A new abortion clinic and women's health center opened Jan. 8 on Madison's east side, becoming the only clinic in south central Wisconsin to offer surgical and medical abortions, according to The Capital Times.
The Comprehensive Reproduction Health Center, 3706 Orin Rd., cost $1.9 million and is the result of a three-year, grassroots campaign launched after Meriter Hospital sold the building housing Madison's only abortion clinic, on West Washington Avenue.
The clinic will offer sex education, contraceptive counseling, annual exams and breast and cervical cancer screening as well as abortions. It is the largest of the three Planned Parenthood centers in Madison.
While Deborah Hobbins, a Planned Parenthood vice president, told The Capital Times the clinic will offer women a place to choose their health care choices, members of Pro Life Wisconsin are upset that abortions will be available.
-Maureen Backman
Businesses and landowners are one step closer to lower air and water standards, after the Wisconsin state Assembly overwhelmingly passed the \Job Creation Act"" Tuesday, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The bill would save manufacturing jobs because it speeds up permit reviews by the state Department of Natural Resources. Those reviews are in place to ensure that businesses and landowners comply with environmental standards. If the bill passes the Senate and is signed by Gov. Jim Doyle, the DNR would begin to exempt many projects that are currently regulated because they are along state waterways.
Doyle convinced many Democrats to vote for the bill because he believes it will stimulate the economy. But those opposed to the bill cite the potentially detrimental effects on the environment as too significant to support the bill.
-Michael Worringer
Rayovac Corp. announced it will move its corporate headquarters from Madison to Atlanta this spring, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The company, which has been in Madison since 1906, is forced to relocate as a result of last September's purchase of Remington Products.
Restructuring from Remington's operations in Connecticut will add a net 120 jobs in Wisconsin.
""While I am disappointed to learn of the loss of Rayovac's corporate headquarters, I am pleased that the company will create a global product research and development facility here in Madison, where we can provide the skilled, creative workers they need,"" Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said in a press release.
-Kristen Titus
Phil Certain, dean of UW-Madison's College of Letters and Science, announced he will retire June 30.
After discussing his professional future with his family over the holidays, Certain said he realized he would like to spend more time with his family.
""...Since the college is in good shape with a great staff, it seemed to be an ideal time to step back,"" Certain said in a press release.
Chancellor John Wiley says Certain's administrative experience and problem-solving abilities will be missed, according to the press release.
""As our senior dean, there are few who possess Phil's institutional knowledge and historical perspective on the past, present and future of this university,"" Wiley said in a press release. ""His commitment to UW-Madison and those who work and learn here, as well as his advocacy for his college, the university and higher education, will be difficult to replace.""
Certain joined the faculty as a chemistry professor in 1970 and began serving as dean in 1993. He is the university's longest serving dean.
-Kristen Titus
Meg Wall-Wild, a publications editor in the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology, placed second on the game show ""Jeopardy"" that aired Jan. 13.
Although Wall-Wild only took home $2,000, she said she was very pleased with her performance, especially under pressure.
""The person who beat me now holds the all-time highest record of money won on 'Jeopardy.' So if I'm going to lose, lose to the king,"" she said.
She said she has watched the show for many years and always wanted to be a contestant.
""I've been a 'Jeopardy' fan since there's been a 'Jeopardy' to be a fan of,"" she said.
-Kristen Titus
