The Milwaukee County Board Task Force on the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority (SWRTA) Recommendations held an organizational meeting December 29, 2008 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway created the task force to examine the impacts of the authority’s recommendations to the Governor and State Legislature and to develop suggestions that would be more compatible with Milwaukee County’s transit needs. Milwaukee County’s representative, one of seven representatives from seven counties, was the sole vote against the recommendations that were adopted. The SWRTA was formed by the State Legislature and tasked with researching and developing recommendations to the Governor and State Legislature regarding dedicated funding and governance for a regional transit system in southeastern Wisconsin.

Rep. Jim Ott, R-Mequon, discussed what kind of environmental policy to expect fom the new state legislature in 2009 in an interview with WisconsinEye Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer on December 22, 2008. Ott, has served as a member of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. The interview took place in WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk joined local leaders at a press confrence at the Dane County Rodefeld Landfill in an effort to call on President-elect Obama and Congress to invest in local clean energy projects. The news conference took place on December 18, 2008.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce President Jim Haney and WMC Vice President of Government Relations James Buchen were interviewed on December 18, 2008 in the WisconsinEye studio to discuss WMC's "Moving Wisconsin Forward" Program. The program was hosted by Mark Pitsch, State Government Reporter of the Wisconsin State Journal.

The new chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, discussed his legislative priorities for the next legislative session with WisconsinEye Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer in an interview in the station’s Madison studio on December 17, 2008. Black previously served as the committee’s chair from 1986 to 1994.

Description to follow.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

A Collaboration Council meeting was held on December 16, 2008, at the Monona Terrace in Madison. The purpose of the meeting was to present the 8-county region through the new lens of key regional assets and metrics; unveil shared opportunities for the region and spark action and engagement around them by leaders in the region; and celebrate the signing of the Regional Principles of Collaboration.

Continued coverage of the Collaboration Council meeting.

The Wisconsin Climate Change Conference: Wisconsin Communities Take Action took place in Stevens Point at the UW-Stevens Point Dreyfus University Center on December 12, 2008.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Kurt Bauer, president of the Wisconsin Bankers Association and Gary Shaefer, Assoiated Bank Regional President, discussed the issues facing the banking industry in Wisconsin with Jason Stein, Capitol Reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal. The interview took place on December 12, 2008, from WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

The Ariens Technology and Engineering Education Center at Brillion High School is the culmination of a three-year public / private endeavor to revamp the technology education department. The 10,000 sq-foot Center was funded by a $1.5 million donation from the Ariens Foundation and engineered by Steve Meyer, BHS Technology Education Instructor. The new center includes a 50-student lecture facility, a large four-plex processing lab, and a state-of-the art design room with computers, CNC machines, electronics and robotics equipment. WisconsinEye had the chance to visit Billion High School to lean more, meeting Steve Meyer and several students participating in the curriculum.

Donna Brazile was the featured speaker on Thursday, December 11, 2008, at the YWCA Milwaukee's 4th Annual "Evening to Promote Racial Justice." Brazile is a political commentator and Chair of the Voting Rights Institute.

The Wisconsin Innovation Network held a luncheon meeting at the Brookfield Suites Hotel and Convention Center on Thursday, December 11, 2008. A panel discussion outlined how the region's research and industrial sectors can work together for economic growth and environmental sustainability. Panelists included Richard Meeusen, CEO of Badger Meter and co-chair of the Milwaukee 7 Water Council; Brian Thompson, president, UW-Milwaukee Research Foundation; Barry Grossman, partner, Foley & Lardner, LLP. The event was moderated by Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.

Emerge Wisconsin held a Victory Celebration and Cafe Montmartre in Madison on December 11, 2008. The celebration featured remarks from Wisconsin State Representative-elect Penny Bernard Schaber, Wisconsin State Representative Donna Seidel, and Karen Timberlake, Wisconsin's Secretary of Health Services.

Gail Sumi, State Issues Advocate for AARP Wisconsin, met for an interview with John Powell in the WisconsinEye studio on December 11, 2008, about issues concerning AARP Wisconsin.

On December 11, 2008, Shahla Werner, Ph. D., Chapter Director of the John Muir Chapter, Sierra Club, stopped by the WisconsinEye Studio to speak to Denise Rocha about the group's work to pass environmental policy.

The Governor's Commission on the United Nations observed Human Rights Day 2008 from the Humanities Building on the campus of UW-Madison. Speaking at the event were Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton and Wolfgang A. Schmidt, Chair, Governor's Commission on the United Nations. A panel, moderated by Professor Joe Elder of UW-Madison, included Professor Barrett McCormick of Marquette University, Judge (ret.) Moria Krueger, Chris Ahmuty of the ACLU and Angie Hougas of Amnesty International.

New North and NEW END presented a conference titled "A Date to Collaborate: Summit 2008" on December 8, 2008. The event took place at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and included a variety of speakers and presentations including a keynote by Richard C. Longworth, author of the book "Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism."

Continued coverage of "A Date to Collaborate."

Continued coverage of "A Date to Collaborate."

Continued coverage of "A Date to Collaborate."

The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council met for a conference on December 8, 2008, at Epic Systems in Verona. The conference included a variety of business leaders around the state who spoke on topics like "The Post Election Landscape" and "Green Jobs and Greening the Economy." The event was hosted by Epic Systems Corporation and The Business, Environment and Social Responsibility Program of UW-Madison.

Continued coverage of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

Continued coverage of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

Continued coverage of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

Continued coverage of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

Wellstone Action held Camp Wellstone, a three day training program titled "Successful Electoral Campaigns: Tools and Tactics for Success for Candidates and Campaign Workers" on December 5, 6, and 7, 2008, from UW-Madison's Pyle Center. The training featured track leaders, Ben Goldfarb, Director of Training Programs for Wellstone Action; Erik Peterson, Director of Education, Labor Program Director, Wellstone Action; Nicholl Caruso, State Director, Progressive Majority Wisconsin; and Kristen Crowell, Political Director, Progressive Majority Wisconsin.

Continued coverage of Camp Wellstone.

As part of Wisconsin Eye’s coverage of Camp Wellstone in Madison, Wisconsin, videographer Paul Schmidt interviewed Camp Wellstone instructor Erik Peterson, as well as participants and SEIU members Torrean Edwards and Cathy Edwards.

Continued coverage of Camp Wellstone.

Continued coverage of Camp Wellstone.

Continued coverage of Camp Wellstone.

Commerce Secretary Richard Leinenkugel discussed the state budget at a Wauwatosa Rotary Club meeting on December 4, 2008. The event took place at the Radisson Hotel in Milwaukee.

Forward Community Investments held a ceremony to present their Community Builder Award to Home Savings Bank President Jim Bradley. The event took place on December 4, 2008, and also featured a keynote presentation by Chris Abele, president and CEO of the Argosy Foundation, and an introduction by Steve Mech, CSA Commercial president. Also speaking at the event were Salli Martyniak, Forward Community Investments president, Lisa Furseth, FCI's Board of Directors chair, and Mary Lang Sollinger, a community volunteer.

A public policy forum on regional transit took place on December 4, 2008, at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Participants in the forum included Karl Ostby, RTA Chairman; Tim Sheehy, president of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce; Todd Battle, president, Kenosha Area Business Alliance; Roger Caron, president, Racine Area Manufacturers & Commerce. The panel was moderated by Bruce Murphy, editor of Milwaukee Magazine.

The Dairy Business Association held their 9th Annual Business Conference on December 3-4, 2008, at the Madison Concourse Hotel. The conference was titled, "Looking Ahead, Leading the Way," and featured a variety of speakers and guests during the two day event including Governor Jim Doyle, DATCP Secretary Rod Nilsestuen, DNR Secretary Matthew Frank, DBA President Jerry Meissner, and BIll McCoshen of Capitol Consultants. Full program details can be found at www.widba.com.

Continued coverage of DBA Conference.

Continued coverage of DBA Conference.

Continued coverage of DBA Conference.

Continued coverage of DBA Conference.

The Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW) and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) hosted an annual market update event at the Italian Conference Center in Milwaukee on December 3, 2008.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union and their partners announced a new Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign in the Senate Parlor of the State Capitol on December 3, 2008. Among those at the news conference were Sue Beitlich (WFU President), Pam Porter (WFU Policy Consultant), and Jamie Derr (WFU member); Keith Roepelle and Peter Taglia of Clean Wisconsin; Michael Vickerman and Ed Blume of RENEW Wisconsin; Margaret Krome and Bridget Holcomb of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.