Wisconsin
Sandhill crane committee poised to discuss findings, potential legislation in Wisconsin
The Legislative Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes will meet Wednesday in Madison to begin discussing potential bills to address crane-caused crop damage in Wisconsin.
But first it will likely talk about a pair of documents titled “SHC Findings of Fact” and “SHC Conclusions.” The items were emailed Nov. 1 to committee members by legislative council staff on behalf of committee chairman Rep. Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc).
The email said the documents were “prepared by Rep. Tittl” but didn’t mention the author for both was Bruce Ross, executive director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. Ross is not on the committee but testified before it and is a strong advocate for a crane hunting season in the state. The species is currently protected by state law.
The lack of transparency about the origin of the documents heightened tensions between those perceived to be working mostly to secure a committee vote in favor of a crane hunting season and those working to provide relief to farmers, according to several committee members.
“These documents were developed by someone who is not a scientist or a lawyer and who has a clear bias,” said committee member Meleesa Johnson, executive director of Wisconsin’s Green Fire. “I think it’s not a good look for the committee. I would hope we could do better.”
Tittl also has a record of supporting crane hunting in Wisconsin. He authored a 2021 bill to open a crane hunt in the state; it failed to get approved by the Legislature.
Tittl said Ross submitted the documents “unsolicited” and “aimed at helping the committee arrive at some agreed upon facts.”
“As I reviewed the documents I thought the approach would be a helpful first step for the committee to find areas of agreement, develop possible solutions and gain consensus on an appropriate path forward,” Tittl said in a statement. He did not say why he didn’t make it clear to committee members or legislative council staff that Ross had authored the documents.
Tittl said he has allocated a significant amount of time at Wednesday’s meeting to review the documents and suggest changes.
Ross said he submitted the documents as a “strawman” of items intended for discussion by the committee.
“It was my hope the committee will understand the logic, modify or create documents as they see fit, decide what they collectively can agree on, and make their final conclusions a part of the committee’s record,” Ross said.
The committee has become a stage for debate over sandhill crane management in Wisconsin, especially for providing relief to farmers for crane-caused crop damage and a potential crane hunting season.
The committee was formed in late spring and met Aug. 1, Sept. 4 and Oct. 1. Its goal is to “examine population trends and determine whether any changes to state law would effectively address the incidence and consequences of crop damage caused by sandhill cranes in this state,” according to the committee description.
Sandhill cranes were once threatened in Wisconsin but have recovered over the last century. Sandhills in Wisconsin are part of the Eastern Population which was estimated at 110,000 in 2023, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources report.
Three states in the Mississippi Flyway offer crane hunting seasons. Two previous attempts to allow sandhill hunting in Wisconsin (2011 and 2021) failed to garner support in the Legislature.
The agendas of the first three committee meetings were heavily weighted with presentations related to crane hunting.
However in the first meeting, Kent Van Horn, a retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources waterfowl ecologist who helped write the 2010 sandhill crane management plan for Mississippi and Atlantic Flyway Council, said while the sandhill population in Wisconsin is large enough to support a limited hunting season, such a hunt would be designed to have a small, if any, impact on the crane population.
“It’s structured to be sustainable, so you’re not going to lower the population in Wisconsin by adding a hunting season,” Van Horn said to the committee.
No scientific study has shown hunting has reduced crane-caused crop damage in any of the hunted populations in North America.
The crane study committee includes four legislators and eight public members. In addition to Tittl, the legislators are Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron), Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo).
Public members include representatives of agricultural and conservation organizations, including the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, Delta Waterfowl, International Crane Foundation, Wisconsin’s Green Fire and Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.
The restored population of sandhills in Wisconsin provides enjoyment for wildlife watchers and others but also causes an estimated $1.9 million in crop damage annually in the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of the crop damage occurs in spring when cranes eat newly-planted corn. Other losses occur later in the year to crops including peas and potatoes.
Those seeking solutions for farmers are frustrated with the amount of time the committee has spent discussing hunting.
“Advocates for a (sandhill crane) hunting season have long promoted it as the solution to crop damage, but we know a hunting season is not going to help farmers,” said Rich Bielfuss, president and CEO of the International Crane Foundation, in a statement. “The science presented in this legislative committee has made clear that hunting will not provide meaningful assistance to farmers, not by way of population management, nor financially.”
If hunting for cranes were approved, it would allow farmers to file for compensation through the state’s wildlife damage abatement fund.
In 2021 the DNR estimated that as many as 200 sandhill damage claims, with an appraised value of $1.6 million, could be filed annually in Wisconsin, more than all other wildlife damage claims made to the program. Annual revenue to the fund from hunting would likely be less than $50,000. Thus the added burden from sandhill damage claims could soon make the fund insolvent, pointing to the need for other means to provide lasting relief to the state’s agricultural producers.
“We all need to roll up our sleeves and work together to find real solutions for Wisconsin farmers,” Bielfuss said.
Wednesday’s meeting of the Legislative Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes begins at 10 a.m. in Room 412 East at the Capitol.
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 29, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 29 drawing
19-24-47-59-65, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 29 drawing
Midday: 8-3-0
Evening: 1-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 29 drawing
Midday: 8-2-0-4
Evening: 3-4-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 29 drawing
Midday: 02-06-07-08-09-10-12-14-16-18-22
Evening: 02-05-06-10-11-12-15-16-17-18-19
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 29 drawing
15-16-19-20-24
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from May 29 drawing
23-24-25-30-33-37, Doubler: N
Check SuperCash 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.
APPLETON, Wis. — More than 200 Wisconsin National Guard troops are back home this weekend.
The troops based out of Appleton returned on Friday after a deployment throughout the Middle East for more than a year.
Members of the Wisconsin National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment were treated to a warm welcome home by family and friends at Appleton Flight Center.
Staff Sgt. Ryan Hayes said seeing his family again after being gone for so long was amazing. He said it was especially emotional reuniting with his daughters and his 3-year-old son.
“It was kind of… honestly, kind of tear-jerking a little bit. I was trying to hold… It was hard to hold it back, you know? It’s hard to watch him grow through a phone, you know?” Hayes said.
Major General Matt Strub, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, said troops’ mission included conducting security operations in nine different countries.
He said they also took part in the largest transfer of enemy prisoners of war in Central Command history.
“How long they serve depends on the individual. But this was just a normal one-year rotation into the Middle East to just provide that security that the U.S. needs in the region. During the time they were gone, Operation Epic Fury kicked off. Their mission changed slightly, but still to provide security for the region,” he said.
Gov. Tony Evers was on hand to welcome the troops back to Wisconsin.
Strub said the celebration on Friday was well-earned and well-deserved.
“When they see the fire cannons, the water cannons, when they see the families with the balloons and signs, it’s truly… The joy swells up. The emotion of being gone wells up. You really just feel like you’ve… You’re welcomed home in a positive way,” he said.
Hayes said he felt blessed to be back home with his family.
“I feel really good to be home, be with my kids, another deployment under my belt. That just puts everything into perspective, like how lucky we are back here in the United States to have what we have and be able to have this,” he said.
This group of soldiers worked as part of the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. They worked alongside NATO partners before wrapping up their deployment.
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Matthew Jacobson found his calling in middle school history class.
As a sixth grader at St. John Vianney Catholic School in Brookfield, he voluntarily completed additional research projects and jumped at the chance to present to his classmates. He never saw the extra assignments as work — he was having fun. When Jacobson’s teacher told him he’d make a great educator himself, he set his sights on the profession. In high school, he participated in Elmbrook School District’s future teachers program and planned to enroll in university for his teaching degree.
But life had other plans. Several weeks before his high school graduation, Jacobson was forced to move out on his own. He picked up a cooking job to “pay the bills and survive.” The gig didn’t leave extra money or time for college.
“I didn’t really know how to get back into college and go meet my dream,” Jacobson said.
Two years later, he heard about a novel apprenticeship program, where future teachers earn money working in schools as they obtain their education and certifications.
“I was like, ‘That’s my way back in,’” he said.
State officials launched the program in 2024 to ease the educator shortage by offering students an alternative route to the profession — one where they don’t have to put their careers on pause while racking up student debt. Jacobson is one of the first eight teacher apprentices.
Today, Jacobson has returned to Elmbrook to serve as a classroom aide. In two years, he’ll have the proper training for the district to hire him as an elementary or middle school teacher.
But as participants reach the program’s halfway point, its future beyond this initial “pilot” phase is unclear — raising questions about whether apprenticeships will become a viable solution to Wisconsin’s struggle to find and keep educators.
While the route has been life-changing for students like Jacobson, program leaders are having trouble enticing school districts to take on more apprentices. Enrollment has ground to a halt; the two technical colleges involved don’t have any new students signed up to begin in the fall.
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development officials say whether the program continues or grows depends on if districts get on board and sponsor trainees to join up. But district leaders say a major hurdle is the cost — a key appeal of an apprenticeship is the employer paying them for the time they spend learning, but many public schools are already strapped for cash. Some want more funding tied to the program.
“(It’s) stalling a little bit,” said Trent Sorensen, a Fox Valley Technical College dean. “We don’t have any (students) coming in for the fall. … There’s plenty of time, but it’s not taking off like it did in other states, and it’s simply because of the funding.”
A new way to train teachers
Wisconsin schools struggle to find enough teachers needed to lead classrooms — a problem largely fueled by poor retention and new workers moving to other states after graduating.
In 2024, Congress came through with some assistance: $570,000 in federal funds earmarked for establishing a teacher apprenticeship program in Wisconsin.
Officials from DWD, the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Technical College System, and two universities teamed up to debut the pilot in January 2024. They praised the “earn-while-you-learn” approach to establishing a pipeline of workers: Districts could guarantee they’d have future teachers, while also filling lower-skilled jobs in the meantime.
Typically, aspiring teachers work a shorter classroom internship while studying for their bachelor’s degree and then complete a semester of student teaching after graduating. The apprenticeship is “taking that entire approach and flipping it on its head,” said Nick Abbott, senior program and policy analyst at the Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards — creating a potentially more accessible path to the profession.
“Traditional educator preparation programs can be expensive, as they often require unpaid student teaching, which might not be feasible for low-income students, nontraditional students or individuals looking to change careers,” Gov. Tony Evers said when the program launched. “The new teacher apprenticeship pilot program will help address issues in turnover and retention, reduce barriers and encourage young people to enter the field.”
Apprenticeships are becoming more common in Wisconsin in fields ranging from plumbing to nursing. Participation has hit record highs for the last four years. These gigs are far more common for hands-on jobs in the skilled trades than fields like education and health care, but that’s changing with initiatives like the teacher apprenticeship program.
Here’s how it works: A school district hires an apprentice, who enrolls at Fox Valley Technical College or Waukesha County Technical College for two years to complete a Foundations of Teacher Education associate’s degree. When finished, the student transfers to Lakeland University or the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County to finish a bachelor’s degree.
Throughout those roughly four years of schooling, the apprentice works inside the classroom as an assistant for 32 hours each week and spends eight hours a week learning at college. The school district the person works for pays an hourly wage for those 40 total hours. When apprentices finish the training, they’re qualified to work as a classroom teacher.
“Nothing prepares you for doing this job, other than doing the job,” Jacobson said. “Being at a school working with kids is easily 10 times more important than any of the classes I’ve taken, and I get way better experience and much more value out of just doing it and learning through failure.”
As a way of incentivizing the program during its infancy, the eight students get half of their tuition costs reimbursed with federal grant funds.
Four districts participate in the pilot: Wauwatosa, Greendale, Elmbrook and Appleton. The districts are not required to pay for the remainder of the apprentice’s tuition — Elmbrook, a relativelywealthy district, was the only one that did.
State leaders also hope the apprenticeships might help with teacher retention. Teachers will start with four years of classroom management experience already under their belt, far more than usual.Plus, other teachers mentor them on the job. That essentially eliminates the difficult experience of being a first-year teacher, said Appleton Area School District Chief Human Resources Officer Julie King.
“Managing a classroom and the curriculum and all the demands of the job is very overwhelming after having maybe 18 weeks of student teaching experience,” King said. “To learn alongside a professional that has been in the career, knows all the ins and outs, has skill sets and strategies to work with students – to have that benefit of working alongside somebody like that for four years, you’re much, much better prepared.”
Given these promises, teacher apprenticeships have recently exploded nationwide — 45 states have brought programs online in the last few years. They vary widely in their funding approaches and in the costs to districts and students. States have often looked to Tennessee, the country’s first program, as a standout model. The state’s program, launched in 2020, now helps fund 600 new teacher trainees annually at no cost to the apprentices.
Enticing schools a challenge
In his Foundations of Reading class last fall, Jacobson learned about phonological and phonemic awareness, or the ability to recognize distinct parts of a word — a key skill for learning how to read. Using what he learned, he started running his own reading support group for students needing extra help.
“The second you learn something, I don’t have to wait two years before I actually apply that knowledge to my job,” Jacobson said. “No, I’m applying it that same day or the next day, which then makes it stick a lot more.”
The program gets high marks from trainees and schools. So why aren’t more signing up?
Money. Both school districts and apprentices are struggling to afford it.
The four districts that already have apprentices are waiting until their current students graduate to decide whether to add more, Abbott said.
“I want to stress that the apprenticeship model itself remains available to all school employers in the state who wish to adopt it,” Abbott said. “It comes down to finding partners.”
But getting more of Wisconsin’s 400-plus districts to bite has been difficult.
Sorensen, the Fox Valley Tech dean, said the college isn’t seeing interest from districts because many are contending with too-tight budgets. School leaders have long argued the state’s funding system hasn’t kept up with rising costs, which, as Wisconsin Watch recently reported, has resulted in a recent wave of school closures, layoffs and budget cuts.
That’s made it hard for districts to pay for the hours when trainees are in college, and not working in the classroom.
“It’s challenging for school districts to be able to build in that release time. We did hear that, and that’s really understandable,” said Dena Constantineau, Waukesha County Tech’s associate dean of education and human services. “I mean, they really rely on their people, and so they need them in the classroom.”
Even with the discount from the federal grant, tuition can be costly. For example, the average annual tuition costs at least $5,900 for the technical college portion and about $6,000 for UW-Whitewater at Rock County. That means the leftover cost to apprentices could still be upwards of $12,000.
Plus, the federal funds that helped launch the pilot run out next March, so there could be even less tuition assistance for future apprentices.
The Appleton Area School District would love to put more students into the program, “if there was funding” to entice participants, King said. The district couldn’t afford to give students more tuition assistance, which hampered participation.
“The unknown for us moving forward is there is no state funding. If there’s other opportunities for that tuition relief for the individual, that’s really what entices people to engage in that program,” King said.
“The question on the future really is, ‘Where is the funding and the structures going to be in the future to make sure that it’s a viable option moving forward?’” King said. “‘That it reduces the financial barrier? That it’s accessible?’”
Miranda Dunlap reports on pathways to success in northeast Wisconsin, working in partnership with Open Campus. Find her on Instagram and Twitter, or send her an email at mdunlap@wisconsinwatch.org.
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