The severe weather keeps coming. We hope you and those close to you remain safe, or find safety if Mother Nature makes herself heard in your neighborhood. The damaging winds may be the immediate concern, but the rain could cause more flooding and will almost certainly impact farmers’ crops across much of the state.
Meanwhile, we’ve scoured the internet again overnight, to bring you today’s Key Reads…
The folks at the Institute for Reforming Government took a deep dive into the issues facing one South Central Wisconsin city as a result of our country’s dysfunctional immigration policies.
Gangs, crime, terrible living conditions included in new look into Whitewater’s immigration problems | The Center Square
A new report says Whitewater’s immigration problems did not end when the city’s police chief sent a letter to the White House late last year.
The Institute for Reforming Government on Monday released a report that uses 4,000 open records requests to paint a picture of the continued problems that a flood of illegal immigrants has caused in Whitewater.
“The city has struggled to deal with the increasing strain on law enforcement resources, housing overcapacity, and the challenges associated with educating children with no formal background in schooling and often lacking basic English skills,” the report states in its opening.
IRG combed through emails, letters, body camera footage and internal city of Whitewater reports to get a sense of just how an influx of about 1,000 people from Nicaragua has impacted what was a sleepy college town of about 15,000.
“Unlike ‘sanctuary cities,’ it does not appear the city of Whitewater sought the immigrants,” the report adds. “Instead, the city’s ‘theory’ explaining the sudden influx revolves around a complex web of ample student housing following COVID, a need for farm and manufacturing labor, and the congregation of sponsor families in and around the city that were then identified by migrants at the border.”
IRG Director of Oversight Jacob Curtis says Whitewater is just one example of what President Biden’s immigration policies are doing to towns and cities across the country.
“Because of a completely broken federal immigration system, local units of government like the city of Whitewater are now being forced to manage a crisis that impacts almost every facet of government operations,” Curtis said.
The report details at least one known MS13 gang member who was living in Whitewater.
The city’s police chief wrote to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking guidance for what to do with the gang member, as well as others who have court dates in Chicago and less-than-clear immigration status.
The IRG report also notes that immediately after the letter from Sen. police chief Congressman Bryan Steil, R-Wisconsin, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin followed up with the White House. There were also meetings with Gov. Tony Evers’ office, but Whitewater pushed to keep those meetings quiet to “avoid the press.”
IRG’s report says Whitewater continues to deal with many of the problems laid out in the police chief’s letter in December. And, the report says, there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.
“Overall, many of the communications, particularly those from the police chief, make clear the city has attempted to balance maintaining an objective posture on a highly charged public policy debate while recognizing the clear impact the influx of immigrants is having on the city’s ability to protect its residents, ensure a quality public education for the city’s school children, and maintain fiscal solvency,” the report’s conclusion states. “Unless and until the federal government repairs the nation’s utterly broken immigration infrastructure, local units of government like those in Whitewater, Wisconsin will be left to respond to the federal government’s continued failures.”
Milwaukee isn’t the only Wisconsin city whose public schools have had trouble educating students, especially students of color. It’s also not the only school system whose focuses more in economic inputs than academic outcomes.
Madison Board of Education votes to put referendum questions on Nov. ballot | WKOW
The operations question asks voters to green-light $100 million to be distributed across the coming four academic years ($30 million in both 2024–25 and 2025–26, followed by $20 million in both 2026–27 and 2027–28), allowing the district to immediately address the matter of staff wages, and also continue to advance its equity projects, including Community Schools and Village Builders, 4K staff increases, and K–1 class-size reductions,” district spokesperson Ian Folger said in a news release after Monday night’s vote.
“The facilities question asks the community to provide funding of up to $507 million to replace the buildings that house Malcolm Shabazz City High School/Sherman Middle School, Black Hawk Middle School/Samuel Gompers Elementary School, Akira R. Toki Middle School/Orchard Ridge Elementary School, and Cherokee Heights and Ray F. Sennett middle schools; and to renovate Milele Chikasa Anana and Crestwood elementary schools, to benefit student learning,”
But wait, there’s more…
More Closures As Part of GBAPSD’s Budget Plans | WTAQ
Green Bay’s school board voted Monday night to close three more of its elementary schools.
…Boundary changes to numerous other schools were also on the agenda for Monday’s meeting. The latest set of recommendations were made by the district’s boundary adjustment committee late last month.
GBAPS is now looking to draft a referendum. Part of that referendum would include building a new 600-student school which would replace Kennedy Elementary. Students from MacArthur would attend that new school.
The district is dealing with a budget deficit between $6 million and $11 million within two years, as well as declining enrollment.
The greatest franchise in professional sports will have a new leader next year. Finally, an Ed Policy upon which we can all agree!
Packers name Ed Policy next Chairman, President and CEO | Dairyland Sentinel
Edward R. Policy, the Green Bay Packers’ chief operating officer and general counsel, has been elected as the organization’s next Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, a position he will formally assume in July of 2025 at the Packers Annual Meeting of Shareholders when Mark Murphy officially retires from the role.
Policy, who’s entering his 13th year overall with the organization and seventh as chief operating officer, was elected by the Packers Board of Directors as the franchise’s 11th Chief Executive Officer Monday morning in a unanimous vote, upon recommendation of the search committee led by chair Susan Finco and vice chair Dan Ariens.
“Congratulations to Ed on this well-deserved promotion to what I believe is the most unique and meaningful position in the world of professional sports,” said Murphy. “Ed has been a tremendous asset to the organization during his 12 years here and has been greatly instrumental in our success. His work on Titletown has been particularly impactful. He is highly respected – both in the building and within the NFL. I’ve enjoyed working with him and am confident he will be an excellent steward for the organization.
“In the coming year, he and I will continue to work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for our employees, players and fans.
“Thank you to the search committee for their thorough work in this process. I’m excited about this coming season and the future of the Packers.”
Murphy will continue to lead the Packers over the next 13 months and will work with Policy during a transition period that will include the upcoming season and culminate in July of 2025. Additionally, Policy will remain in his COO role until that time.
“I am incredibly honored, excited and grateful to the search committee, the Board, the shareholders and the entire organization for this treasured and one-of-a-kind opportunity,” said Policy. “I am particularly grateful to Mark for 12 years of mentorship. I am looking forward to building on his leadership and considerable success on and off the field.
“This is the absolute best job in sports. We are the stewards of the most iconic and unique organization in all of professional sports. I am excited to continue to work with so many talented teammates who have ensured the Packers’ consistent success on and off the field. We are the people’s team, and I love being a part of it.
“We will continue our relentless focus on building a winning culture that transcends the playing field. The Lombardi Trophy will always be our North Star and ensuring a positive impact on our community will continue to be paramount in our decision-making. We have the greatest fans in sports and will never take their commitment to the Packers for granted.
“Twelve years ago, my wife, Christy, and I moved to Green Bay from New York City with our two sons. We embraced this community and it embraced us back even stronger. We love raising our family here. This is home.”
The organization’s expansive and inclusive search, which followed NFL guidelines that apply to team executive positions, began with initial work by the Executive Committee in early 2023 and continued with the formation of the search committee in May. A subsequent search process and timeline was established to follow NFL requirements that interviews with candidates currently in league and team positions occur only between the end of the NFL season in February through the start of training camp in July.
“Our Board thanks the search committee for the many hours of work they put into this process,” said Finco. “Each and every member shared their expertise and valuable insights as we worked collaboratively throughout the search. We unanimously agreed that Ed Policy is an excellent person to lead our organization, has an inspiring and innovative vision of the future, and gives us great continuity of leadership that will allow for a seamless transition.
“We appreciate all that Mark does for the Packers and we look forward to the year ahead under his leadership, including an exciting football season and the 2025 NFL Draft next April.”
The search committee worked through a list of more than 90 prospects, applicants and referrals, with a number of high-quality candidates considered from across the NFL, sports, business and entertainment. The committee then conducted virtual and in-person interviews in June which led to the recommendation of Policy.
“We had a responsibility to the organization, its employers and players; to our shareholders, fans and community, as well as the NFL: to conduct a comprehensive, inclusive search in order to identify the best candidate who can lead our organization into the future,” said Ariens. “Ed brings incredible talents and skills to this role, as he has demonstrated throughout his career with the Packers.”
The Packers’ franchise has had consistent leadership and a steady focus on excellence. They provide not only a consistently excellent product on the field, but they maintain their facilities and are constantly looking at new and better ways to meet the needs of their current and future customers. Sometimes, that has required additional revenue, but they make their case to either their customers, taxpayers or perspective new shareholders and earn the new support they receive. Then, flush with that new revenue, they continue to get better.
The Packers have established a talent pipeline from management to coaches to players, one which is constantly refreshed yet provides stability and reassurance that the organization will remain excellent.
Wisconsin school administrators should take note, and Wisconsin taxpayers should raise their expectations for all levels of government. The Packers’ mentality needs to catch on throughout all levels of Wisconsin government.
“We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.” –Coach Lombardi
