Wisconsin
DOJ weighs in on Line 5 trespass on tribal land in Wisconsin
Federal government finds trespass is illegal, makes no move to remove pipeline
UPPER PENINSULA — The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline has been found to be illegally trespassing on tribal land in Wisconsin, but will not be moved any time soon.
After years of court arguments, lawsuits and delays, the federal government announced this week that Enbridge is in fact trespassing on land owned by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, but made no move to force the pipeline off the land.
Tribal groups in the Great Lakes region expressed relief that Enbridge’s trespassing is being viewed as a crime after more than 10 years, but are still angry that no move is being made to remove the pipeline.
The Department of Justice announcement urged the courts to penalize Enbridge for its continued trespassing but also suggested the courts could allow Enbridge to continue trespassing illegally.
“Today, the United States agreed that Enbridge’s ongoing occupation of our land is illegal. We are grateful the U.S. urged the court not to let Enbridge profit from its unlawful trespass,” said Bad River Band Chairman Robert Blanchard in a statement. “But we are disappointed that the U.S. has not unequivocally called for an immediate end to Enbridge’s ongoing trespass, as justice and the law demand. Enbridge should be required to promptly leave our reservation, just like other companies that have trespassed on tribal land. We are hopeful that the appeals court will put an end to Enbridge’s shameful decade of trespass and not condone its exploitation of our land and sovereign rights.”
Built in 1953, Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 spans 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario. The line transports light crude oil and natural gas liquids. Four miles of the pipeline — consisting of two, 20-inch pipelines — crosses through the Straits of Mackinac.
Line 5’s continued presence in the Straits of Mackinac has sparked serious concern from environmental groups and other advocates about the devastating risk of rupture. On the other side, proponents of the pipeline point to the economic impact and need for fuel transportation.
More: As legal sparring continues, Army Corps pushes Line 5 permit timeline to 2025
All 12 of Michigan’s federally recognized tribes, as well as tribes in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada, have passed resolutions calling for the decommissioning of Line 5.
While tribal communities express concerns about a possible oil spill and potential ecological harm, the Great Lakes are also significant in the creation stories of the Anishinaabe tribes.
On March 21, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel delivered oral arguments at the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in an attempt to bring the Line 5 decommission lawsuit back to the state of Michigan.
The Nessel vs. Enbridge lawsuit was originally filed in 2019 in Michigan, arguing that the 1836 Treaty of Washington guarantees these tribes the right to maintain their way of life in the ceded territory — a right, they claim, that will be destroyed if an oil spill from the pipeline contaminates the waters.
“We expect a fair trial that upholds the promises the United States government made to our ancestors,” said Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chairman Austin Lowes. “We are going to present the facts behind our case and will never stop standing up for our rights as Indigenous people and the sovereignty of our nation.”
Enbridge has successfully delayed the case multiple times and had it removed from state to federal court.
“If the United States supports Enbridge, it would destroy not only both tribal sovereignty but also state sovereignty with respect to the ability to manage land, resources and water for their citizens,” said Bay Mills Indian Community President Whitney Gravelle.
Lowes added that “Our treaty with the United States government predates any treaty that Enbridge is using in an attempt to justify its illegal pipeline operations.”
“Our case isn’t just about whether Enbridge can continue operating Line 5, but it could impact every federally recognized tribe’s right to control what happens on their land,” he said.
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals requested federal input in December 2023. After this, in early March, leaders of 30 Tribal Nations in the Great Lakes region sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the United States to take action against Line 5’s trespass on the Bad River Band’s sovereign territories.
The Biden Administration has not responded to either request.
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More than 60 Tribal Nations supported Nessel in a motion to bring the case back to state court. The arguments for keeping the case in federal court or moving it back to state court were heard during the March 21 hearings at the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
Nessel maintains that this case belongs in state court based on Michigan’s sovereign responsibility to protect the public trust in the waters of the Great Lakes. She argued to the court that taking the case out of state court because Enbridge prefers a federal forum violates Michigan’s right to have state claims resolved in state court.
“The case law regarding a Tribal Nation’s sovereign right to maintain their homelands and thus their reservations is a core aspect of tribal sovereignty and any position to the contrary would be unexpected and shocking,” said Gravelle.
Assistant Attorney General Dan Bock argued to the Sixth Circuit that by waiting more than two years to move the case to federal court, Enbridge’s removal was untimely and must be rejected. Bock also argued that, timing issues aside, the federal court misapplied the law when it ruled that the case belongs in federal court rather than state court.
Enbridge’s attorney Alice Loughran argued that the removal to federal court was timely, and it should remain in federal court because federal issues dominate the case. Those issues include the impact of the 1977 U.S.-Canada transnational pipelines treaty, the federal Submerged Lands Act and the extensive federal regulation of oil pipelines.
Enbridge argued that the state’s rights to protect the waters of the Great Lakes and the company’s right to protect commerce profits are federal issues.
The arguments were presented to a three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal: Judges Richard Griffin, Amul Thapar and John Nalbandian.
On April 9, the Department of Justice weighed in on the appeal and came to a final decision that Enbridge is illegally trespassing. Though it acknowledges the trespassing, it does not call for immediate removal and even suggested the courts could allow the trespassing to continue indefinitely.
Many tribal groups spoke out about the dangers of such a decision, as it continues to threaten both environmental safety in the area and tribal sovereignty.
“The filing leaves more questions than answers. It also leaves Bad River, other Tribal Nations throughout the region, and the 40 million people that rely on the Great Lakes at risk of a catastrophic spill. We fear it will take Line 5 failing again, and the disaster of an oil spill for our position to be taken seriously. This isn’t just about tribes, it is about clean water, it is about life. It is about every U.S. citizen and preserving our natural resources for generations to come,” said Gravelle.
Requests for comment from Enbridge were not returned.
— Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
(Stacker) – Homebuilding plays a critical role in maintaining a steady housing supply and keeping prices at sustainable levels. As the U.S. population grows, more housing is needed to meet demand. Since the Great Recession, construction has lagged well behind what is needed, which is one of the main reasons home prices are so high today.
Supply has slowly increased over the past few years but is still below what is needed for the market to balance out. Until that gap closes, prices are likely to remain elevated, and many buyers will likely struggle to afford a home.
So, how many homes are getting built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026? Is construction increasing or decreasing?
Redfin Real Estate analyzed the rate of housing permits issued in the cities of Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Sheboygan over the past 13 months to find out.
Appleton
2026
- January – Building permits: 29 (1.2 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 57 (2.3 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 52 (2.1 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 46 (1.9 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 60 (2.5 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 183 (7.5 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 53 (2.2 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 128 (5.3 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 139 (5.7 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 86 (3.5 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 246 (10.1 per 10k)
Fond du Lac
2026
- January – Building permits: 10 (1.0 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 15 (1.4 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 17 (1.6 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 16 (1.5 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 19 (1.8 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)
Green Bay
2026
- January – Building permits: 304 (9.3 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 84 (2.6 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 67 (2.0 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 97 (3.0 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 166 (5.1 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 141 (4.3 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 93 (2.8 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 185 (5.6 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 120 (3.7 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 88 (2.7 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 155 (4.7 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 156 (4.8 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 62 (1.9 per 10k)
Oshkosh
2026
- January – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 15 (0.9 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 23 (1.3 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 22 (1.3 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 46 (2.7 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 61 (3.6 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 54 (3.1 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 77 (4.5 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 26 (1.5 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 87 (5.1 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 125 (7.3 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 79 (4.6 per 10k)
Sheboygan
2026
- January – Building permits: 3 (0.3 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 31 (2.6 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 27 (2.3 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 9 (0.8 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 19 (1.6 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 22 (1.9 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 15 (1.3 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 174 (14.7 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 38 (3.2 per 10k)
Nationally
2026
- January – Building permits: 1,386,000 (44.2 per 10,000 population)
2025
- January – Building permits: 1,460,000 (46.6 per 10,000 population)
- February – Building permits: 1,454,000 (44.2 per 10k)
- March – Building permits: 1,481,000 (47.2 per 10k)
- April – Building permits: 1,422,000 (45.4 per 10k)
- May – Building permits: 1,394,000 (44.5 per 10k)
- June – Building permits: 1,393,000 (44.4 per 10k)
- July – Building permits: 1,362,000 (43.5 per 10k)
- August – Building permits: 1,330,000 (42.4 per 10k)
- September – Building permits: 1,425,000 (45.1 per 10k)
- October – Building permits: 1,411,000 (45.0 per 10k)
- November – Building permits: 1,388,000 (44.3 per 10k)
- December – Building permits: 1,455,000 (46.4 per 10k)
National permit data is a seasonally adjusted annual rate; metro-level permit data is the non-seasonally adjusted total number of permits issued per month.
Copyright 2026 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 9, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 9 drawing
15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 2-4-4
Evening: 8-4-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 7-3-4-7
Evening: 3-3-5-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 03-04-05-06-07-09-12-13-14-16-19
Evening: 03-08-09-12-13-14-15-17-20-21-22
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 9 drawing
05-14-18-25-27
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from May 9 drawing
02-09-16-28-32-35, Doubler: Y
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks numbers from May 9 drawing
02-20-36-39-40-41
Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **
WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office
FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. – Two people from Illinois were arrested following a police chase that started in Fond du Lac County and ended in Winnebago County on Friday, May 8.
Initial traffic stop
What we know:
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, just after 1 p.m. the sheriff’s office got an alert for a stolen vehicle out of Illinois heading northbound on I-41 from County Road Y.
It was learned that the vehicle was involved in two different police chases in the past week in Illinois, but had eluded officers each time.
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A short time later, a deputy spotted the vehicle on I-41 near Winnebago Street. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle northbound, waiting for more deputies to get into position to attempt a high-risk traffic stop. Once those deputies were in position, a high-risk traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle initially pulled over and stopped, but right after deputies got out of their squad cars and started telling the people to get out of the vehicle, it instead fled northbound on I-41.
Chase into Winnebago County
What we know:
The chase went into Winnebago County, with the vehicle failing to pullover and instead speeding up. As the chase continued, the vehicle continued driving recklessly, passing by other vehicles on the interstate, including passing on the shoulder and weaving between vehicles, all at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle exited I-41 and ran three red lights. The chase continued southbound on State Highway 26, with the vehicle continuing to pass vehicles at a high rate of speed on the two-lane highway.
The vehicle then went off the road and drove through the yard of a home before circling around in the yard, traveling through the ditch, and reentering the highway going northbound. It then went into a field near County Road Z and Clay Road.
As a sergeant with the sheriff’s office was moving in to perform a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver), the suspect vehicle went into reverse and rammed the front of the squad. The vehicle then attempted to leave the field by traveling through a ditch and back up onto the road, where another sheriff’s squad ended the chase by intentionally striking the vehicle and pushing it off the road and back into the ditch.
The vehicle rolled over in the ditch, came to rest upright, but was then disabled and could not move. Two people got out of the vehicle and were taken into custody. The vehicle started on fire and a fire department had to respond to extinguish the fire. Both people from the vehicle were evaluated by medical personnel on scene.
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Facing charges
What we know:
The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old man from Des Plaines, Illinois. He was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:
- Fleeing/Eluding an Officer
- 1st-Degree Reckless Endangering Safety (2 Counts)
- Resisting/Obstructing Officer
- Delivering Illegal Articles by Inmate (Ecstasy Pills).
The driver’s criminal history in Illinois was flagged as armed and dangerous with previous weapons offenses, dangerous drug offenses, and criminal damage to property.
The passenger of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old woman from Franklin Park, Illinois. She was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:
- Fleeing/Eluding—Party to a Crime
- 1st Degree Reckless Endangering Safety—Party to a Crime
- Possession of THC
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Resisting and Obstructing an Officer
The Source: The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office sent FOX6 a press release.
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