REGIONAL BRIEFS: Johnson announces candidacy for Circuit Court Judge from the Baldwin Bulletin
Attorney James “Jamie” Johnson has announced he is running for the St. Croix County Circuit Court Judge seat being vacated by the retiring Edward Vlack.
Johnson has been an attorney with Lommen Abdo Law Firm for 34 years. Before that, he was an assistant district attorney from 1987 to 1990.
In addition, he has been the legal and government correspondent for the Western Wisconsin Journal since 2005, the Wisconsin Law Journal ‘Leader in the Law’ in 2009, and a guest lecturer at the University of Minnesota from 2017 to 2019.
In the community, he is the current president of the Hudson School Board, former Bethel Lutheran Church Council President, and Hudson Community Christian Food Shelf Board Member and Volunteer.
Johnson has lived in the Hudson area for 34 years with his wife, Jean. They are the parents of three children, Alexandra, Sarah, and Lukas, and the grandparents of two.
If needed, a primary election will be held on February 18, 2025, with the general election set for April 1.
For more information about Johnson, visit johnsonforjudge.org.
Senator Stafsholt Appointed to Joint Committee on Finance
Senator Rob Stafsholt will serve on the Joint Committee on Finance in the
upcoming session. The committee is responsible for all state appropriations and expenditures, including the state budget.
“I am honored to have been appointed to the Joint Committee on Finance for the upcoming session. It’s a responsibility I will take very seriously. I look forward to bringing a Northwestern perspective on the budget-writing process and working hard to get a bigger portion of our tax dollars collected in Madison to return to our rural areas.
“I was happy to vote in favor of the previous budget. It was a truly conservative budget that responsibly funded the state’s priorities, provided tax cuts, invested in K-12 education, and healthcare, paid down debt to save millions on interest, and left the state with a surplus balance to ensure Wisconsin is set up for the future. We must continue to hold the line on taxes in this upcoming budget.
“With a projected $4 billion surplus, the state can again return more money to the taxpayers and make further investments in our local roads, workforce development, and schools. I look forward to getting to work.”
New Effort to Protect the Kinnickinnic River Receives Funding
St. Croix County’s Land and Water Conservation Division successfully acquired a surface water protection grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that will focus on implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Kinnickinnic Watershed. The 22-mile Kinnickinnic River is a valued natural resource and a popular trout stream. Over the years, it has garnered strong public support for its preservation. Efforts include land protection easements conducted by the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, which is also involved in restoration efforts. The City of River Falls has also been working to remove two dams on the Kinnikinnic River that would restore the river to a free-flowing condition.
Conservation staff plan to work with farmers within the Kinnickinnic watershed to install BMPs to reduce sediment and nutrient losses into the river. Projects will include grass waterways, buffers, sediment basins, streambank improvements, and more. The work will also benefit Lake St. Croix, downstream of the Kinnikinnic River.
The grant will begin January 1, 2025, and provide over $375,000 in cost-share funding to implement BMPs in the watershed. Informational meetings and outreach efforts will be organized to inform landowners of the opportunities available to implement conservation.