Wisconsin
Merrill Fire Department highlights benefits of Wisconsin Fire Dues Program – Merrill Foto News
State presents check for $50,000 to Merrill Fire Chief
On Sept. 3, 2024, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Secretary Dan Hereth and Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Nathan Houdek presented a ceremonial check for more than $50,000 to City of Merrill Fire Department Chief Josh Klug. The check representes the department’s share of funding from the Wisconsin 2% Fire Dues Program.
“Safety is a vital part of our department’s mission, and our state fire departments are the backbone of safety in Wisconsin communities,” said DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth. “Ensuring that safety means funding our fire departments, and the Fire Dues Program is a major source of funding.”
The 2% Fire Dues Program requires insurers to pay 2% of premiums collected for insurance against loss from fires. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) collects the dues, and DSPS distributes the dues to hundreds of cities, villages, and towns across Wisconsin according to a prescribed formula. This summer, Wisconsin professional, volunteer, and hybrid fire departments received a total of $32.2 million, a nearly $4 million increase over 2023.
“This program is all about prevention. Fire departments across our state can take their share of the Fire Dues funding and put it towards the programs that best serve their communities. We’re proud to play a part in this collaboration,” said Commissioner Houdek.
Wisconsin fire departments can use the Fire Dues funding in a variety of ways to keep communities safe, including buying and replacing equipment, producing fire prevention programming, training crews, and more. Merrill has used some of its annual funding to keep a dedicated Fire Inspector on staff.
“Previously, we had employees filling in that role on a rotating basis,” said Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug. “Having someone dedicated to that job allows our other fire staff to concentrate on their work, and for our local businesses it provides consistency. There is no question about whom to contact with questions about fire inspections.”
Chief Klug and Fire Inspector Joe Bozinski joined Merrill Mayor Steve Hass and City Administrator Rod Akey to accept the ceremonial check for $50,872.26.
DSPS issues more than 240 unique licenses, administers dozens of boards and councils that regulate professions, enforces state building codes, and maintains the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is a key tool in the multi-faceted public health campaign to stem excessive opioid prescribing. A fee-based agency, DSPS is self-sustaining and receives no general fund tax dollars for its day-to-day operations. With two offices and roughly 250 employees, DSPS collaborates with constituents and stakeholders across a wide range of industries to promote safety and advance the economy.
Wisconsin
Hungry prowler arrested after breaking into Wisconsin home to cook ‘shrimp and pasta dinner’: police
Someone’s a sucker for pasta.
A Wisconsin woman found herself behind bars after she allegedly broke into a home with enough time to cook herself a nice pasta dinner.
The Madison Police Department arrested Joanna Kelly Lee after officers found the peckish prowler making herself comfortable inside a home she had just broken into, Fox News reported.
Police responded to the Madison residence late Tuesday evening after the tenant came home and discovered someone inside with all the lights on.
Authorities said Lee greeted officers at the door and insisted she was allowed to be in the home after identifying the resident by name, Fox reported.
“Lee provided a detailed story about how she met the resident at a coffee shop earlier and had been given keys to the house,” police told the outlet. “Lee had been in the house long enough to cook herself a shrimp and pasta dinner.”
The resident refuted Lee’s story telling police she was a stranger and was never given permission to enter her home or eat her food.
Investigators later found that Lee invented the story after stifling through the resident’s mail, Fox reported.
Lee was charged with burglary and criminal trespass and is being held at the Dane County Jail in Madison.
Wisconsin
Eleven University of Wisconsin Student-Athletes to Participate in Exact Sciences NIL Program
MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin Athletics and Learfield’s Badger Sports Properties, in collaboration with Exact Sciences, announce the return of the Exact Sciences Athletes program for the 2024-25 academic year. The program will offer name, image, and likeness (NIL) and educational opportunities to 11 Badger student-athletes.
The student-athletes will engage with the company on various initiatives, including career coaching, community events, social media outreach and more. Tailored to the student-athlete’s individual interests, each athlete can explore career paths and build their personal brand through a passion for health care and community giveback.
“We couldn’t be more pleased that the Exact Sciences Athletes program is returning for a second year,” said Mitchell Pinta, UW Deputy Athletic Director. “This is a truly innovative program that allows student-athletes to showcase their skills and make meaningful connections in the healthcare sector, reinforcing our commitment to preparing students for life after college athletics. It has already produced some fantastic outcomes for student-athletes, and we’re excited to see it continue to grow. Thank you to the team at Exact Sciences for partnering with our student-athletes in such a valuable initiative.”
Student-athletes participating in the program include:
- Austin Brown | Football | Major: Health Promotion and Health Equity | Hometown: Johnston City, Ill.
- Carter Gilmore| Men’s Basketball |Major: Consumer Behavior | Hometown: Hartland, Wis.
- Sophia Gruenling | Rowing | Major: Genetics and Genomics | Hometown: Marshfield, Wis.
- Elissa Perkins | Track & Field | Major: Nursing | Hometown: Bolingbrook, Ill.
- Ronnie Porter | Women’s Basketball | Major: Family Studies| Hometown: Saint Paul, Minn.
- Chloe Powell | Rowing | Major: Marketing | Hometown: Menlo Park, Calif.
- Liam Smith | Rowing | Major: Personal Finance | Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Jason Swarens | Track and Field | Major: Mechanical Engineering | Hometown: Terre Haute, Indi.
- Bella Vasseur | Women’s Hockey | Major: Applied Mathematics, Engineering, and Physics | Hometown: Oregon, Wisc.
- Abby Wanezek | Swimming | Major: Kinesiology | Hometown: Elm Grove, Wisc.
- Jalen Williams | Track and Field | Major: Health Promotion and Health Equity| Hometown: Washington, D.C.
The Exact Sciences Athletes program has expanded from eight to 11 student-athletes following a successful inaugural year that saw 18.5 hours of volunteering, 20 hours of career exploration and one student-athlete landing a full-time position upon their graduation in May 2024.
Katie Boyce, Senior Director, Corporate Impact, Community Relations and Internal Communications said: “We’re really excited about our second year of the Exact Sciences Athletes program. It will continue to highlight our purpose to help eradicate cancer and focus on giving back to the community. We love working with the athletes to bring their passions together with our core values.”
Headquartered in Madison, Wis., Exact Sciences is a leading global provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests. The company aims to help eradicate cancer by preventing it, detecting it earlier, and guiding personalized treatment.
“This partnership is a perfect example of how collaboration can lead to innovative opportunities,” said Scott Silvestri, Vice President and General Manager of Badger Sports Properties. “We’re thrilled to support Exact Sciences in the second year of this venture, to connect student-athletes to professional networking and career-related experiences tailored to their interests and post-graduate goals.”
Badger Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college sports – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for UW Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Badgers. Badger Sports Properties does not represent the student-athletes themselves but collaborates with corporate partners to maximize sponsorship agreements with the inclusion of NIL programs and the integration of university marks and logos within those programs.
About Exact Sciences
Exact Sciences is a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, with more than 6,500 employees worldwide. Headquartered in Madison, WI, Exact Sciences gives patients and health care professionals the clarity needed to take life-changing action earlier. For more information, visit ExactSciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on X(formerly known as Twitter) @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on LinkedIn and Facebook.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
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