Wisconsin
Wisconsin Senate passes NIL bill that gives Badgers taxpayer funding
Why Wisconsin’s Greg Gard doesn’t take March Madness berth for granted
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard explained how he does not take Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament berth for granted despite it being ‘commonplace’ in Madison.
MADISON – The Wisconsin Badgers are one step closer to receiving taxpayer support as they adapt to the changing college sports landscape.
With a one-vote margin, the state Senate on March 17 approved a bill to provide taxpayer funding for athletic facility debt service and formalize rules around name, image and likeness. Eleven Republicans and six Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while seven Republicans and nine Democrats voted against it.
The bill, which the Assembly passed on Feb. 19 with a 95-1 vote, now goes to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk. The governor has not publicly weighed in on the measure.
Neither the Senate nor Assembly debated the bill before their votes.
The legislation would allocate $14.6 million for debt service and maintenance of athletic facilities at UW-Madison – the one power-conference athletic department in the University of Wisconsin System. Another $200,000 each would go to UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay for its athletic facilities.
It also would codify existing rules around athletes’ ability to profit off their name, image and likeness. Athletes also would not be allowed to sign NIL deals that conflict with the university’s existing contracts, involve the athlete’s performance or endorse tobacco, alcohol, gambling, banned or illegal substances or illegal activity.
The legislation also adds a public records exemption that has come under scrutiny from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, among others. It would exempt “generation, deployment or allocation of revenue” by an athletic department “when competitive reasons require confidentiality.” UW officials have said they are only seeking to “codify our existing practice” of denying certain records due to student privacy law or competitive trade secrets.
Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh previously told the Journal Sentinel that “everything is on the table in terms of increasing revenues and reducing expenses” if the legislation did not pass in this session. He did not directly answer whether that would include cutting sports.
In a recent interview on WISN-TV’s “Upfront,” Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, said Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, could face political consequences within his own party if he relied on Democratic votes to pass the legislation.
Asked about opposition to the bill ahead of the Senate vote, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told reporters it’s a necessity in the environment created by the federal court settlement that allows compensation for college athletes’ name, image and likeness.
“You have to be able to adapt with the times,” Vos said. “I want the Badgers to be able to win. I want to be able to have college athletics for more than just a football and a basketball team, and I want to make sure that we can be competitive.”
Asked about concerns with the bill’s public records exemption, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, suggested that’s something Democrats may seek to change if they win a majority of seats in the November elections.
The Badgers’ efforts to secure taxpayer funding for facilities have come amid rising costs tied to athlete compensation.
Schools can share up to $20.5 million in revenue with athletes, with NIL deals supplementing that. McIntosh said in a public hearing that he has heard anecdotally about peer schools spending $10 million to $20 million “on top of that to have a successful football program.”
“I don’t want to have to choose between a competitive football team and a highly successful Olympic sport program,” McIntosh told the Journal Sentinel.
A chance for strong storms overnight on May 18 precedes a cooldown for the rest of the week. Here’s what you can expect.
Recovery efforts continue following EF3 tornado in Ringle, Wisconsin
An EF3 tornado that touched down in the Marathon County town of Ringle damaged or destroyed about 75 homes on April 17, 2026. Reporter Erik Pfantz shares these images as residents continue to clean up after the storm.
Central Wisconsin will see a small chance of storms overnight Monday, May 18, and cool temperatures for the rest of this week with rain likely again on Friday, May 22.
A complex of storms will move into the central Wisconsin area from the west near midnight on May 18, which could bring heavy downpours, gusty winds up to 40 mph, lightning and small hail, Scott Berschback, meteorologist with National Weather Service in Green Bay, told a USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin reporter.
There is a small potential for stray showers and storms in the afternoon on May 18 but nothing widespread, Berschback said. Due to the storms arriving later in the day, they are predicted to be weaker than some initial reports and a small threat for tornadoes drops to zero after midnight, he said.
Cool temperatures expected for the rest of the week
A cold front will swing through the area on Tuesday, May 19, bringing a round of some potentially strong showers and storms in the morning that are expected to wrap up by noon, Berschback said.
Temperatures will be warmer and humid on May 18 and 19 with highs in the mid-60s to 70s before a dry cooldown on Wednesday, May 20, which will see highs mostly in the 50s across the area and upper 50s and low- to mid-60s on Thursday, May 21, Berschback said.
May 22 will bring another chance for showers and thunderstorms later in the day and into the start of the weekend, Berschback said.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com.
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 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 17 drawing
Midday: 7-2-6
Evening: 7-8-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 17 drawing
Midday: 8-9-1-9
Evening: 9-5-2-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 17 drawing
Midday: 01-03-05-07-10-12-13-18-19-21-22
Evening: 01-02-03-06-07-09-14-15-16-18-19
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 17 drawing
05-10-17-22-27
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from May 17 drawing
06-25-28-30-32-36, 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.
Wisconsin
Fleeing Wisconsin driver gets airborne and jumps car over another car during high-speed chase
Footage from a high-speed chase in Wisconsin earlier this month shows the fleeing driver going airborne and jumping his car over another. We’re talking full ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ style.
It’s one of the most insane dashcam videos you’ll ever see. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office released the now-viral footage of the arrest, which took place on Saturday morning, May 9.
A fleeing driver goes airborne and flies his car over another one during a high-speed police chase in Wisconsin. (Getty)
FOX 6 reports that the Wisconsin State Patrol stopped a car, then called for backup because of an active felony warrant. As a Fond du Lac County sheriff’s deputy and another trooper arrived, the driver took off.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
A high-speed pursuit began and eventually came to an end when the driver lost control, went into a ditch, then up the embankment. This is where the car flies over another car.
The fleeing driver’s car not only flew over the other car, it went all the way over the road and ended up in a field on the other side.
Remarkably, Dewayne Stokes, 44, identified by police as the driver, wasn’t ready to give up. He got out of the vehicle and had to be Tased before being taken into custody.
The pursuit had come to an end after four and a half miles, a tiny bit of which was covered through the air. Stokes was then taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
He was charged with seven counts, including first-degree reckless endangering safety and two counts of eluding an officer. His cash bond was set at $25,000, and he’s due back in court on June 24, according to court documents.
Stokes was out on bond at the time of his car flight for operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, FOX 6 added. He had a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court. He didn’t know it at the time, how could he have, but that decision was going to put him on a path to fly a car over another car.
Everything happens for a reason.
-
Minnesota5 minutes agoICE agent charged in north Minneapolis shooting that injured man
-
Mississippi11 minutes agoJudge lets NAACP Jackson ARPA water funding lawsuit move forward
-
Missouri17 minutes ago
Missouri election clerks caught in limbo over disputed congressional map
-
Montana23 minutes agoMontana FWP seeks public comment on proposed Sisken Island fishing access site
-
Nebraska29 minutes agoIs Nebraska a lock to host an NCAA baseball regional?
-
Nevada35 minutes agoNevada Governor GOP primary: 6 longshot candidates taking on incumbent Joe Lombardo
-
New Hampshire41 minutes agoMeet Portsmouth’s Beloved Psychic Medium With Decades Of Local Lore
-
New Jersey47 minutes agoFor FIFA World Cup, New Jersey encourages towns to extend alcohol sales at bars, restaurants
