Weekend recap: Democrat Kaul leads fundraiser for the AG race

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is leading the fundraising race for the Attorney General, bringing in a record amount at this point in the election cycle.

Kaul reported Thursday that he had raised nearly $ 411,000 in the first six months of the year and had more than $ 537,000 in cash.

Kaul’s campaign released the totals before filing their report and did not say whether any of the amounts collected included his personal money.

Two Republicans are in the running: Professor Ryan Owens of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney. Owens has raised $ 304,000 since entering the race in April and had $ 250,000 in cash. Toney raised $ 41,470 and had $ 27,790 on hand.

Wisconsin DHS: COVID-19 Weekly Recap

From July 11 to 15, 856 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 614,596. Wisconsin has lost 7,372 total lives with the disease.

Forty-nine percent of Wisconsinites are fully vaccinated – 81.5 percent of people aged 65 and over and 26.6 per cent of children aged 12 to 15.

This week, the Rock County Public Health Department announced that its testing site at Blackhawk Technical College will be open for its last day on July 22. The last hours of operation, according to a press release from the department, are July 21 and 22 from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Janesville Boutique in partnership with YWCA Transitions for Women Program

A boutique in Janesville partners with the YWCA Rock County to support women in the community recovering from domestic violence, reports the Gazette.

Adorn Janesville invited people to make headwear as part of the YWCA’s Transitions for Women program which will then be sold at the store.

Solar farm approved for Southeastern Wisconsin

A 325 megawatt solar farm has been approved by Wisconsin regulators. The Darien Solar Power Center, which will include battery storage, will be located in Walworth and Rock counties.

The center will provide electricity to around 75,000 homes, according to Kenosha News.

Middleton Software Company sold for $ 450 million

WTS Paradigm in Middleton was sold to a Texas company for $ 450 million.

The tech company specializes in software development and consults with manufacturers, retailers and builders, The Wisconsin State Journal reports.

In 2018 there was a mass shooting at WTS Paradigm. A gunman, who was an employee of the company, shot four people, injuring them. Middleton Police shot and killed the gunman on the spot.

“What is Ron Johnson thinking? “

Cape Times political reporter Jessie Opoien interviewed a handful of Republican agents to investigate the question: Has US Senator Ron Johnson “always been like this?”

“The Republican agents who worked with Johnson have a clear answer to this question: Johnson is exactly the same person he always has been. What has changed are the issues that grab his attention and the political environment moreover. in addition agitated, “writes Opoien.

Johnson has still not announced whether he will stand for re-election in 2022, but his seat has a growing line of opponents.

Pandemic labor shortage hits northeastern Wisconsin hard

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is 3.9 percent, according to the most recent data from the State Department of Workforce Development. This rate is even lower in northeastern Wisconsin, reports the crescent of the post office.

“We have proof of that, in the form of companies reducing their hours and limiting their options,” said Matt Valiquette, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board. “They just don’t have the staff to maintain a full operational tempo. And that’s not the case with all businesses, of course, but we’re starting to see this much more prevalent today than there was. about a year old. “

Study finds higher temperatures for communities of color and low-income areas

A new study in the future of the earth shows that low-income areas and communities of color in the United States experience much higher temperatures than those in richer, whiter communities.

“Urban areas are known to be warmer than more rural areas, but research published Tuesday in the journal Earth’s Future provides one of the most detailed insights to date on how differences in heat extremes come together. break down according to racial and socio-economic criteria “, reports Michigan Radio.

Researchers found that people with lower incomes endured higher temperatures than those with higher incomes in 76% of the county studies. In 71% of counties, people of color experienced higher temperatures in their communities than whites.

Editor’s Note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.