Wisconsin

Wisconsin lawmakers debate ban on data center secrecy deals

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin lawmakers debate ban on data center secrecy deals

Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill to ban non-disclosure agreements for data center projects.
The legislation aims to prevent developers and officials from concealing project details from the public.
Supporters argue the bill increases transparency, while some business groups oppose it.
The bill would also prohibit local governments from approving projects that used such secrecy agreements.

MADISON – Data center developers and government leaders would be barred from concealing key information about their projects from Wisconsin residents under legislation moving through the state Capitol this week.

State lawmakers on Tuesday heard public testimony on a slate of bills aimed at governing the boom of data center construction in the state. One bill would ban developers and government officials from entering into non-disclosure agreements aimed at keeping details of the project secret as negotiations are underway.

Reviews of data center proposals by NBC News and Wisconsin Watch revealed local officials across the country and in the state are entering into such secrecy agreements, especially when it comes to large-scale projects.

The Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism held a public hearing Tuesday on the bill, which drew several supporters, including Wisconsin-centric comedian Charlie Berens.

“I think it is an imperative we implement stronger guardrails to protect people and not greedy data centers that only care about their own profit and not of the best interest of the community,” Erin Pintar of Milwaukee said.

The Wisconsin Data Center Coalition and the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce organizations registered against the bill, which is authored by Republican lawmakers.

Prescott Balch, a retired tech executive and candidate for Caledonia trustee, said lawmakers also should address the timeline for public input, arguing a typical timespan of less than two months is not enough for a community to understand a proposal and advocate for itself. He suggested a “cooling off period” of at least four months.

“An eager village board and staff coupled with a well-funded, marketing-savvy tech company makes it nearly impossible for the community to have a chance at making their voices heard,” Balch testified. “Give us four months as a community to organize. … Just level the playing field.”

The bill would prohibit developers of data centers from entering into a nondisclosure agreement or any similar arrangement with the “purpose or effect of concealing the details of the development of the data center with, or preventing the public review of, a (political subdivision) or person selling property to the data center.”

The bill would also prevent a local government from approving a data center development project if the operator had entered into such an agreement.

Lawmakers could take up the bill yet this session, which is slated to end by March.

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

Source link

Click to comment

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Football’s Transfer Class Surges in Updated Rankings

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Football’s Transfer Class Surges in Updated Rankings

Spring practice has wrapped up across the country, and college football has officially entered its quiet period of summer doldrums.

However, the mass influx of new intel on transfers gleaned from spring ball means top recruiting sites 247Sports and On3/Rivals have updated their national transfer portal rankings, and the Badgers’ class has gained more respect from both services since the initial transfer boom in the winter.

Wisconsin’s 2026 transfer haul currently checks in at No. 15 in the country on On3/Rivals, up slightly from its perch at No. 18 this winter. That’s good enough for third in the Big Ten behind UCLA (No. 11) and Indiana (No. 1).

247Sports sees the Badgers’ class a little differently; they’ve awarded Wisconsin with the No. 38-ranked class in the nation. That checks in at ninth in the Big Ten. Still, the outlet has bumped its individual ratings for several of the Badgers’ incoming transfers.

After initially not having signed a four-star transfer portal prospect in the eyes of 247Sports, the site has bumped quarterback Colton Joseph, running back Abu Sama and safety Marvin Burks Jr. to four-star transfer prospects, giving the Badgers three blue-chip portal players. Center Austin Kawecki was also bumped to a high three-star portal prospect.

On3, meanwhile, sees Wisconsin with just one four-star portal prospect in the Iowa State transfer tailback Sama.

It’s interesting to note that On3’s transfer portal grading system evaluates all of Wisconsin’s portal movement, additions and departures combined. 247Sports’ system is less additive and only evaluates teams based on how it ranks their newcomers.

Why it matters

New Wisconsin running back Abu Sama III. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this day and age, programs have no choice but to deftly navigate the transfer portal if they want any shot at success. That doesn’t always mean you need to add over 30 signees, like Wisconsin did, but it’s a good sign that the Badgers are gaining recognition for one of the most important aspects of roster building.

Wisconsin is going to be a team largely fueled by mercenaries this season. I’d expect the vast majority of the Badgers’ production, especially on offense where new faces at quarterback, running back, tight end and receiver figure to dominate reps.

The Badgers still have a solid core of home-grown players, namely their two studs at inside linebacker and a handful of key cogs along the offensive line. After all, they rank 35th nationally in returning production; the cupboard isn’t entirely bare.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Source link

Wisconsin

Community rallies for performance of "A Mother of a Revolution"

Published

13 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Press Room

Community rallies for performance of "A Mother of a Revolution"

Community members and supporters pack Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and the outside areas for the community performance of “A Mother of a Revolution” on May 20, 2026 in Watertown, Wisconsin. Composer Omar Thomas even traveled from Texas to conduct the performance of his song.

Source link

Wisconsin

Sonja Henning voted most-impactful Wisconsin high school girls basketball player

Published

1 day ago

May 20, 2026

Press Room

Sonja Henning voted most-impactful Wisconsin high school girls basketball player

On May 14, we debuted the third in a series of reader polls asking who you consider the best high school girls basketball players in Wisconsin history, with 10 primary suggestions. We received nearly 1,800 votes, and here’s how people voted:

Sonja Henning voted as most impactful player in Wisconsin high school girls basketball history

Former Racine Horlick standout Sonja Henning was the reader’s choice for the best girls basketball player in state history after receiving 608 votes.

The lightning-quick Henning, a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee in 2010, scored 2,236 points as a four-year starter at Horlick. When her high school career ended in 1987, she was the leading girls scorer in state history.

Henning was a two-time first-team all-state pick and the state’s Ms. Basketball winner in 1987, when she also made the Parade All-America team.

She continued her basketball career at Stanford, helping the Cardinal to the 1990 national championship and earning All-America honors as a senior.

After leaving Stanford, she played in several professional leagues before joining the WNBA and helping the Houston Comets win the league title in 1999. She spent most of the next three seasons with the Seattle Storm before ending her WNBA career in 2003 with the Indiana Fever.

While Henning was the top choice, she wasn’t the only popular one.

Here’s how you voted.