Government and Political News: Sen. Petrowski to be sworn in today

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Wisconsin's newest state Senator-elect can officially take on his new job today. Jerry Petrowski will be sworn in at the Marathon County Courthouse. Petrowski is a G-O-P Assembly lawmaker who ran for the Central Wisconsin Senate district upon Pam Galloway's resignation this past spring. Galloway was among lawmakers being recalled so the district was up for grabs in the June fifth election. Petrowski defeated Democrat Donna Seidel in that race.

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The Government Accountability Board denies a request by the Van Waanggard camp to have several votes thrown out. The campaign of the Racine Republican state Senator says these votes shouldn't have been counted as some persons did not properly sign poll books when collecting a ballot. Campaign spokesman Justin Phillips says duplicate voter numbers were also found. The G-A-B says the votes should still be counted because the error was made by poll workers, not voters. Senator-elect John Lehman's spokesman Brad Wojciechowski says the complaint filed by the Waanggard campaign was just an attempt to disenfranchise voters in the 21st district. Waanggard requested the recount after being narrowly defeated in the June fifth recall by the Democrat Lehman.

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Governor Scott Walker will be touring Superior today to look at damage from flooding and rain last week. Walker will be joined by Major General Donald Dunbar, adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard, and Congressman Sean Duffy. The tour will include private homes and conclude at the Salvation Army. State emergency management officials said Monday initial estimates indicate that overall damage in Wisconsin is significantly less than what occurred in Minnesota.

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The U-S Ag Department yesterday announced eleven Wisconsinites out-of-430 nationwide who'll receive federal money to reduce energy consumption and launch “green" projects. The cash received ranges from five-thousand to 16-thousand dollars. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack mentioned Maurice Nichols of Mount Hope, Wisconsin. Nichols was selected to receive a grant to purchase efficient grain dryer for his farm, saving over 42 percent in annual energy usage. The majority of Badger State producers who will receive money will put it to use for a grain dryer with others to use a reverse osmosis system and solar power livestock water tanks.

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