Wisconsin Watch

Two sheriff elections in Wisconsin are being watched as a referendum on whether local law enforcement should cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Sheriff's offices decide how far local jails and deputies assist federal immigration enforcement, so the outcomes could shape detention and handover practices in those counties. The races highlight a broader national debate over local-federal immigration cooperation.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has held a meeting as the state prepares for the upcoming midterm elections. Officials gathered to review election administration matters ahead of voting. Wisconsin remains a closely watched battleground state, so preparations by its election authority are drawing attention from state and national observers ahead of the midterms.

Lawmakers failed to pass a new farm bill by the deadline, leaving farmers without updated federal support as they face rising costs during harvest season. The lapse affects programs covering crop insurance, commodities and rural development. Growers, including those in farm-heavy states like Wisconsin, say climbing input and equipment costs are compounding the uncertainty while the bill remains stalled in Congress.

Creative Business Interiors, an interiors contractor, has been acquired by a Wausau, Wisconsin-based construction firm. The deal brings the office and commercial interiors specialist under the ownership of the northern Wisconsin company, though financial terms and the exact buyer have not been disclosed. Business observers in the region are watching the consolidation as part of broader M&A activity among Wisconsin contractors and design-build firms.