Green Bay News

WASHINGTON (AP) – Consumers increased their borrowing in March by the largest amount in nearly a year as borrowing on credit cards rebounded following two months of declines.

Consumer borrowing expanded by $20.5 billion in March to a fresh record of $3.36 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday. It was the largest increase since a $26.7 billion surge in April 2014.

Borrowing in the category that covers credit cards shot up $4.4 billion to $889.4 billion in March after having fallen in both January and March. It was the biggest gain for consumer credit since last July.

Borrowing in the category that covers auto and student loans rose $16.2 billion to $2.47 trillion.

The overall increase in consumer credit was bigger than economists had been expecting and the February performance was revised higher.

The jump in borrowing on credit cards could be evidence that consumers are beginning to feel more confident about taking on debt to finance retail purchases, a development that should bolster consumer demand in the months ahead. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity.

Consumer spending growth slowed sharply in the January-March quarter, a big factor in the slowdown in overall growth. The economy eked out a tiny 0.2 percent increase in gross domestic product in the first quarter.

Economists believe GDP growth will rebound to 2 percent to 2.5 percent in the current April-June period and will climb to an even better 3 percent rate in the second half of the year. But those forecasts are heavily dependent on a solid rebound in consumer spending.

Consumer borrowing in the Fed’s monthly report is up 6.9 percent from a year ago, a gain heavily influenced by the rise in the auto and student loan category. Growth in the category that covers credit cards has also accelerated in the past year.

The Fed’s monthly credit report does not cover mortgages or other loans backed by real estate such as home equity loans.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker says he does not support raising vehicle registration fees, an idea being floated by some Republicans in the Legislature to help pay for roads.

Walker told reporters Thursday that he stands by the position he took in his re-election campaign against raising taxes without a decrease someplace else. And Walker says given stagnant revenue forecasts, he does not think it will be possible to cut sales or income taxes.

Vehicle registration fees are currently $75 but some Republicans have talked about raising them by $25 or $35.

Walker says doing that would be “at odds” with what he said in the campaign.

Walker has proposed borrowing $1.3 billion to pay for roads, something that’s met with bipartisan opposition who say that’s too much.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – Michigan wildlife policymakers don’t plan to cancel this year’s deer season in the Upper Peninsula despite a falling whitetail deer population.

A Natural Resources Commission policy committee voted Thursday to recommend the full commission either take no action or eliminate antlerless deer hunting during archery season. The latter option wouldn’t affect firearm season, which covers most hunters.

The whitetail population has dropped as much as 40 percent after two bitterly cold, snowy winters.

Canceling the hunt was discussed but wasn’t a likely option.

About 100,000 people participate in the U.P. deer hunt.

Commissioners are meeting at a Michigan State University facility in Ingham County’s Meridian Township, near Lansing. They set bag limits and other hunting regulations.

A vote on the hunt is planned for next month.

ROCKFORD, Mich. (AP) — A western Michigan couple with 12 sons is waiting to find out whether baby No. 13 keeps the streak going.

Jay and Kateri Schwandt’s baby is due Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day. They’re sticking to their tradition of not finding out in advance whether they’re having a boy or girl.

They say they’d be shocked if the baby is a girl.

Kateri Schwandt told The Grand Rapids Press that the “odds are not in our favor,” but that the family would be happy either way. She grew up in a family of 14 children.

The Schwandts live Rockford, which is north of Grand Rapids. Jay Schwandt says he is expecting another son, but “if I could put my order in, I would root for a girl.”

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A University of Michigan nuclear engineering graduate is planning a coast-to-coast run over 100 days that’s similar to part of one taken by Tom Hanks’ character in the movie “Forrest Gump.”

Barclay Oudersluys plans to start the 3,200-mile run he’s calling “Project Gump” on Saturday from California’s Santa Monica Pier en route to Marshall Point Lighthouse in Maine.

Oudersluys tells The Arbor News that “Forrest Gump” is his favorite movie. He also wants to raise $10,000 for the nonprofit Hall STEPS Foundation, which aims to fight global poverty.

His route is set to take him through California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Oudersluys plans to begin law school at University of California, Berkeley, in the fall.

NEW YORK (AP) — Based on McDonald’s latest ad, it looks like the Hamburglar settled down in the suburbs and spent the last decade going to youth soccer games and perfecting his stubble.

The company is bringing the burger thief back to its advertising after a 13-year absence. On Wednesday, McDonald’s Corp. tweeted a 30-second ad featuring the Hamburglar, his face unseen, flipping burgers in a suburban backyard with his wife and son. When he hears a radio ad for McDonald’s new burgers, he drops his spatula in shock.

Wait, is this who we think it is??! https://t.co/rc9xhQrAUi

— McDonald's (@McDonalds) May 6, 2015

In April, McDonald’s announced that it is introducing a trio of “Sirloin Third Pound” burgers for a limited time, the latest sign the chain is pushing to improve perceptions about the quality of its food. In Wednesday’s ad, those burgers lure the Hamburglar out of his quiet retirement.

Publicity photos reveal a grown man in a more fashionable version of the old costume, including a black trenchcoat and fedora with a yellow band. The previous version of the character appeared to be a mischievous child dressed in an old time black-and-white prisoner’s uniform with a hat and cape.

McDonald’s is working to turn around its business, which has seen sales and customer visits decline due to tough competition and the perception that its food is low quality. This year the company has announced a simplified grilled chicken recipe and said it will curb the use of antibiotics in its chicken, among other changes.

The Oak Brook, Illinois-based chain gave Ronald McDonald a makeover last year and gave him an official Instagram account. Some observers described his new apparel, which included a bowtie and rugby shirt, as hipster-y.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate muscled its way into President Barack Obama’s talks to curb Iran’s nuclear program, overwhelmingly backing legislation Thursday that would let Congress review and possibly reject any final deal with Tehran.

The vote was 98-1 for the bipartisan bill that would give Congress a say on what could be a historic accord that the United States and five other nations are trying to finalize with Iran, which would get relief from crippling economy penalties.

The lone no vote came from freshman Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who wants the administration to submit any agreement to the Senate as a treaty. Under the Constitution, that would require approval of two-thirds of the Senate.

The House is expected to vote next week on the measure.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement moments after the vote that the “goal is to stop a bad agreement that could pave the way to a nuclear-armed Iran, set off a regional nuclear arms race, and strengthen and legitimize the government of Iran.”

The U.S. and other nations negotiating with Tehran have long suspected that Iran’s nuclear program is secretly aimed at atomic weapons capability. Tehran insists the program is entirely devoted to civilian purposes.

The talks resume next week in Vienna, with a target date of June 30 for a final agreement.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill “offers the best chance for our constituents through the Congress they elect to weigh in on the White House negotiations with Iran.”

Added Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee: “No bill. No review.”

The legislation would bar Obama from waiving congressional sanctions for at least 30 days while lawmakers examine any final deal. The bill would stipulate that if senators disapprove of the deal, Obama would lose his current power to waive certain economic penalties Congress has imposed on Iran.

The bill would require Congress to pass a resolution of disapproval to reject the deal, an action that Obama almost certainly would veto. Congress then would have to muster votes from two-thirds of each chamber to override the veto.

In the House, about 150 Democrats – enough to sustain a veto – wrote the president to express their strong support for the nuclear negotiations with Iran.

“We urge you to stay the course,” the letter said. “We must allow our negotiating team the space and time necessary to build on the progress made in the political framework and turn it into a long-term, verifiable agreement.”

The bill took a roller coaster ride to passage.

Obama first threatened to veto it. Then he said he would sign it if the measure was free of amendments the White House believed would make continued negotiations with Tehran virtually impossible.

It survived a blow from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stood before Congress in March and warned the U.S. that an emerging nuclear agreement would pave Iran’s path to atomic weapons.

“It is a very bad deal. We are better off without it,” he said in a speech arranged by Republicans. His address aggravated strained relations with Obama and gambled with the long-standing bipartisan congressional support for Israel.

A few days later, Cotton and 46 of his GOP colleagues wrote a letter warning Iranian leaders that any deal with Obama could expire when he leaves office in January 2017.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada accused the GOP of trying to undermine the commander in chief while empowering the ayatollahs who lead Iran.

In April, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a compromise bill on a 19-0 vote. Obama withdrew his veto threat.

But Republicans were not done trying to change the bill, drawing up more than 60 amendments.

One, from Cotton, would have made any deal contingent on Iran’s halting its support of terrorist activities that threaten Americans. Cotton used an unusual Senate procedural move to get his amendment heard.

McConnell did not want to see the bill end in tatters, so he acted to end the amendment process and have votes on the legislation.

“It is a virtual certainty that no matter how terrible this deal is, it will go into effect and this legislation is unlikely to stop it,” said Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is running for president.

Another 2016 candidate, Sen. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said the bill puts Congress in a better position than having no say.

“At a minimum, at least it creates a process whereby the American people through their representatives can debate an issue of extraordinary importance,” Rubio said.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Listeria bacteria was found in Blue Bell ice cream’s Oklahoma plant as far back as March 2013. That’s according to test results released Thursday by the government.

The company continued to ship ice cream produced in that plant after what the FDA said was inadequate cleaning.

Three deaths are now linked to the ice cream, and the company recalled all of its products last month.

The Food and Drug Administration released results of investigations into Blue Bell’s plants in Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama. The most extensive violations were found in Oklahoma, where the FDA listed 16 separate positive tests for listeria on equipment and in ice cream from March 2013 through January 2015.

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker is sticking by his timeline for announcing whether he will be running for president.

While Walker is widely assumed to be a candidate, he has yet to officially announce his campaign. Walker said Thursday that he will make no announcement “of any kind” until after the state budget is signed.

The Republican-controlled Legislature hopes to pass the budget in late June, but it may get pushed into July.

Walker also commented on the growing field of announced Republican presidential candidates, calling it a “blessing” for GOP voters to have so many choices.

Walker was in Iowa two weeks ago and heads to early primary state of South Carolina this weekend, before going to Israel with political advisers and foreign policy experts for a series of meetings.

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker says his proposed $300 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System is “manageable” and “realistic” if UW is given some flexibilities to save money.

Walker also told reporters Thursday that he hopes the Legislature takes another look at his proposal to make UW independent from state oversight and laws. Republican leaders this week declared that dead, but said they are still looking at whether the cut can be reduced.

Walker says he doesn’t want to pause a manufacturing tax cut as Democrats have called for to free up money for the university.

He says the UW cut is “manageable if given the right flexibilities.”

The cut is equal to 13 percent of state funding for UW and about 2.5 percent of its total budget.

MADISON (AP) – Wisconsin Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Rep. Jesse Kremer, a Kewaskum Republican, and Sen. Mary Lazich, a New Berlin Republican, co-authored the bill introduced Thursday.

Kremer says the purpose of the bill is to prevent unborn children from feeling pain.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling in a statement said the bill would jeopardize women’s health.

Physicians who perform an abortion after 20 weeks in non-emergency situations could be charged with a felony and subject to up to $10,000 fines or 3½ years in prison.

Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday said he supports the bill and hopes the Legislature could move forward with the abortion ban while it works on the budget.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Secret Service is adding a second layer of steel spikes to the top of the White House fence to keep would-be intruders at bay, according to a proposal submitted to the National Capitol Planning Commission.

The 1/2-inch long steel “pencil point” spikes will be snapped into place at the top of the fence and protrude outward, according to a diagram included in the proposal submitted for the Secret Service by that National Park Service. The spikes will be added to the fence along the north and south sides of the White House grounds.

The commission approved the proposal at a hearing Thursday afternoon.

The Secret Service has been studying ways to improve security at the White House since a Texas man was able to climb over the fence and run deep into the executive mansion in September.

A Secret Service spokesman did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment Thursday.

In a nine-page summary of the incident, the government concluded that Omar Gonzalez cleared the fence in a spot where a steel trident, or ornamental spike, was missing. A variety of other security failures, including poor training, were also highlighted in the report.

A second report from an outside panel recommended that the Secret Service replace the 7 ½-foot tall fence around the 18-acre White House complex. In the interim, the agency charged with protecting the president and securing the White House placed temporary metal bike racks along the fence line to keep people away from the fence. The proposal submitted to the planning commission did not discuss the bike racks.

Since the September incident, there have been several attempts to climb over the fence. In April, a California man was arrested after successfully scaling the fence and getting on to the White House lawn.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Saudi Arabia and the United States on Thursday announced a five-day, renewable cease-fire in Yemen’s war to allow aid to reach millions of civilians caught in a humanitarian crisis from the conflict. But the truce is dependent on Iran-backed rebels and their allies also agreeing to stop fighting, they said.

The announcement came as battles raged in several parts of Yemen between forces loyal to the nation’s internationally recognized president and the Shiite rebels and their allies. Military and security officials said the rebel forces Thursday advanced on the suburb of Dar Saad north of the strategic port city of Aden, while fighting intensified in the nearby provinces of Abyan and Taiz.

Addressing a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the oil-rich kingdom would halt airstrikes in Yemen because it is determined to expand relief assistance to the Yemeni people. Saudi Arabia will provide $274 million in new assistance, he said.

Kerry said the “humanitarian pause” wouldn’t start for several days, enough time for diplomatic efforts to convince the Shiite rebels known as the Houthis and their backers to accept the terms of the deal. He said aid organizations also needed time to coordinate the best strategy for getting food, fuel and medicine into and around the country.

“We strongly urge the Houthis and those who back them … not to miss this major opportunity to address the needs of the Yemeni people and find a peaceful way forward,” Kerry said, speaking in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Kerry said he spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier this week. Kerry and al-Jubeir said they would provide an update Friday in Paris, where they will gather with the foreign ministers of other Arab countries. Iran gives the rebels political backing — and Saudi Arabia and the U.S. say it also provides them with weapons, a claim Tehran denies.

The Saudi-led campaign of airstrikes, which began March 26, along with the fighting on the ground has pushed Yemen toward humanitarian disaster, U.N. and other aid officials have warned for weeks. In the past six weeks, more than 1,400 people have been killed and 6,000 wounded, many of them civilians, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Johannes van der Klaauw, said Thursday.

More than 300,000 others have fled their homes. The turmoil has disrupted crucial imports and internal transportation, causing shortages of fuel, food and medicines.

Yemen was already the Arab world’s poorest nation and has long been plagued by political dysfunction and violence by al-Qaida’s most lethal branch.

Late last year, the Houthis took over the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north, backed by military forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Earlier this year, they began a march on the south, driving the current president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. That prompted the Saudis and other Gulf Arab states to intervene with the air campaign while backing pro-government forces on the ground.

Several weeks ago, Saudi Arabia said it was dialing back its air campaign, but it quickly revved back up again when the rebels and pro-Saleh forces pressed ahead with their offensive south.

Kerry, who met earlier with Saudi King Salman, expressed hope this time would be different.

“We particularly welcome a new Saudi initiative to try to bring about a peaceful resolution,” Kerry said.

The cease-fire, he explained, would mean “no bombing, no shooting” and no repositioning of forces. But he and al-Jubeir insisted the feasibility of the plan depended on the Houthis and the Iranians agreeing to it and not trying to exploit the lull in fighting.

Kerry met earlier Thursday in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, with Hadi and the Yemeni vice president and foreign minister.

“Hopefully we’ll see you in Sanaa soon,” Hadi told Kerry.

“Ah,” Kerry replied, “there’s some work to do.”

In Tehran, the chief of Iran’s Red Crescent society, Ali Asghar Ahmadi, said a ship was being loaded with 2,500 metric tons of aid, including medicine and food, intended for Yemen.

It was not immediately known whether the Saudi-led coalition would allow the ship to approach Yemen’s shores. Coalition warplanes bombed Sanaa airport earlier this month to prevent an Iranian aircraft said by Tehran to be carrying humanitarian aid from landing there. The Saudis said the plane should have landed in Saudi Arabia to have its cargo checked first.

The cease-fire pledge comes as the Houthis and Saleh forces consolidated their hold over much of Aden, the southern port city that is the main bastion of Hadi supporters. On Wednesday, the rebel forces overwhelmed the downtown district of Tawahi and a presidential palace in the area.

As many as 50 people were killed when rebel fire hit their boat as they tried to flee the downtown area by water, military and security officials in the city said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Van der Klaauw, the U.N. official, said he was “gravely concerned” by reports from Aden of scores of people killed and injured in the fighting Wednesday.

“Civilians were reportedly targeted while they were trying to flee to safer areas, having been trapped in Aden with limited or no access to water, food and health care for weeks,” he said.

___

Klapper reported from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AP reporter Anna Cara Contributed to this report from the United Nations.

MADISON (AP) – Wisconsin Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Rep. Jesse Kremer, a Kewaskum Republican, and Sen. Mary Lazich, a New Berlin Republican, co-authored the bill introduced Thursday.

Kremer says the purpose of the bill is to prevent unborn children from feeling pain. The bill would not apply to pregnancies conceived from rape or incest.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling in a statement said the bill would jeopardize women’s health.

Physicians who perform an abortion after 20 weeks in non-emergency situations could be charged with a felony and subject to up to $10,000 fines or 3½ years in prison.

Gov. Scott Walker in March said he would sign such a bill if it passed the Republican-controlled Legislature.

NEW YORK (AP) — McDonald’s may be developing a taste for a new ingredient as it fights to reinvent itself: Kale.

The world’s biggest burger chain says it’s testing two breakfast bowls in Southern California, one of which includes the leafy green as an ingredient.

The test comes as McDonald’s Corp. works to shake its junk-food image, with sales at established U.S. locations declining for six straight quarters. CEO Steve Easterbrook, who stepped into the top spot March 1, has said he want to turn the chain into a “modern, progressive burger company.”

Lisa McComb, a McDonald’s representative, said in an email the kale is included in a Turkey Sausage & Egg White bowl, which also has spinach and bruschetta. The other option is a Chorizo & Egg bowl, which includes a hash brown, cheddar jack cheese and pico de gallo.

On Wednesday, Janney analyst Mark Kalinowski had also noted on that McDonald’s was introducing three salads in Canada that have kale as an ingredient.

The embrace of kale may seem odd to some, considering McDonald’s recently ran an ad that celebrated the Big Mac and mocked trendy ingredients like soy, quinoa, Greek yogurt — and kale.

GREEN BAY – A local power company is again warning people of callers claiming to be from the utility.

Wisconsin Public Service says it received eight reports of the calls in Oshkosh on Thursday. A WPS sokesman says the caller usually requests money for “delinquent accounts,” claiming payments have not been received. The caller says the power would be shut off immediately, but the customer is being given an hour or two to make a payment. The customer is told to go out and buy a preparid debit card, then call back to make a payment. Sometimes the caller tells the customer to assemble cash for pickup.

WPS says it would never make these kinds of requests, and they should be immediate red flags that the call is fake.

The utility offers these tips for anyone receiving this type of call:

• Calmly write down any information the caller provides to you. Take note of the call date and time, caller ID, a description of the caller and any details revealed to you by the caller. Do not provide any private information or banking information.
• Contact WPS at 1-800-450-7260 to verify this was a legitimate call.
• If not, call the police.

Anyone who has already lost money to this kind of call should contact local police immediately.

MADISON (AP) – Probable presidential candidate Scott Walker will tour historical sites and meet with Israeli and Palestinian entrepreneurs during his first trip to Israel.

Our American Revival, the committee raising money for Walker’s potential White House bid, released details Thursday about the Wisconsin governor’s agenda. The five-day trip begins Saturday.

Walker has no public events planned during the trip, which he’s billed as a “listening tour.” Walker says he plans to meet with government officials and others to learn more about the Middle East.

Our American Revival says Walker will tour historical sites by helicopter, including “various historical and strategically significant sites.” Walker also plans to visit religious sites.

The trip is being paid for both by Our American Revival and the Republican Jewish Coalition.

MADISON (AP) – The Legislature’s budget-writing committee plans to give the state Justice Department more positions to handle officer-involved death investigations.

A new law that went into effect last year requires outside agencies to probe officer-involved deaths. DOJ officials say theirs has become the go-to agency for local police who now need outside investigators. A Legislative Fiscal Bureau report shows DOJ has investigated 12 deaths since the law took effect in April 2014. That’s up 71 percent from seven death investigations in 2013.

The agency has asked the Joint Finance Committee for five additional positions to handle such probes.

The committee is set to consider the request Thursday. The panel’s co-chairs said they plan to give the agency four positions funded through criminal surcharges.

MADISON (AP) – State education officials say Wisconsin’s 2014 graduation rate increased slightly from the previous year.

The Department of Public Instruction says the class of 2014 had a statewide graduation rate of 88.6 percent, up 0.6 points from the prior year and 2.9 points from the 2009-2010 school year. The four-year graduation rate includes all students who earned a regular public high school diploma.

DPI says the class of 2014 includes 58,888 public high school students who graduated in four years out of a possible 66,098 children in the same class.

Education officials also say the four-year graduation rate also improved slightly for some minority groups, including blacks, American Indians and Hispanic or Latino students.

For students who completed high school in 2014, 59.3 percent enrolled in a college or university last fall.

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MILWAUKEE – Republican Gov. Scott Walker will return to South Carolina this weekend, his second public visit to the early primary state in two months. Walker still says he won’t announce a decision about a 2016 White House run until June.

Walker’s political group says he will be speaking at the South Carolina Freedom Summit on Saturday about “his message of big, bold reform.”

The group, Our American Revival, also announced this week that it has hired its first two staff members in South Carolina: Dan Tripp and Mike Lukach.

Tripp is a former South Carolina state lawmaker. He’s worked on presidential campaigns before: Herman Cain in 2012, John McCain in 2000 and Phil Gramm in 1996. Lukach has also worked on several campaigns.

Our American Revival is set up to raise unlimited amounts of money before Walker possibly enters the 2016 presidential race. Walker says he won’t officially announce his intentions until the Wisconsin budget process is finished, likely in June.

Three more candidates officially joined the field of potential Republican candidates this week: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former technology executive Carly Fiorina and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. They join Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. The Republican field could grow to as big as 20 candidates, experts say.

On the Democrats’ side, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have said they will seek the nomination.

Walker made several stops in South Carolina in mid-March. He’s also made many trips to Iowa and New Hamsphire – other early voting states in the 2016 process.

Our American Revolution also has full-time staff members in Wisconsin, Iowa and New Hampshire, along with volunteers in several other states.

Gov. Walker is scheduled to speak at an event in Milwaukee this afternoon. FOX 11’s Andrew LaCombe will have a complete story tonight on FOX 11 News at Nine.