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Author: gbump

Wisconsin’s lack of snow concerns local farmers as they look toward spring

NBC-15

Dan Smith with UW Extension’s integrated pest and crop management, says the recent snowfall is good for their crops, but it may not be enough to keep crops like alfalfa, wheat, and small grains from winter kill.

“There are a couple of factors that we should consider when we’re thinking about winter kill, for alfalfa, we’re primarily considering those conditions where we don’t have snow cover, like December and January this year,” explained Smith.

‘The drive to the airport is more dangerous than the flight itself’, WI aviation experts say

NBC-15

Behavioral Specialist for UW Health, Dr. Sydney Zettler, explained while probability for plane crashes is low, travel anxiety can be very high.

“There’s two kinds of common thoughts that can drive anxiety, catastrophizing and probability over estimation,” said Zettler. ”This example, is there’s maybe more travel anxiety given recent plane crashes in the United States.”

John Green discusses tuberculosis, health inequities during Shannon Hall lecture

The Badger Herald

Author John Green visited the University of Wisconsin’s Shannon Hall at Memorial Union on Feb. 18 to talk about the upcoming release of his new book, “Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection.” Green was introduced by professor of pediatrics at UW’s School of Medicine and Public Health Dr. James Conway.

Gov. Tony Evers’ budget calls for tax cuts, protection against ‘needless chaos’ of Trump policies

Wisconsin State Journal

Evers proposed $856 million in new operational funding for the UW system, more than the $800 million he pledged to the UW Board of Regents last August. His proposed budget also includes $60 million in new state aid for Wisconsin’s technical college system, $10 million of which is meant to support the 16 two-year colleges in investing in artificial intelligence.

Ancient Lake Mendota canoes take another step for eventual display

Wisconsin State Journal

Between now and when the canoes and fragments are removed from the tank, Thomsen, along with Sissel Schroeder, a professor of archaeology in the anthropology department at UW-Madison, will be evangelizing about the canoes. Two of their talks will be during Canoecopia at the Alliant Energy Center, one on March 7 and the other March 9.

UW-River Falls’ second interim chancellor in 6 months is expected to serve for a long time

Wisconsin State Journal

On Tuesday, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced UW-Whitewater’s provost and former interim chancellor John Chenoweth would lead UW-River Falls on a temporary basis starting March 1. Chenoweth will replace Michael Martin, who took on the position in an interim status in September following the retirement of Chancellor Maria Gallo.

Editorial | Lifesaving UW-Madison research threatened by funding cuts

The Capital Times

It is beyond comprehension that any responsible American policymaker would take actions that might undermine — or even destroy — efforts that have already yielded tremendous progress for ailing Americans. And that have the potential, in relatively short order, to make historic breakthroughs in the fight against diseases and conditions that have caused immense pain, heartbreak and death.

Wisconsin football hires Badgers administrator as general manager

Wisconsin State Journal

Marcus Sedberry is set to become the Badgers football general manager, a BadgerExtra source said. Sedberry has been in the Wisconsin athletic department since February 2022 serving as the deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, with football being his top sport as an administrator.

‘Bucky’s mom’ has been caring for UW-Madison’s beloved mascot for 25 years

Wisconsin State Journal

Josette Jaucian has been “Bucky’s mom” — or on the occasion he misbehaves, “Bucky’s unofficial parole officer” — since 2000. She took over leading the Spirit Squad in that year, which consists of not only wrangling the multiple performers who bring the Bucky costume to life, but also overseeing the university’s dance team and cheerleaders, more than 60 students total.

Dr. E. K. (Ken) Greenwald

Wisconsin State Journal

Ken was cajoled out of retirement to join the University of Wisconsin engineering faculty. In that capacity, he lectured around the world.

Molly Rose (Morrison) Philosophos

Wisconsin State Journal

In 2016, Tim and Molly moved to Madison, Wis., where their three Badger children also lived, and she began her dream job as a fundraiser for the UW-Madison School of Business through the UW Foundation and Alumni Association. Her commitment to her craft and passion for the university translated into professional exceptionalism in her role as managing senior director of development.

Public data removal impacts university research

The Badger Herald

When this kind of data is taken away from journalists, researchers and the public, it can have big consequences for what we are able to learn, University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communications professor Michael Wagner said.

“Being able to use public data to write stories that can hold the powerful to account is the lifeblood of good journalism and so journalists need to have access to public data to tell their audience how our leaders are using,” Wagner said. “And so to take these down and prevent journalists and researchers from using them, makes it a lot harder for us to hold power to account.”

Mary Ann Test

Wisconsin State Journal

In 1978 Dr. Test joined the social work faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Outsourcing in Wisconsin state government expands under Evers

The Capital Times

Andrew Reschovsky, a professor emeritus of public affairs at UW-Madison, said sometimes it makes sense for a state agency to contract out services when it doesn’t have the staff or knowledge for the work. Without the outcome of cost-benefit analyses or other information, it is impossible to know when contracting out makes sense without querying each agency, he said.

‘Real brutal capitalism.’ Wisconsin nursing home sales surge, quality drops

The Capital Times

“We tend to be going more and more towards a real brutal capitalism, I think everywhere,” said Barbara Bowers, a professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Nursing. “And it’s fine if it’s about the quality of your television set. But it’s a different issue when it’s the quality of somebody’s life. I think we treat this as any other commodity, which is really unfortunate.”

UW-Madison grad students ‘are very afraid’ of federal funding turmoil

The Capital Times

A federal judge last month blocked efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to halt the flow of billions of federal dollars. Wisconsin officials worried the freeze would have wide-ranging effects, including at the state’s flagship university.

Then over the weekend, the National Institutes of Health announced a “dramatic” cut in funding for some research expenses at UW-Madison and other institutions, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and other university leaders said in a statement.

Influenza-A leads record respiratory illness spike in Dane County

WMTV - Channel 15

Health officials say that the peak in respiratory illnesses hit Dane County late this year, leaving hospitals and urgent care facilities packed.

“It did start late and it really came on like wild fire,” said Dr. Jim Conway, pediatric infectious disease doctor with UW Health Kids and medical director of UW Health’s immunization program.

Should Wisconsin require school districts ban cell phones in class?

Channel 3000

But UW Health Kids pediatrician and researcher Dr. Megan Moreno said schools should take care to do what’s best for their students. She said when it comes to social media and mental health, there isn’t a population-level impact.

“So when kids are feeling really anxious or over stimulated, a lot of patients that I see have really well-developed mechanisms that they can use their phone to calm down,” Dr. Moreno said.

UW-Madison scientists weigh in on LA fires, explain university satellites that track them

The Daily Cardinal

Volker Radeloff, a fire expert and professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University Wisconsin-Madison, conducts research on wildland-urban interfaces (WUIs), which are fire-prone regions on the cusp between wildland vegetation, often woodlands or grasslands, and civilization. Nearly half of the world’s population lives in a WUI, and all of the areas that burned in the Los Angeles area belonged to a WUI, Radeloff said.