CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Yesterday two competing health care bills failed in the U.S. Senate. Neither got the 60-votes necessary to move forward. Republicans favored a bill that would have put more money into health care savings accounts. Democrats wanted a three-year extension of Obamacare subsidies. Remember, the D...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - I have a friend who caught his wife cheating. He forgave her, and they stayed married for several years after. But he told me something I'd never thought of before. Every time she is late, every time she isn't where he expects her to be, every time she's out for lunch at work... he wonders if...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Mandela Barnes campaigns today in West Allis. His topic, high energy bills. Debunking the Barnes campaign, only a week old, is taking up a great deal of air time. So... a question for Mr. Barnes: Do you realize that green energy is the most expensive energy? Solar panels - lifespan only 20 ye...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - I would like to thank the students at Wausau West and D.C. Everest high schools who are part of Peyton's Promise. Last weekend I picked up food that Payton's Promise collected from local donors. They distribute food to more than 200 small pantries in our area. One of them is it my church, Th...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Today candidate for Governor Mandela Barnes holds a campaign event at a Madison bicycle shop. He'll be at Black Saddle Bike Shop to talk about how Donald Trump's tariffs are harming Wisconsin businesses. One place Madela is sure not to visit is Harley Davidson - they're the company that's bee...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - This Sunday we light the candle of peace for advent. There are 128 separate armed conflicts going on in the world right now. 8 are considered major wars. So we're not doing all that well in the peace department. I'm not even sure that the absence of war is what we're talking about. Maybe it's...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - If you are arrested in Wisconsin, and you are also wanted in another state, local law enforcement will hold you. An officer from Illinois or California or wherever will come and get you and bring you back there to face charges. The count against you here may be something minor, like a traffic...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Yesterday was a moment of clarity in the race to be Wisconsin's next governor. It will be Mandela Barnes, a liberal democrat, against Tom Tiffany, a conservative republican. Of course there are still primaries in August, but Barnes and Tiffany will be the winners. The political attack ads wil...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Today I will tell you about a personal failure. In college I flunked one class. And I failed spectucularly. Level 3 algebra. I should have known I was in trouble at the start. I got a "C" in Level 2 algebra. And the Level 3 class assumed you knew all that stuff. On my Level 3 midter...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - I'm happy to share that the Wausau City Council is moving away from two of the worst ideas... ever. I told you last week in one of these commentaries that Wausau is getting a large settlement from 3M over PFAS contamination in the city's water supply. Wausau's share after legal fees, would be...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Old testament Jews had to be patient. The prophet Isiah foretold of the Messiah in 770 B.C. So Jews were told to pray each day for the savior of the world for nearly 800 years. That's patience. Isiah told us that a virgin would conceive, and He shall be named Immanuel, God with us. And he sha...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - I remember a visit many years ago to the Corning Glass Works in Upstate New York. You could take a tour. You would learn about the history of Corning glassware. You would visit their blast furnace. And you would watch the artisans blowing and shaping the glass into intricate, beautiful creati...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - I have a friend who works in retail. He was telling me about his work schedule tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving. The store will be closed Thursday. But before shutting down the shelves and aisles have to be stacked with all the stuff that goes on sale on Black Friday. He is less enthusia...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Wausau is one of several communities that is part of a water pollution settlement with 3M. The city is scheduled to get about $5-million, after legal fees, for PFAS contamination in the city's drinking water. The money would be paid out over eight years. Tomorrow night the city will consider...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) For several years I haven't cooked a Thanksgiving meal. I've had it catered. I pick up the food and bring it home. Last year there was so much food that I couldn't eat it all. After I'd maxed out on cold turkey sandwiches, I gave the leftovers to my pets. This year I'm offering plates of turk...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - So, apparently the support for sports betting in Wisconsin is not as strong in the legislature as you might think. A bill that was supposed to be voted on yesterday was pulled - a sign that not enough members of the assembly were ready to vote 'yes'. It won't be voted on until next year, if a...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Today the state assembly will vote on a sports betting scheme for Wisconsin. It is, indeed, a scheme, perhaps illegal. Under Wisconsin's state constitution sports betting is allowed only on tribal lands. The legislature's proposed work-around is that the computers that process the bets would ...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Wisconsin Rapids is considering a new solar farm. It's a small project on city owned land along the Wisconsin River. It would provide electricity for between 1,000 and 1,500 homes. It will come up for a public hearing for the necessary rezoning on December 1st. Residents should oppose it. Why...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - There are two new developments in the case involving Judge Hannah Dugan. She's charged with obstruction of justice by allowing an illegal immigrant to sneak out of her courtroom using a private hallway near the jury room. She told ICE agents to wait outside the courtroom while the suspect and...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) -Last Sunday's trip to Green Bay was a rich experience indeed. My church, The Cross on Grand Avenue in Schofield, was invited to attend the pastor appreciation service at another multi-cultural church in Green Bay. A small group from The Cross drove there to attend. My pastor, Yaou Yang, was th...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Yesterday Wausau Mayor Doug Diny vetoed next year's city budget. Since the spending plan passed on an 10-1 city council vote, an override is likely. But, the mayor has a point. He introduced a proposal a month ago that would have elmininated the need for a $1.5-million referendum this spring....

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Yesterday Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction released its school report cards. Remember a year ago State Superintendent Jill Underly changed the way schools are graded. Tests were dumbed down, so data for the last two years can't be compared with older results. Wisconsin's results c...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - Republicans need to get the legislation to end the government shutdown written and passed and onto Donald Trump's desk. Today would not be too soon. The way the shutdown ended is an unequivocal unspinnable win for Republicans, means the Democrats could back out of the deal. They've been lamba...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - The Titanic was an unsinkable ship. Yet she struck and iceberg and went down on her maiden voyage in 1912. Today is the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitsgerald, another ship that was thought to be unsinkable. If you look at pictures of her, the big ore carrier almost looks fr...

CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) - The foodshare crisis from the government shutdown has reminded me of something. Not once during his earthly ministry did Jesus calculate the cost of helping someone in need. At church last Sunday (and the foodshare lapse was only one day old then) our congregation was told if you need help wi...