Wisconsin
Special Olympics Wisconsin holds seminar on health care training
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) – An important part of being a health worker is helping everyone. That ability was at the core of a training session today at UW-Stevens Point.
Representatives from Special Olympics Wisconsin taught health students inclusive practices geared at working with those with intellectual disabilities. Tyler Wigington is a special athlete and like any athlete, health is a priority to him.
“How much exercise you’re doing a week, how many minutes or hours — are you putting enough training in or are you not putting enough strength in it?” he said.
For him and many others with intellectual disabilities, getting health help can be difficult.
People with intellectual disabilities have a life expectancy that is typically 16 to 20 years less than someone without one. They are also two to four times less likely to be physically active, and two times as likely to have cardiovascular disease.
Training instructors say this is not because of their disabilities, but because of the lack of access to that quality health care.
“A lot of healthcare providers and practitioners don’t get adequate training to work with that population,” UWSP Associate Professor of Audiology Dr. Rachel Craig said. “A lot of the training that they get is just through experience, and that’s not ideal. There are certain health disparities that exist, and they’re staggering, and we need to change it.”
Training sessions like the one at UWSP are a way to do that.
“By presenting to different university students, and medical professionals, we’re really breaking down what the barriers are and coming up with solutions to inclusive health,” Special Olympics Wisconsin Director of Inclusive Health Cassie Hopp said.
UWSP Graduate in Audiology Adaline DeKraai added, “I feel like it was a piece that I really wanted to learn more about. It’s such an important piece in our society.”
This training may only be for the day, but it will make a lifetime’s worth of difference for many of the students.
“Once the students go into their professions, they can not only hold more inclusive health trainings for their staff, but they’ll be able to share what they’ve experienced in this training,” DeKraai said.
If you want to make it easier for special athletes to compete and get exercise, there is an opportunity for you. Special Olympics Wisconsin is asking for volunteers to work events in Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point next month.
Copyright 2024 WSAW. All rights reserved.
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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