Jim Piwowarczyk

The estimated full cost of the Hartland Arrowhead school referendum project could rise to more than $405 million, an amount that includes interest, according to an assessment estimate provided to the district by R.W. Baird and obtained by Wisconsin Right Now. The School District has repeatedly told the public that the project will cost $261 Million. On the Tuesday ballot, voters will be asked whether to approve the referendum. When asked about the discrepancy, Superintendent Conrad D. Farner told Wisconsin Right Now that it's common for school districts  not  to include interest in the cost estimates they give voters, which helps account for the difference. However, he said that the higher estimate  was included in the levy impact. We would note that the federal Truth in Lending Act for home and auto loans "requires lenders to provide standardized information about the costs and terms of loans, including the annual percentage rate (APR), the loan term, and the cost of...

Whitman Middle School in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has invited a trans drag queen to speak to children of "all grade levels" during "7th grade lunch" hour. "This Friday GSA & Whitman Explorers are Celebrating LGBTQ+ HISTORY during 7th grade lunch. Sign up with Ms. Jewell, Ms. Fritz, or Ms. Hammons. Save your seat to meet Aaleh Hughes Youth Program Coordinator for MKE the LGBTQ+ CENTER," the Whitman Middle School's website says. The graphic on the school’s website says that the talk will occur “during 7th grade lunch” on Nov. 1 but adds, “All grade levels may attend!” After backlash, however, the principal wrote to Whitman families on Oct. 31 that the appearance will be "delayed" but will still happen in the future. "Aaleh Hughes (She/Her) is a black woman of trans experience, ballroom diva, powerful, entertainer, advocate, and role model. She is a native of Rockford, IL, residing in Milwaukee, WI," Hughes' bio on th...

New polling from Wisconsin shows the presidential race in the state remains too close to call. The survey, conducted Oct. 16-24 by Marquette Law School, shows Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris barely leads Republican former President Donald Trump 50% to 49% among Wisconsin voters. The results fall well within the poll’s +/-4.4 margin of error. “It should not surprise anyone if Donald Trump wins, and it should not surprise anyone if Kamala Harris wins,” MLS poll Director Franklin said. “Because the polling – both ours and the polling averages for the state, which is under a 1% average margin right now – are just so close that polling is not going to help us at all to have confidence in who’s the likely winner.” The partisan makeup of the poll sample, which included 834 registered and 753 likely voters, is 39% Republican, 31% Democratic, and 34% Independent. Favorability ratings have remained mostly stable for the presidential candidates, but have significantly changed for ...

With a total of 137 local school referendum questions spread across ballots in Wisconsin, recent data shows voters’ support for increasing property taxes to fund public education is waning. Marquette Law School polled 834 registered Wisconsin voters from Oct. 16-24, asking their opinions on presidential candidates, the direction of the state, and public school referendums, among other things. The poll found that voters’ desire to prioritize public school spending over lower property taxes peaked in late 2018, when 57% of Wisconsin registered voters polled said increasing school spending was more important and only 37% said reducing property taxes was more important. But now, voter support for increasing school district funding has fallen to its lowest level since Marquette began tracking the sentiment in 2013, with only 44% in the most recent survey saying school spending is more important, versus 55% who chose lower property taxes. The change occurs even as voters’ reported s...

By: WI State Senator Dan Knodl I wanted to remind everyone who is eligible to vote, to engage in their civic duty to do so. Thursday, October 31st is the last day to request an absentee ballot for regular and overseas voters and Sunday, November 3rd is the last day to vote in-person absentee. Otherwise, Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th with polls open from 7AM until 8PM. I cannot stress enough the importance of voting. It is the bedrock of our democracy to keep our constitutional republic thriving. We must not take this right for granted; make your voice heard. To prepare for the upcoming election, in the past year and a half the State Legislature did take several steps to increase security measures for this election. In addition, our poll watchers and election officials are more informed and they have gained valuable experience since our last presidential election. Unfortunately, our governor vetoed a very important measure to assist our election officials when deal...

This is an opinion piece by Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann Something special is happening in Washington County. We’re seeing record breaking in-person absentee numbers, meaning more of our county residents are taking advantage of opportunities to vote early. Washington County is the 10th largest county in terms of population, and we’re currently hanging around 6th highest early vote returns, representing a 165.9% increase. These numbers aren’t a coincidence, this represents a commitment from our county to expand access to early voting hours, giving our citizens more opportunities to vote. By working with our County Clerk, Ashley Reichert, and the County Board, we were able to pass a comprehensive election integrity package that would help our municipalities expand opportunities for in-person absentee hours. Understanding that the county can’t mandate additional hours, we wanted to give our clerks the flexibility to offer these hours through municipal grants that fu...

By: J. Christian Adams Are you registered to vote for next week’s election? If not, don’t panic. Wisconsin is one of many states offering Election Day Registration. This means voters can show up at the polls on Election Day to register to vote. This system unfortunately trades election integrity for convenience. Election Day Registration is a vote now, verify later system. Later -- meaning after the election -- when you cannot claw back votes from apparently bogus registration addresses. For instance, in states without Election Day Registration, people register to vote well before voting. Election officials have time to verify eligibility to ensure the applicant lives where they say they do and meet the other requirements. In Wisconsin, the verification of eligibility happens after all the votes have been counted and the election is certified. This is one of the worst ways to run a clean election. It is a system with ample opportunity for abuse. For example, someone could easily ...

  The U.S. Supreme Court has granted Virginia’s emergency request to keep “noncitizens” off voter rolls, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Wednesday morning via a social media post. The Wednesday morning announcement comes after a coalition of 24 state attorneys general joined the commonwealth in urging the high court to allow Virginia to remove “self-identified noncitizens” from voter rolls. Miyares announced Sunday evening that the commonwealth would file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to block a ruling an order from the U.S. District Court to return over 1,500 noncitizens to the voter rolls that have been removed since Aug. 7. The 6-3 ruling overturns the unanimous decision from a panel of judges in the Fourth Circuit of Appeals that rejected Virginia's request on Sunday to stop an order from a lower court to reinstate noncitizen registrations removed from voter rolls. In the amicus brief filed to the highest court, the...

Manuel Antonio Herrera-Hernandez is accused of shooting a man multiple times in a remote Oconto County Park. A major drug investigation in Brown County, Wisconsin, subsequently revealed that he is affiliated with the Jalisco "New Generation Drug Cartel” in Mexico and was an "illegal Mexican national," according to Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarban. The criminal complaint said authorities confiscated large amounts of meth, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl during the investigation. Starting on Sept. 25 and through the presidential election, we have been telling readers about different inmates with ICE detainers who are accused of committing serious crimes in Wisconsin. We are highlighting a range of serious crimes . FILE #17 The Defendant: Manuel Antonio Herrera-Hernandez [caption id="attachment_309785" align="alignleft" width="219"] Manuel Herrera-Hernandez[/caption] The Jail: Oconto County Jail The Charges: 1st Degree Intenti...

Starting on Sept. 25 and through the presidential election, we have been telling readers about different inmates with ICE detainers who are accused of committing serious crimes in Wisconsin. We are highlighting a range of serious crimes . FILE #16 The Defendant: Obilio Thomas Sargento Robrelo [caption id="attachment_309723" align="alignleft" width="101"] Obilio Thomas Sargento Robrelo[/caption] The Jail: Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility in Little Rock, Arkansas (held on fugitive arrest for Wisconsin authorities) The Charges: Hit and Run resulting in death (felony). Faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted Date and Place of Offense: October 25, 2024, in the Town of Gillett, Oconto County, Wisconsin [caption id="attachment_309781" align="alignleft" width="248"] Retired Green Bay Police Officer Tom Roberts[/caption] The Victim: Retired Green Bay Police Officer Tom Roberts (serv...

There’s a warning about invasive carp in two western Wisconsin rivers. The Department of Natural Resources said silver carp have been found in both the lower Chippewa River and lower Black River. “In July, the DNR began receiving reports from anglers of jumping fish suspected to be invasive carp at the Dells Dam on the lower Chippewa River in Eau Claire. The Dells Dam in Eau Claire prevents further upstream passage of invasive carp in the Chippewa River System,” the DNR said. “On Aug. 1, DNR staff went to the dam and observed jumping fish but were unable to verify the species of fish.” The department said it confirmed silver carp in the lower Black River in September. “The dam in Black River Falls is a barrier to upstream fish migration, and no observations or other detections of invasive carp have been reported in the lower Black River at this time,” the DNR added. Silver carp are an invasive species in the Midwest and have done immense damage to other rivers where they’...

  Some Arab- and Muslin-American leaders endorsed Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally Saturday in Novi, Michigan. The endorsements are notable in the key swing state that is home to more than 200,000 Muslim-American voters. According to RealClearPolitics' polling average, Trump holds the narrowest of leads over Harris in Michigan, 47.9% to 47.7%. "We're winning overwhelming support from the Muslim and Arab voters right here in Michigan," Trump told the crowd. That support from Muslim leaders includes Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib and Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi, as well as Imam Belal Alzuhairi. Saturday's rally occurred less than 24 hours after Israel struck Iran with strategically targeted missiles the night before. The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East was among the reasons the Muslim and Arab leaders cited in their endorsement of the former president. "We are supporting Donald Trump ...

  Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced late Sunday the commonwealth will file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to block the return of more than 1,500 noncitizens to voter rolls. The appeal follows a unanimous panel ruling Sunday from the Fourth Circuit of Appeals rejecting Virginia's request to stop an order from a lower court to reinstate noncitizens removed from voter rolls within 90 days of an election. The latest ruling comes two days after the commonwealth filed an emergency motion to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Friday night to stay a ruling from the district court. Shortly after Friday's ruling, Miyares defended the commonwealth's removal of noncitizens from the voter rolls, claiming the ruling was “politically motivated.” "It should never be illegal to remove an illegal voter," said Miyares. "The Department of Justice pulled this shameful, politically motivated stunt...

  There were nearly 565,000 illegal border crossers reported in Arizona in fiscal 2024, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data . Arizona’s 378 miles of shared border with Mexico is staffed by CBP and Border Patrol agents in the CBP sectors of Tucson and Yuma. Tucson Sector’s 262-mile shared border with Mexico extends from the Yuma County line to the Arizona-New Mexico state line. Yuma Sector’s nearly 182,000 square miles of primarily desert terrain extends from Imperial Sand Dunes in California to the Yuma-Pima County line. The Tucson Sector has historically been one of the busiest along the U.S.-Mexico border. In fiscal 2024, Border Patrol agents there reported 463,567 illegal border crossers, the most of any sector along the southwest border during the year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. The second greatest number was reported by San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents of nearly 325,000, The Center Square reported. Tucson Office of Field Operations ag...

Wisconsin Republican Reps. Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil testified at a House Judiciary Committee meeting last week about the dangers of sanctuary cities and the community challenges illegal immigration has posed across the state, particularly in Whitewater. Steil has previously pointed to Whitewater as a “case study” of the damaging effects of illegal immigration under the current administration. The influx of roughly 1,000 migrants to the city of 15,000 has led to increasing strain on law enforcement, school resources, and housing capacity in Whitewater, according to reports . Now, the city is witnessing cartel activity, including drug and human trafficking operations, Steil testified, referencing multiple reports . “We know the danger that that poses in our communities,” Steil said. “And there has been state legislation where we could have had an opportunity to ban sanctuary cities here in the United States, and we’ve not been successful in doing that under Democratic leade...

By: Rep. Thomas A. Michalski - Wisconsin State Assembly, District 13 This is an opinion column. Recently, I attended a Wauwatosa Senior Forum. As the lone conservative-minded person at the table, I was profoundly struck by the progressive left's response to two seemingly unrelated items. In the first item, Wauwatosa School District Superintendent Dr. Means briefly discussed the School District’s two referendums: a $60M Capitol Budget referendum and a $64M Operating Budget referendum. The operating referendum would increase the School district’s operating budget by 64% over four years. I wasn't given the opportunity to talk about the two referendums. Still, after listening to Dr. Means, I couldn't help but notice that the School District intentionally used most of its $40 million in reserves on operating budget items, such as increasing salaries by 30% over three years. This happened while losing control of their budget and overspending somewhere between $4 and 8 m...

This is an opinion column. The barrage of political ads these days has become overwhelming. Wisconsin is a battleground state and basically neither red nor blue, but purple when it comes to being Republican or Democrat. Because of the state’s importance in the upcoming election, Wisconsin residents have been subjected to a multitude of television and radio ads, mailings, text messages and phone calls, all pro-this candidate or anti-that candidate. The campaign for the Wisconsin Senate seat began slowly. Republican Eric Hovde had a few ads in which he spoke about his MS diagnosis.Hovde also mentioned his work with the homeless children in Africa to provide shelters.While the personal touch gave insight into Hovde’s background, he wasn’t going after Baldwin the way she began immediately attacking Hovde. In the initial stages of the campaign, Baldwin had a comfortable lead. It appeared that Hovde might go the way of several Republican candidates who failed to get their message out ...

This is an opinion column. I attended a Hovde event recently so I could report on the experience with all of you. The polls show that Hovde is now breaking even with Baldwin. Everyone in Wisconsin knows that the history of polling here demonstrates that any conservative within 5 points of the Democrat is actually breaking even or even slightly ahead. The Hovde event was held at a farm in a horse barn in Fitchburg and was very well organized, but the most interesting part is that there were many hundreds of voters in attendance; the most I’ve seen for an event for a senate candidate in 40 years. The event was followed two days later with the U.S. Senate candidate debate between Hovde and Baldwin. Baldwin came off as tired and lacking energy. Worse, I have heard her ads on the radio, and the blatant nature of her lies shocked me.  She’ll say anything, and she’s desperate to hold onto power.  Did you ever notice how Democrats can’t win without lying about their own true positions...