May 15 – 29, 2009

• Late Gibraltar teacher and baseball coach Rodney “Chief” Billerbeck was honored by Inside Wisconsin Sports magazine. The publication dedicated its June issue to Billerbeck “for his lifelong contribution to Wisconsin high school baseball.”

• The Wisconsin state legislature reached a compromise to keep film tax incentives in place. Gov. Jim Doyle had proposed cutting the incentives in next year’s budget.

The Joint Finance Committee voted 16 – 0 to cap the incentives at $3 million a year for two years. Under the new rules, at least 35 percent of a project’s total budget would have to be spent in Wisconsin. A refundable tax credit for 25 percent of salaries and wages paid to Wisconsin residents and 20 percent for nonresidents would be available. Workers making more than $250,000 wouldn’t qualify, and the credit for non-residents would be capped.

• Door County cut ties with Baylakes Regional Planning commission. Supervisors voted 16 – 5 to end the agreement at the end of this year. Baylakes is a public advisory commission serving Northeast Wisconsin, providing planning and survey assistance to local units of government. The decision will save the county about $35,000.

• The Gibraltar School Board decided to wait until next year to continue discussion of implementing 4-year-old kindergarten.

• Sevastopol School selected Adam Baier as its new Junior High/ High school principal. Baier replaces Ron Shefchik who resigned after serving in the position for three years.

• Brown County Supervisor Andy Williams announced his candidacy for the 8th Congressional District election in 2010. Williams, 40, will run as a Republican for the right to challenge two-term incumbent Democrat Steve Kagen. Door County Supervisor Marc Savard joined the race last winter.

• The Wisconsin Supreme Court said May 14 that it will hear Bill McConkey’s challenge to the 2006 constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in the state. McConkey, of Baileys Harbor, is a self-described Republican who has a gay daughter. McConkey challenged the amendment because the wording of it asked voters to consider two questions. State law says an amendment can ask voters to decide on only one question at a time. The amendment was approved by voters by a 59 – 41 percent margin.