson.

The Badger State Games has been a tradition in Wisconsin for the last 23 years. Formed to give Wisconsin's amateur athletes an opportunity to stay competitive, the Badger State games holds both winter games and summer games across 35 communities in the state. The figure skating event held in Wausau, WI has been a part of Badger State since the start of the winter games about 20 years ago.

The Badger State Games has been a tradition in Wisconsin for the last 23 years. Formed to give Wisconsin's amateur athletes an opportunity to stay competitive, the Badger State games holds both winter games and summer games across 35 communities in the state. This program is a brief look at several of the games held in the central Wisconsin region.

The Badger State Games has been a tradition in Wisconsin for the last 23 years. Formed to give Wisconsin's amateur athletes an opportunity to stay competitive, the Badger State games holds both winter games and summer games across 35 communities in the state. The curling event is held in Wausau, WI at the Wausau Curling Club on the grounds of Marathon Park.

The Badger State Games has been a tradition in Wisconsin for the last 23 years. Formed to give Wisconsin's amateur athletes an opportunity to stay competitive, the Badger State games holds both winter games and summer games across 35 communities in the state. The cross country ski event takes place at Nine Mile Swamp located in the Wausau metropolitan area.

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