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Wisconsin Ojibwe leader included in White House discussions on rural issues

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Wisconsin Ojibwe leader included in White House discussions on rural issues


Mole Lake Ojibwe Chairman Robert Van Zile had a message for rural community leaders at the White House earlier this month.

“Why compete with one another when we can work together,” he said. “We can focus on the things we have in common in being able to prosper.”

Van Zile said it was good conversation between leaders in tribal nations, rural towns, rural counties and federal officials as they discussed ways to bring in federal dollars to improve infrastructure.

He said tribal nations can play a role in helping surrounding rural communities in creating broadband access, building water and septic infrastructure, housing and health care.

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Van Zile was among those invited to the White House this month by the Biden-Harris Administration as part of its Rural Communities in Action event.

“We got invited to help push the envelope,” he said.

They met to discuss the issues with senior White House officials, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

“Rural communities are being gutted by lack of economic opportunity, lack of broadband access, lack of housing, lack of access to healthcare due to inability to recruit healthcare professionals to address a variety of medical and mental health challenges,” Van Zile said in a statement.

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Van Zile said the Mole Lake Reservation in northern Wisconsin is in a rural region that even lacks cellphone service in many places. And the lack of internet access was apparent during the pandemic when students in many households found it challenging to learn at home.

“They could not continue their studies remotely during the pandemic,” he said. “Our rural kids were not able to participate in education because broadband access does not exist in many rural communities.”

The reservation is home to about 500 tribal members with another 1,000 members living off-reservation.

Van Zile said many people want to build vacation homes and move to the Mole Lake area, which would be a boost to the economy. But they find challenges with lack of infrastructure.

“It’s not just tribal members,” he said. “What I’m talking about is tourism.”

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In conjunction with the event, the White House also just announced $671 million in new investments for infrastructure in rural communities.

Van Zile’s visit also included a discussion with Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, which included thanking her for the $3 million she helped recently secure for the tribe’s community health clinic.

Van Zile also opened a workshop at the event with a prayer, becoming the first Mole Lake chairman to open an official meeting in Washington, D.C.

Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.

More: Tribal educators talk e-learning curve, prepare for fall pandemic learning

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More: State task force to look at expanding internet access to rural Indigenous reservations





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Wisconsin

Celebrate Wisconsin’s hockey championship with our commemorative replica page

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Celebrate Wisconsin’s hockey championship with our commemorative replica page


The Wisconsin Badgers did it again!

In a game for the ages, Wisconsin captured the NCAA women’s hockey championship for the eighth time and fourth time in the last seven seasons. The Badgers shocked Ohio State by scoring a game-tying goal with 18.9 seconds left — on a penalty shot to boot — and the game-winner 2:49 into overtime.

You can celebrate Wisconsin’s historic and dramatic 4-3 victory over the Buckeyes with a commemorative replica page from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You can show off your Badgers pride for as little as $15.25, plus shipping and handling.

Buy commemorative Wisconsin hockey replica page

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The full-page replica, printed on high-quality, acid-free art paper, features stunning photography and a memorable headline commemorating Wisconsin’s latest championship. Since the NCAA added a women’s Frozen Four in 2001, no team can match the Badgers’ eight championships. Minnesota has won six, the last in 2016; Minnesota-Duluth has won five, the last in 2010.

The Badgers’ other titles came in 2023, 2021, 2019, 2011, 2009, 2007 and 2006. They also were runners-up four times. The Frozen Four has been held 24 times (it was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), and the Badgers have reached the championship game 12 times. Basically, the Badgers have owned the 21st century!

Upgrade options for the Wisconsin replica page include framed copies and background choices of canvas, acrylic, metal or wood. The replica page is available through the USA TODAY Store.

Own a piece of Wisconsin hockey history today!

Buy commemorative Wisconsin hockey replica page

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Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@gannett.com. Follow him on X @GeneMyers. After nearly a quarter-century as sports editor at the Detroit Free Press, Myers unretired to coordinate book and poster projects across the USA TODAY Network. His reading recommendation for this month: “Flying High,” a hardcover book on the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com. Check out more books and posters from the USA TODAY Network.



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Wisconsin’s top teams reach pinnacle during action-packed WIAA state boys basketball tournament

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Wisconsin’s top teams reach pinnacle during action-packed WIAA state boys basketball tournament


The Wisconsin (WIAA) state high school boys basketball tournament crowned its five worthy champions at the Kohl Center on Saturday.

Wisconsin Lutheran (Division 1), Wauwatosa West (Division 2), Milwaukee Academy of Science (Division 3), Aquinas (Division 4), and Cochrane-Fountain City (Division 5), each hoisted a prestigious, glistening gold ball trophy.

It was a tension-filled tournament with three of the five championship games decided by three points or less.

Junior small forward Zavier Zens scored a team-high 19 points as top-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran defeated third-seeded Marshfield 57-55 in the WIAA Division 1 state championship game.

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Senior forward Alex Greene followed with 11 points and sophomore small forward Kager Knueppel had 10 points for the Vikings, who captured their second consecutive title after moving up from Division 2 this year.

The team finished with a 10-game winning streak and ended the season 28-2 overall.
It was the fourth state title in program history for Wisconsin Lutheran, which shot 61 percent from field-goal range, and maintained a critical 34-18 scoring advantage in the paint. The Vikings completed the back-to-back championship run with a combined 58-2 record.

Senior guard Landon Lee contributed a game-high 22 points with four 3-point baskets, four assists, and three rebounds for Marshfield, which ended the season 23-7 overall.

Junior forward Matthew Kloskey scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds as second-seeded Wauwatosa West upset top-seeded Racine Park 60-57 in overtime to claim the WIAA Division 2 championship.

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Sophomore guard Jalen Brown followed with 14 points, seven assists, and five rebounds for the Trojans, who outscored Racine Park 6-3 in the extra period to clinch the first state title in program history, secure their 14th-straight victory, and finish the season 24-6 overall.

Senior post player Jaxon Moss scored 19 points and pulled down six rebounds for Racine Park, which ended the season 27-3 overall. Senior guard Isaiah Robinson chipped in 13 points with a game-high eight steals, and sophomore guard Zare Gwinn had 12 points for the Panthers. Robinson established a D2 state tournament record for steals with a two-game combined total of 15.

The contest featured 13 lead changes and seven ties with neither team leading by more than a seven-point margin.

Senior forward Devin Brown finished with 17 points and 19 rebounds as second-seeded Milwaukee Academy of Science upset top-seeded Freedom 57-54 in the WIAA Division 3 state championship game.

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Senior guard Jamarion Batemon contributed 16 points and senior small forward Amare Jackson had 10 points for the Novas, who captured their first state title in program history and ended the season 25-1 overall.

Senior guard Drew Kortz scored a game-high 29 points for Freedom, which finished the season 28-2 overall. Sophomore forward Donovan Davis added a double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Irish.

Senior guard Trey Bahr scored a game-high 20 points with nine assists as third-seeded Aquinas upset top-seeded Bonduel 74-45 in the WIAA Division 4 state final.

Junior guard Logan Becker contributed 16 points and sophomore guard Calvin Bahr had 15 points for Aquinas, which shot 59 percent from field-goal range to claim its first D4 state championship and fifth title in school history. The Blugolds were riding the momentum of a six-game winning streak and finished the season 26-3 overall.

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Junior power forward Ryan Westrich and sophomore guard Carter Moesch each had 11 points for Bonduel, which ended the season 28-2 overall.

Senior forward Porter Ehrat scored a team-high 18 points and senior guard Cameron Lipinski followed with 17 points as top-seeded Cochrane-Fountain City defeated second-seeded Sheboygan Lutheran 60-54 in the WIAA Division 5 championship game.

It was the first title in program history for Cochrane-Fountain City, which shot 56 percent from field-goal range in the momentum-building first half, finished the season with a 10-game winning streak, and ended the year 28-2 overall.

Junior forward Brennen Hackbarth registered a double-double for Sheboygan Lutheran, which ended the season 25-5 overall.

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To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

— Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com





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Wisconsin wins women’s Frozen Four on Kirsten Simms’ clutch penalty shot, overtime goals

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Wisconsin wins women’s Frozen Four on Kirsten Simms’ clutch penalty shot, overtime goals


There is truly nothing like overtime hockey drama in sports. Sudden death is already a stressful situation in any sport, but hockey always seems to take it to a new level.

On Sunday, fans were treated to an incredible show of late game hockey drama in the women’s Frozen Four championship between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes. With less than a minute remaining in the third period, Ohio State led Wisconsin 3-2 with a title on the line. However, in a late scramble in Ohio State’s end, the Buckeyes were issued a penalty for a player covering the puck with their hand in the crease.

The Badgers then challenged the play and the referees rewarded the Badgers with a penalty shot for the infraction! And on the ensuing penalty shot, Kirsten Simms scored the game-tying goal for the Badgers to send the championship into overtime on a dazzling shot.

But the drama didn’t end there! Mere minutes into overtime, Simms helped the Badgers complete the incredible comeback by scoring the 4-3 championship goal off the rebound in a wild finish for the ages.

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Overtime hockey never disappoints!



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