Wisconsin
Three takeaways from Wisconsin spring practice No. 15
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Badgers were back inside the McClain Center for their fifteenth and final practice of the spring.
BadgerBlitz.com was on the scene. Here are my three biggest takeaways from Wednesday’s action.
The first hour of practice went as usual, but in the second hour of practice, the team held a special teams scrimmage. We watched nothing but kicking and punting for an hour.
Atticus Bertrams had a strong day, but the attention was grabbed by the two top kickers. Nathaniel Vakos and Gavin Lahm faced off in a field goal battle. Vakos has been the starter for the past two years, but Fickell made it known that the position is far from locked down.
“It’s gonna be one of those ones that we’re gonna have to figure out,” coach Luke Fickell said on April 15.
“I don’t know that either one just wants to be a kickoff specialist, and I respect that. We did a good job of being able to keep both of those guys because they both have a really unique skill set, but there’s still a little bit of a difference. Lahm, by nature, does have a bigger leg on some of those really long ones, but Vakos, just the other day, was pretty consistent with his 55-yarders as well.”
It was tough to gauge their progress throughout the spring because the kickers only attempted two or three field goals per practice. We got a much better look Thursday.
Vakos seems to still be in the lead. He made six-of-seven field goals, converting from 42, 43, 50, 50, 52 and 53 yards, for an average distance of 48.3 yards. His only miss came from 52, which doinked off the upright.
Lahm, on the other hand, made just three of his six attempts converting from 42, 54 and 54 yards. Fickell was right about him having a stronger leg. Distance wasn’t an issue on any of his misses. There was a 54-yard attempt that could have converted from 64, yet it sailed right.
Regardless of Fickell’s mid-April comments, it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a position battle here. Vakos is the guy. But if he struggles like he did last year, I wouldn’t be shocked if the coaches turn to Lahm.
Wisconsin
President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor
President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in his bid to be the next governor of Wisconsin.
Trump announced the endorsement Tuesday night, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Tiffany had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
“He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump wrote.
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The endorsement puts to bed the questions of whether — and when — Trump would weigh in on the GOP primary for governor.
Tiffany, who has represented northern Wisconsin’s 7th District in Congress since 2020, was considered an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination against Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, but recent fundraising numbers suggested Schoemann could put up a fight.
The backing from Trump has proven critical in Republican primaries across the country, and it’s almost certain to give Tiffany a boost. Four years ago, Trump’s endorsement helped propel businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in the 2022 GOP primary for governor.
But whether the president’s nod is a help or a hindrance in the general election is an open question, especially in a cycle that polling suggests could favor Democrats. Four years ago, Michels lost to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the general election. And almost immediately after Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin looked to seize on the president’s support of Tiffany as a condemnation.
“We agree with Donald Trump—Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising every day costs,” read a statement from state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November.”
At least seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for governor, where many of them have made attacking Trump central to their campaigns. The winner of the general election will replace Evers, who is not seeking a third term.
Trump’s announcement came as part of a slate of endorsements posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday evening. He also endorsed Michael Alfonso, who is running for Tiffany’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in Congress.
Alfonso is the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, who represented the 7th District before Tiffany. He’s one of four Republicans running to replace Tiffany.
Trump called Alfonso “a young ‘STAR’.”
In a post on X, Alfonso wrote that it is his “greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump,” and pledged “to be a steadfast MAGA warrior.”
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Wisconsin
Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola
The move comes after Polaris announced it was separating from Indian Motorcycle.
Powersports company Polaris has announced it plans to wind down the operations at its facility in Osceola which specializes in manufacturing Indian Motorcycle.
The move impacts roughly 200 Wisconsin workers at the facility.
On Jan. 27, during a fourth quarter and full year earnings call for 2025, Polaris said the company expects to sell Indian Motorcycle by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to Carolwood, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles. However the company plans to maintain some stake in the company.
Polaris officials said called the sale of Indian Motorcycle was a “difficult decision” and added it was a “move that we believe is best for Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.”
In a post on X, Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin said:
“We have seen this story in Wisconsin too many times – a private equity firm buys a company, hollows it out, & fires its workers, all to pad their profits. It’s simply wrong.”
Wisconsin
Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case
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