Dear Friends, It's not just the leaves that continue to fall. Unemployment rates are dropping all over Wisconsin. In fact, in the 12 metro areas of our state, unemployment has dropped or held steady for 59 straight months! That's incredible! Our state's overall unemployment rate is at 3% which is the 10th lowest in the country. And, we rank second in the nation and best in the Midwest for manufacturing jobs created over the past year. Our state continues to be on a roll and we can't afford to go back to the days of 9% unemployment, companies fleeing, and taxes rising! Speaking of falling leaves, isn't Wisconsin incredibly beautiful this time of year? Please take a moment to share that beauty with our readers. Send us your best fall pictures of Wisconsin to sen.darling@legis.wi.gov and we will post them on social media and next week's E-Update! For an up-to-date Wisconsin fall color map, see below. As always, if you have any concerns or ideas on how to improve our great state, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 608-266-5830 or by email at Sen.Darling@legis.wi.gov . On, Wisconsin!

Share With Your Friends!

Don't Be Scared About Your Health Care

You may be seeing a lot of scary commercials about how people could lose their health insurance because they have a pre-existing condition. Don't believe it. Those ads are incredibly misleading for people living in Wisconsin. Obamacare is a disaster and it must be replaced. We can do that without people losing coverage. The truth is Wisconsin protected people with pre-existing conditions in the past, long before Obamacare became law. They are protected today, and regardless of what happens to Obamacare, we will protect them in the future. In fact, Governor Scott Walker, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, and myself have all called for immediate action on this issue if Obamacare is repealed.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. You may not know, but I am a breast cancer survivor. Early detection was key for me. Please make sure you talk with your health care provider and get checked. I'm happy to report that if you get tested, you will have more information - thanks to a bill I authored with Representative Mike Rohrkaste of Neenah. Our bill requires places that perform mammograms to provide a breast density notification to women with the results of their mammogram. With this information, women will be able to proactively discuss their options with their healthcare providers. Nearly 40% of women have dense breast tissue. Not only does dense tissue hide the presence of a tumor on a traditional mammogram, but dense tissue is actually a risk factor for cancer as well. Cancer turns up five times more often in women with extremely dense breast tissue.  As a cancer survivor, I know how important early detection can be. Click on the picture above to find out more and get a free guide on early detection.

Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin

Wisconsin makes things. A lot of things. October is also Manufacturing Month and a great time to celebrate the many great things made in our state. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's chamber of commerce, put together a terrific video to highlight the impact manufacturing has on our state's economy. An economy that is in the top 10 in the nation. Click on the video above to watch.

Drug Take Back This Weekend

If you don't find a home for your unused medication - someone else might. Click on the picture above to find a safe place in your area to safely dispose of drugs.

Election Information

Click on the picture above to find out where you vote, what's on your ballot, and to register to vote!

Click on the photo above if you need a Wisconsin ID card so you can vote.

More Great News!

Wisconsin ranks second in the nation and best in the Midwest for manufacturing jobs created over the past year. Wisconsin ranks number one in the Midwest for Health Care Access and Patient Safety. Wisconsin's unemployment rate remained at 3% or below for seven consecutive months. Over the last three months, Wisconsin added more manufacturing jobs than any other state. Business Insider ranked Wisconsin's economy as the 10th best in the nation. Fifty of Wisconsin's 72 counties met or broke their all-time low unemployment rates in May. CNBC ranks Wisconsin as the 17th best state in the nation for business. All 12 of the state's metro areas and all our 32 largest cities have seen a year-over-year drop in unemployment.  The number of people employed in Wisconsin is at an all-time high of 3,090,200, and the unemployment rate is at all-time low at 2.8% for May. Construction wages in Wisconsin are up 7.5% from 2016-2017.

Send Us Your Fall Pictures!

Wisconsin in fall is simply breathtaking. Click on the photo above for the fall color report and plan your Wisconsin getaway!

Around the 8th...

Nicolet High School visited the State Capitol this week.

Click on the banner above for Trick or Treat times in our area.

Do you know a remarkable young person who is interested in government?  The Senate Scholar program is a week-long program, where students get to see first-hand how the State Senate operates. Only 33 students are picked for the program and applications are due by November 21st. You can read more about the program here.

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