Lawrence Reed, Director of the Bureau of Response and Recovery was interviewed on December 19, 2008 at the Emergency Management Center in Madison.

Carolyn "Biddy" Martin, UW-Madison Chancellor held a brainstorming session on December 19, 2008 at Rennebohm Hall on the UW-Madison campus. The focus of the session is on the opportunities and challenges facing higher education in today's slumping economy.

The State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board met on December 17, 2008, in open session to discuss items relating to elections and ethics. On their agenda was a review from department heads, including Nat Robinson on voter record policies such as registration and the status of HAVA check rules. The board also received testimony and then ruled on requests made by Supreme Court Justices Roggensack and Zeigler regarding blind trusts.

Continued coverage of the GAB meeting.

Continued coverage of the GAB meeting.

Continued coverage of the GAB meeting.

Acting Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, Ken Black, discussed the impact of the state’s budget problems on his department in an interview with Wisconsin Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer on December 16, 2008. The interview took place in the department’s Madison offices.

Wisconsin's Presidential Electors met at the State Capitol on December 15, 2008, to officially cast votes for President and Vice-President of the United States.

The Government Accountability Board held a public meeting on December 1, 2008, to certify the Wisconsin election results.

The Government Accountability Board held a public meeting on November 11, 2008.

Continued.

Continued.

The Government Accountability Board held a public meeting on October 27, 2008.

UW-Madison Chancellor held a roundtable discussion on October 15, 2008.

The Government Accountability Board held a public meeting on October 6, 2008.

Continued.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Biologist Bob Hay discussed Wisconsin’s endangered snake population with WisconsinEye Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer on September 12, 2008. Hay brought two endangered rattlesnakes into WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Description to follow.

Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, discussed his work to reform the University of Wisconsin System with WisconsinEye Public Policy Producer Craig Sauer on September 4, 2008. Nass discussed his role as the chair of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, the new UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin, and the role education has played in his own life. The interview took place in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Description to follow.

Continued.

Continued.

The State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board met in open session to discuss items relating to elections and ethics. Issues on their agenda were a public comment session during which a number of individuals testified on issues relating to lobbying rules and guidelines, election observation rules, disenfranchisement issues and the Help American Vote Act (HAVA) procedures. Of major importance was the decision made by the board to change from what date HAVA checks will be made on registered voters, potentially effecting how the registration of voters will take place at the polls.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Description to follow.

Kevin Kennedy, the Director and General Counsel for the Government Accountability Board, discussed Wisconsin Elections and the board role in them during the 2008 Election cycle on July 25, 2008. Kennedy was interviewed by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Capitol Reporter Stacy Forster in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio.

Dave MacFarland, University of Wisconsin-Madison Wildlife Ecology graduate student, and Keith Warnke, Department of Natural Resources deer and bear ecologist, discussed Wisconsin’s black bear population with WisconsinEye Contributor John Powell. A recent cooperative study suggests the population is larger than previously thought. The two were interviewed in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on July 25, 2008.

The State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board met in open session to discuss items relating to elections and ethics. Issues on their agenda were a public comment session as well as reports from the directors of the Ethics and Accountability Division and the Elections Divisions. The Wisconsin Legislature created the new Government Accountability Board (GAB) in January 2007, which assumed the combined responsibilities of the former State Elections Board and the State Ethics Board on January 10, 2008.

Continued.

The State of Wisconsin Government Accountability Board met in open session to discuss items relating to elections and ethics. Issues on their agenda were a public comment session as well as reports from the directors of the Ethics and Accountability Division and the Elections Divisions. The Wisconsin Legislature created the new Government Accountability Board (GAB) in January 2007, which assumed the combined responsibilities of the former State Elections Board and the State Ethics Board on January 10, 2008.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Description to follow.

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Director Michael Staggs discusses the entrance of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) into Wisconsin waters. Staggs also discusses the effects and the precautionary methods used with VHS, at the WisconsinEye studios with host Tyler Mickelson on June 13, 2008.

Description to follow.

Description to follow.

Continued.

Description to follow.

Description to follow.

WisconsinEye Contributor John Powell interviewed two Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) officials about the department’s response to the threat of the emerald ash borer, an exotic invasive bug which destroys ash trees. It has not yet been found in Wisconsin. DATCP’s Mick Skwarok and Brian Kuhn discuss what the state is doing to detect the borer and prevent its spread. Skwarok and Kuhn were interviewed from WisconsinEye’s Madison studio on May 2, 2008.

Description to follow.

In an attempt to keep up to date on the expansion of the ash-tree-destroying emerald ash borer – which has been found Michigan and Illinois, among other states – the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has been conducting a survey through southern Wisconsin checking for the invasive species. WisconsinEye joined a crew peeling ash trees in Hartland, Wis. on April 22 to see how the work is accomplished.

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster gave a short address to the Council on Library and Network Development on January 11 in Madison. Created by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1979, the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) advises the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (DPI) to ensure that all state citizens have access to library and information services.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor John Wiley announced he will step down from his post in 2008. Wiley, 65, has been at UW-Madison for more than 30 years, serving as chancellor since 2001. He made the announcement at the Chazen Art Museum in Madison.

In one of its last meetings before being rolled over into the new Government Accountability Board, the State Elections Board discussed several items of business including security of electronic voting equipment, rules for election official training. They also received a status report on the Government Accountability Board. The Wisconsin Legislature created the Government Accountability Board in January 2007, to assume the combined responsibilities of the current State Elections Board and the State Ethics Board.

In one of its last meetings before being rolled over into the new Government Accountability Board, the State Elections Board discussed several items of business including security of electronic voting equipment, rules for election official training. They also received a status report on the Government Accountability Board. The Wisconsin Legislature created the Government Accountability Board in January 2007, to assume the combined responsibilities of the current State Elections Board and the State Ethics Board.

The Natural Resources Board met in Madison October 23. They considered Board Order AM-08-07, incorporation of the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for the surface coating of paper; Board Order AM-12-07, pertaining to the revision of Wisconsin Administrative Code, incorporating changes in Federal Definitions, Permit Requirements and Portable Source Relocation Requirements; Board Order LE-07-07, revisions to NR 8, Wisconsin Administrative Code, pertaining to procedures for implementation of the wildlife violators compact; Board Order SS-06-06, related to Laboratory Certification and Registration; authorization proposed rules affecting NR 405, 407, and 408 pertaining to the incorporation of changes of federal regulations for the air permitting of ethanol plants; authorization for public hearing for Board order AM-31-07, incorporation of federal amendments to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) into the Wisconsin Administrative Code; authorization for Public Hearings for Board Order WT-35-07, Revision of Chapter NR 105 Relating to the Establishment of Surface Water Quality Criteria and Secondary Values for Toxic Substances. They also considered several land acquisition in the Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area - Washington County, Glacial Habitat Restoration Area - Winnebago County, Onion River Stream bank Protection Area - Sheboygan County, Peter Helland Wildlife Area - Columbia County, Dunnville Wildlife Area - Dunn County, Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area - Iron County. The board also addressed adoption of FH-30-07, rules to control the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus in Wisconsin and FH-40-07(E), rules to control the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus in Wisconsin.

The Natural Resources Board met in Madison October 23. They considered Board Order AM-08-07, incorporation of the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for the surface coating of paper; Board Order AM-12-07, pertaining to the revision of Wisconsin Administrative Code, incorporating changes in Federal Definitions, Permit Requirements and Portable Source Relocation Requirements; Board Order LE-07-07, revisions to NR 8, Wisconsin Administrative Code, pertaining to procedures for implementation of the wildlife violators compact; Board Order SS-06-06, related to Laboratory Certification and Registration; authorization proposed rules affecting NR 405, 407, and 408 pertaining to the incorporation of changes of federal regulations for the air permitting of ethanol plants; authorization for public hearing for Board order AM-31-07, incorporation of federal amendments to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) into the Wisconsin Administrative Code; authorization for Public Hearings for Board Order WT-35-07, Revision of Chapter NR 105 Relating to the Establishment of Surface Water Quality Criteria and Secondary Values for Toxic Substances. They also considered several land acquisition in the Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area - Washington County, Glacial Habitat Restoration Area - Winnebago County, Onion River Stream bank Protection Area - Sheboygan County, Peter Helland Wildlife Area - Columbia County, Dunnville Wildlife Area - Dunn County, Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area - Iron County. The board also addressed adoption of FH-30-07, rules to control the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus in Wisconsin and FH-40-07(E), rules to control the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus in Wisconsin.

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster gave a State of Education Address at the State Capitol September 20.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents met September 6 and discussed the Strategic Framework of the UW System to Advantage and Advance Wisconsin's Future.

The Government Accountability Board met for the first time August 23. The board, consisting of former judges, received information from the Ethics Board and the Elections Board to help determine the board's future course.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents met August 7 to approve the 2007-08 operating budget and tuition/fee schedules for UW
System.

In an emergency meeting the State Natural Resources board met to discuss viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a virus which affects fish, which had recently spread to Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago.