erica dynes

Reporter Erica Dynes leaves Wisconsin Dells Events, Capital Newspapers

Erica Dynes, who spent five years as a reporter for Capital Newspapers, has left Wisconsin Dells Events for a new role.

Dynes will join Shaw Media, a newspaper publisher based in the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake, Ill., as a marketing assistant. In addition to the Dells Events, Dynes previously held reporting roles at the Juneau County Star-Times in Mauston and Reedsburg Times-Press.

harvest, corn

Harvest time means busy time

It’s harvest time in the country, with farmers busy in the fields at all hours of the day collecting the annual crops. The warm and dry fall has created ideal harvest conditions so far across much of Wisconsin.

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FAFSA numbers plummet in Wisconsin during pandemic

The percentage of Wisconsin high school seniors completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) plummeted during the pandemic, which likely signals a concerning trend for college enrollment.

Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame banquet set for Nov. 18 in Madison

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation is pleased to announce the distinguished industry leaders who will be inducted into the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame on Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Madison Club, 5 E. Wilson St., Madison.

The 2021 inductees are Harland & Helen Everson (posthumous), The Edgerton Reporter; William “Bill” Hale (posthumous), Grant County Herald Independent, Lancaster; Phil Haslanger, The Capital Times, Madison; Margaret “Meg” Jones (posthumous), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; J. Anthony Josey (posthumous), Wisconsin Enterprise-Blade, Milwaukee; and Lucius W. Nieman (posthumous), The Milwaukee Journal.

wisconsin state capitol, civics education

New poll question: Should civics education be required in Wisconsin schools?

A new poll question asking whether readers believe civics education should be required in Wisconsin schools is available to be used by WNA members. We are asking the question following the recent passage of Assembly Bill 563, which would create a mandatory civics curriculum to be taught in all Wisconsin schools.

Poll questions are available through a WNA partnership with Polco aimed at helping newspapers better engage readers and access enhanced data and insights. WNA members who have signed up for an account can access their local version of the new question, as well as local poll results, on their dashboards. Those who have not signed up can do so here.

mike mathes

Mike Mathes, longtime Kiel publisher and WNA past president, dies at 68

Michael E. “Mike” Mathes, past president of the WNA and former longtime publisher of the (Kiel) Tri-County News, died Friday, Oct. 1, following a brief battle with brain cancer. He was 68.

Mathes started his career at the Kiel Record — now the Tri-County News — with his father, Earl, who was editor and publisher of the newspaper. Mike took over after Earl retired in 1986, running the paper alongside his brother, Joe. He served as publisher for more than 30 years until selling the newspaper in September 2019.

During his time as publisher, Mike was an active member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. He served as WNA president in 1996 and was the longtime master of ceremonies of the annual WNA Trees Retreat in Eagle River.

capitol report, wispolitics

GOP would have advantage even under Evers’ maps

Republicans in Wisconsin would still have an advantage under drafts of Assembly and Senate district lines created for Gov. Tony Evers’ People’s Maps Commission, according to a WisPolitics.com review of the proposals.

wisconsin capitol, civics education

Coalition issues statement on new personal property tax bill

The Coalition to Repeal Wisconsin’s Personal Property Tax issued a letter Thursday to Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Legislature regarding a newly introduced bill, LRB 4737, that would repeal the state’s personal property tax.

The coalition, which advocated for the passage of the bill previously passed by the Legislature and vetoed by Evers, identified its concerns with LRB 4737, including the proposed funding plan to replace lost revenue, among other items. The group of trade and business associations — which includes the Wisconsin Newspaper Association — noted it believes the items are not relevant to the main issue and only bring unnecessary politics into an otherwise bipartisan tax cut.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association