Minnesota

Wisconsin childcare providers brace for end of federal relief money

Published

1 year ago

August 10, 2023

Press Room

Wisconsin childcare providers brace for end of federal relief money

HUDSON, Wis. – Thousands of families in Wisconsin are close to a childcare crisis.

Critical funding is close to ending, and parents would be the ones paying the price.

Federal relief money for Wisconsin childcare providers that began during the pandemic will dry up in January.

Daycare owners say they use the money for rent, livable wages for staff, and equipment and supplies.

A Minnesota town may be a blueprint for how to fix the nation’s childcare crisis

“If it goes away, what will happen is we have to raise our rates on average about $50 to $75 a week,” said Angela Norvald, the owner of Simply Giggle Childcare in Hudson.

Shane Piringer picked up his son from Simply Giggle on Thursday. He says he and his wife are concerned about the potential price hike.

“You just start having to decide what’s more important, childcare or going out to dinner?” Piringer said.

Wisconsin’s Department of Children and Families says more than 60% of the state’s childcare providers will raise tuition if the program ends.

More than 30% would consider simply shutting their doors.

“If your daycare suddenly goes away, what do you do?” Piringer said.

Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, wants to continue the funding. He’s called a special session for next month.

But Republicans control the legislature and already rejected the budget proposal earlier this year. They want tax cuts, not more government spending.

Wisconsin Republicans vote to end funding for child care program

“This extra money from the state was very helpful, and if that goes away, why am I doing this thankless job?” said Anna Smith, the owner of Fanfare Childcare in Hudson.

Smith says burnout in the childcare industry is common, as is feeling underappreciated.

“As people learned during the pandemic, without childcare, without us, you don’t have a workforce,” Norvald said.

Minnesota childcare providers are also losing federal funding, but investments made at the legislature this past session are helping make up for it.

David Schuman

David joined the WCCO team in April 2020, previously working at CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Prior to that, he worked in Las Vegas. While there, David covered several stories in the national spotlight, including the October 1 mass shooting and political visits from President Barack Obama and candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

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Minnesota

Tips for traveling smart this Thanksgiving week

Published

7 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Tips for traveling smart this Thanksgiving week – CBS Minnesota

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As many as 80 million people will hit the roads and skies this Thanksgiving week, AAA says.

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Minnesota

Minnesota farmers meet for annual convention

Published

15 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Minnesota farmers meet for annual convention

Members of the Minnesota Farmers Union came together in Minneapolis on Sunday for the 83rd-annual state convention.

The annual convention aims to bring the community together and focus on the future.

Union President Gary Wertish says one of the biggest challenges for farmers is high input prices for fertilizer and fuel. A sheet titled “Farmer’s Share” showed that farmers and ranchers only make 14.3 cents per every dollar spent by consumers.

“We see prices going up in the grocery store we often blame farmers. But the farmers aren’t getting a large part of the increase,” said Janet Kubat, the union’s communications director.

Wertish says that on a national level, there’s a push for Congress to expand the current farm bill as a safety net for farmers.

As he looks to the future, he is concerned about President-Elect Trump’s proposed tariffs of 60-80% on Chinese goods, saying it could hurt farms and consumers.

The union also passed a policy in the school lunch program to have 20% of food or ingredients to come from local farmers.

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Minnesota

Minnesota Politicians Form Presidential Recommendations Committee

Published

24 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Minnesota Politicians Form Presidential Recommendations Committee

WASHINTON D.C. (WJON News) — Four Minnesota politicians have formed a committee to recommend candidates to President Donald Trump.

Congressmen Tom Emmer, Pete Stauber, Brad Finstad, and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach announced the formation of the committee to help recommend candidates for U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, and other vacancies that may come up in Minnesota.

U.S. Capitol In Washington

Stefan Zaklin, Getty Images

The lawmakers say the committee’s members are some of the sharpest legal minds in Minnesota and they have a wealth of experience and expertise. The committee will be chaired by former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson. The full committee will be:

Barry Anderson (Chair), former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice
David Asp, Partner at Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP
John Hinderaker, President of the Center of the American Experiment
Allie Howell, Trial, and Appellate Counsel at the Upper Midwest Law Center
Tad Jude, a former judge in Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District

U.S. Senate Votes On Amendments To Inflation Reduction Act Over The Weekend

Anna Rose Layden, Getty Images

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