💥 You’ve done it! You’ve made it to Memorial Day weekend—at least for those of us who unofficially kick it off on Thursday nights. I mean, how much work is really going to get done tomorrow?

🇺🇸 We’ll wrap up tonight’s issue with links to Memorial Day commemorations and local festivals. But whatever you’re doing this weekend, be sure to take time to offer up your gratitude to all of the men and women who gave their lives in the service of our freedoms.

🌭 Then, when we turn our attention to the unofficial start of summer, allow me to suggest you check out our daily newsletter and the Badger State Buzz, an exhaustive list of ideas to add some Wisconsinality to your weekends, from Ellie Bourdo.

📸 And honestly, it’s worth subscribing just for the daily photos sent by readers who prove over and over again what a slice of heaven we get to call our home.

Be sure to keep scrolling to a story that newsletter subscribers like you get to see before anyone else. It’s a little “Data Center 101,” framed around the need for bipartisan action in the Legislature to help prevent the growth of these facilities from harming our environment, our grid, and our jobs.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. And be sure to stay up to date with our social media posts.

🧀 US Rep. Tom Tiffany, the presumptive Republican nominee for governor, is well known for being a super-spreader of conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and he made clear on Monday that he still won’t acknowledge that Donald Trump lost. 

Tiffany even endorsed Trump’s recent use of law enforcement in Wisconsin to continue his “investigation” into the election. [Story by Pat Kreitlow, or watch a video report.]

🥦 Some Wisconsin law enforcement agencies are pushing back against criticism over Flock Safety surveillance cameras and concerns that officers could misuse the data collected by the company’s AI-enhanced automatic license plate readers (LPRs).

The Holmen Police Department calls the cameras a “game changer for public safety” and denied claims that the technology is being used for anything else.  [Story by Lucas Henkel]

🐄 The president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union says the new federal Farm Bill favors large-scale industrial agriculture over small, independent farms.

Darin Von Ruden says the US House passing the Farm Bill this month is a step forward, but he questions whether the bill goes far enough to meet the needs of family farmers and rural communities. The bill is now in the US Senate. [Story by Salina Heller]

Newsletter subscribers are seeing a preview of this story before anyone else. Read the full version on our website starting Friday.

💻 The explosive growth of data center construction has generated bipartisan concerns in the general public — with 70% of Marquette Law School poll respondents saying data centers create more costs than benefits — but that sentiment has not caught on in the state Capitol. 

In the recently-completed session, Republicans blocked a Democratic bill to strengthen oversight of data center construction—but they also failed to pass their own bill containing much weaker protections for Wisconsin utility ratepayers and the state’s natural resources. The lack of any new oversight is troubling, say data center-critics.

“They just barreled through, which told me they weren’t serious,” said Rep. Angela Stroud (D-Ashland), co-author of the Democratic bill. “We need regulation for communities, but we also need it for good business. We all know that certainty is what investors are looking for. And so the failure to do that in this session is really a glaring failure of the majority.” 

Along with lots of fresh water needed to cool these warehouses filled with computer servers, Wisconsin has another incentive: tax breaks provided in the 2023-2025 state budget. Wisconsin is already losing out on about $2 billion in tax revenue from an exemption from state and local sales taxes on the purchase of equipment and building supplies to construct these multibillion-dollar facilities.

“The question is not whether our region will be part of this story,” said Trevor Jung, a Racine city council member and Democratic candidate for the Wisconsin State Senate. “The question is who will write the rules, and who will they favor?” All of the Democratic candidates for governor are also speaking out on the need for better protections.

💾 Who do you trust to write new rules next year about data center construction and operation in Wisconsin? 

Click the blue box to answer over on our website. Leave us a comment and your first name and hometown for a chance to see it featured in this newsletter next week.

💰 Last week we asked if Gov. Tony Evers made a good deal with Republican legislative leaders to use much of the projected state budget surplus on tax relief and special education needs. The deal was rejected in the state Senate with bipartisan opposition. 

↔️ In keeping with the closely divided tally at the Capitol, our readership was also evenly split with 52% saying it was a good deal that should have passed, while the rest said the package either did not do enough for schools or did not give enough in direct checks to families.

👉🏼 Karen D. on Facebook – If it was just a one time deal, yes. What we need is a permanent repair to the school funding formula.

👉🏼 Kate in Madison – “$300 doesn’t even cover my gas and grocery bill for a week — this was a bad deal. Evers gave too much to the GOP AGAIN!”

👉🏼 Joel in Spooner: “I don’t know if it is good, but it is a compromise of both parties. I prefer a split government, I have a hard time trusting any party that is in total control, the trifecta as it were. I will be splitting my ticket this fall, hope others do also.”

👉🏼 Doug H. on Facebook –I mean it was bad politics. Why three people who are leaving government decided without including their own party members…it’s a quick way to get bipartisan rejection.

Thank you, as always, for some great table talk about how our leaders make the sausage.

🗓️ Our favorite supper clubs often have a bulletin board filled with information about upcoming events and local services. Here’s our version: A “Do Something!” calendar of opportunities to get involved in your community. Find the full calendar on our website.

🇺🇸MEMORIAL DAY – From memorials and parades that honor service members to festivals and more, there’s something for everyone to do this Memorial Day weekend. Go to our website to see a more in-depth rundown of memorial ceremonies, parades, and local festivals.

Friday [May 22]

Democratic Party of Wisconsin: Join the Anti-MAGA Social Club (Racine, 4-6 p.m.) An informal happy hour to talk politics.

Wednesday [May 27]

Wisconsin Public Education Network: Meeting of Network Friends and Partners (Virtual, 6:30-8 p.m.) Join to hear a spring election debrief, updates on the Fund Wisconsin Public Schools lawsuit from Law Forward, and legislative and partner updates in public education.

Send your events and announcements to Abigail Deatrick, regional community development organizer at Courier Newsroom at abigail@couriernewsroom.com at least one week before the event to see them here.

📱 Remember, you can stay up to date all day with all of our team’s work through our social media feeds, including Instagram and TikTok.

🏁 Thanks for reading our update.

Have a great weekend!