1️⃣ –Forest Cuts Bring Local Pain – The only person who has ever run both the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management wants people to know how bad things would get in Wisconsin if President Trump gets his wish to fire thousands of workers in national forests and parks. Mike Dombeck of Hayward is one of a half-dozen former Forest Service heads to write an open letter about how Trump’s cuts appear to be a way to cripple crucial services and open the door to privatization for development, drilling, mining, and a massive reduction in tourism opportunities that rural communities depend on.
CLICK HERE for Mike’s appearance on our radio show last week.
2️⃣ – Penny Wise, Pound Foolish Medicaid Cuts – The state Department of Health Services has released an analysis of what significant cuts to Medicaid would mean for Wisconsin families and businesses. Wisconsin Medicaid Director Bill Hanna said if House Republicans get their wish for $880 billion in federal Medicaid budget cuts, it would shift billions in healthcare costs onto Wisconsin taxpayers, and make it harder for working adults, kids, and seniors to access care. Nearly 1 in 5 people in Wisconsin rely on Medicaid programs like BadgerCare Plus for everything from check-ups to nursing home support.
3️⃣ – 3rd Congressional District Moved to ‘Toss-Up’ – The Cook Political Report has changed its rating on the 2026 3rd Congressional District race away from “lean Republican.” An excerpt from the article notes how incumbent US Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) won by only half the margin President Donald Trump won in the district last year.
Also mentioned: Van Orden’s challenger last year, Rebecca Cooke, raised over $1 million not long after announcing her intention to stage a 2026 rematch. Since then, two other Democrats have joined the race: Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge and former Eau Claire City Council member Laura Benjamin.
🕢 Laura Benjamin will be a guest at 7:30 a.m. Monday on “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow.”
🎙️ Also coming up on the radio:
🕗 Monday 8:05 a.m. – Jadine Sonoda from the Sierra Club on an unusual, world record-breaking way of showing public opposition to the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline up north.
🕣 Monday 8:30am – Nick Ramos of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
🕣 Tuesday 8:30 a.m. – Dan Shafer of The Recombobulation Area, Civic Media Political Editor