WASHINGTON — The federal government has sent billions of dollars to Wisconsin to improve its infrastructure and develop clean energy sources. The Biden administration said the state has received $6.9 billion in infrastructure funding since President Joe Biden took office. 

“Projects like these will build up the state and will create a relatively high [number] jobs for a relatively lower population in the state,” said Waleed Abu Khader, an adjunct professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

The spending is supporting several major projects, including one billion dollars to replace the Blatnik Bridge between Superior, Wis., and Duluth, Minn., as well as $80 million to improve the Wisconsin River Bridge, a project Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin broke ground on this week. 

Money is coming from several bills that Biden signed into law, including American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

“We’re seeing many, many more projects than we would have seen without the IRA,” said Kathy Kuntz, the director of the Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change.  

Dane County, which includes Madison, is using clean energy tax credits authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act so buildings can be equipped with solar panels and geothermal energy. 

“For stretched local governments, the idea that you can do the right thing in a facility and then get this credit back is just really powerful,” Kuntz said. 

The administration has also awarded Wisconsin with $1.6 billion for high-speed internet, $4 billion for roads, bridges and electric vehicle charging, as well as another $811 million to improve water infrastructure, including replacing toxic lead pipes. That’s an issue both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill can get behind. 

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, told Spectrum News in a recent interview, “Water is not a partisan issue.” 

“It has an impact on everybody,” said Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee.  

The Biden Administration is also touting another $2.4 billion in private sector dollars, contributed as a result of these laws, to pay for infrastructure and clean energy projects.

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WISCONSIN — Support for President Joe Biden has evaporated in several key battleground states in recent weeks, but he remains slightly ahead of former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin, according to new polling.

The poll from the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Siena College saw Donald Trump surging ahead of Biden in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada, the purple states that will most likely determine who sits in the White House next year if the 2024 election is remotely close.

The poll gives Biden a two-point lead over Trump in Wisconsin, 47 percent to 45 percent. Biden narrowly won Wisconsin in 2020 and Trump narrowly won it in 2016, with each going on to win the presidency in that election.

Overall, the poll presents bleak news for the Biden campaign. Trump’s lead in five crucial battleground states is due to the former president’s growing support among Black and Hispanic voters.

Voters want more systemic reforms to the nation’s economic and political systems than the Democratic establishment has been willing to undertake, the survey found.

Justin Heinze, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – Last week, Minotauros captain Weston Knox verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin.

The defenseman registered eight assists in the regular season and two assists in the division finals. He discussed what led him to commit to the Badgers.

“It’s a huge honor. I’m very humbled to have that opportunity. It’s been a really good relationship with them recently, and it just came down to where it really worked out,” said Knox.

Knox joins a long list of Tauros’ players who have decided on the next step of their career, and he says there are more commitments to come.

“There are more guys in our locker room that are going to be getting things soon. The more team success, the more — I wouldn’t say easier it is — but more opportunities you’ll get, so it’s a huge team thing and I think our whole team can say that,” said Knox.

Knox is the team’s fourth commit in the last two weeks, joining Trevor Stachowiak (Minnesota-Duluth), Colby Woogk (Western Michigan) and Joel Lehtinen (Stonehill College).

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