Wisconsin News: Happenings from around the Badger State

Fort McCoy's commander has been relieved of her duties.

In a short statement, the Army posted, "Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez has been suspended as Garrison Commander at Fort McCoy. This suspension is not related to any misconduct. We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review."

Ramirez assumed her duties as commander July 19, 2024.

While the Army didn't give a reason for Ramirez's dismissal, the Daily Beast reports that portraits of President Donald Trump, Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were flipped to face the wall instead of the hallway. The portraits were part of a grouping illustrating the post's chain of command.

Prior to arriving at Fort McCoy, Ramirez served as chief Reserve Program, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

She became the first female to lead the post, located between Tomah and Sparta in Monroe County. In her first interview with the media, she described her appointment as "a great milestone." She said it shows "we that we have diversity in every part of our society."

Her military service dates back to 1999, when she earned her commission as a military intelligence officer through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. She is a native of Puerto Rico.

She succeeded Col. Stephen Messenger at Fort McCoy.

Nobody from Fort McCoy was available late Tuesday afternoon for immediate comment.

Interesting read

This is absurd, even for Wisconsin.

Who could have known that welding a bunch of heavy art on a standard Ranger could cause suspension issues?

cross-posted from: https://kbin.social/m/[email protected]/t/1056273

From the Article:

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is requesting that the state budget committee release $20 million meant to create a grant program that would support communities where a University of Wisconsin branch campus has closed.

The request is the third submitted to the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration this week, bringing the total amount to be released to $45 million. The requests come as lawmakers and Evers have been in conflict over the release of other state funding that was improved in the budget, including funds for fighting PFAS contamination of local drinking water supplies, grants to support hospitals in western Wisconsin and a new literacy program in schools.

The closure of UW branch campuses, including UW-Platteville’s Richland campus, UW-Milwaukee’s Washington County campus and UW-Oshkosh’s Fond du Lac campus, have left local communities facing potential economic crises.

WEDC’s request would allow the agency to implement the grant program as instructed by a law passed by the Legislature in February and signed by Evers in March. Under the law, communities will be eligible for a $2 million grant.

Evers said in a statement that a lack of “meaningful investments” in the UW system has caused the recent campus closures along with staff layoffs, and the state needs to quickly work to address the challenges to prevent additional layoffs and closures.

“This funding is critically important in the meantime to help communities like Richland Center, Washington County, Fond du Lac, and Marinette find new uses for the infrastructure and existing buildings to support local communities and economies,” Evers said.