• Wisconsin voters have a message for pollsters: Too soon.
   
• After receiving blowback, Tim Michels won't follow the Trump family path to enrichment if he were to become governor.
   
• Wisconsin has its first unionized Starbucks.
   
• And Prescription Drug Take Back Day—happening this Saturday!—is a reminder of the role we all play in preventing groundwater contamination and accidental poisonings.

First Colectivo, Now Starbucks: More Wisconsin Coffee Shop Workers Join Labor Unions 

The growing trend of coffee shop workers voting to join labor unions already included Wisconsin, but now it includes the first Starbucks workforce in the state after workers voted 15-8 to organize at a shop in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek.

There are now 35 unionized Starbucks stores in 15 states.

Last month the National Labor Relations Board cleared the way for employees at 15 Colectivo coffee shops in Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago to collectively bargain as part of a recognized union.

Workers at both chains said they acted in order to have a say in working conditions, pay, scheduling, and benefits.

Voters to Pollsters: Not Yet. Try Later. 

Only minor changes can be seen in the new Marquette Law School Poll among the candidates running for marquee offices this fall—with most voters in Wisconsin believing it's far too early to commit to a specific candidate.

Among the Democrats seeking to challenge Sen. Ron Johnson this fall, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes continues to lead the primary field, though the lead is slightly narrower than before.

Barnes has 19% support compared to 16% for Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, 7% for state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, and 5% for Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson. All other Democratic candidates garnered support of 1% or less. And 48% of Democratic respondents had no preference.

Johnson continues to be underwater in his favorability ratings: 46% say they have an unfavorable opinion vs. 35% favorable. In 2016, shortly before winning reelection, Johnson had a net-positive favorability rating, 43% to 39%.

Among Republicans seeking to challenge Gov. Tony Evers this fall, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch maintains a 22-point lead over businessman Kevin Nicholson, 32% to 10%. State Rep. Timothy Ramthun has 5% support. And 46% of Republican respondents had no preference. The poll was begun before businessman Tim Michels entered the race.

Evers' favorability rating has a net positive result, 47% to 42%, which pollster Charles Franklin said is noteworthy since a slight majority of all respondents say they think Wisconsin is on the wrong track.

"It's striking that people can be this pessimistic about the state and its direction and still have a net positive approval rating of Tony Evers," said Franklin.

The survey of 805 registered Wisconsin voters has a margin of error of +/- 4.1%.

Tim Michels Flip-Flops, Says If Elected Governor He Will Divest Himself From Family Business That Gets Millions in State Contracts 

With the nation having seen no consequences for former President Donald Trump, his companies, or his family from enriching themselves with taxpayer dollars through government business, it's not surprising that a businessman running for Wisconsin governor initially said his family business would continue seeking large government construction contracts if he were elected. But Tim Michels has now retreated from that position and promises to divest himself from Michels Corp. if he became governor.

Michels told WTMJ Radio on Monday he would be "stepping aside" from Michels Corp., which has received around $660 million in state business over the past five years, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. But he was not clear if stepping aside meant selling off his ownership stake, for example, or if he would received deferred benefits once he leaves office and rejoins the company.

State law requires governors to sign large road contracts, but the state ethics code forbids a public official from taking official actions that create a personal benefit.

Industrial Chemicals? Yes. Fertilizer Runoff? Sure. But Be Sure You Aren't Adding to Water Woes by Flushing Prescription Drugs. 

Lots of folks like to think that their one little mess isn't a big deal. But multiply enough of those little messes and you have a great big one. (Here on Lake Wissota, for example, what if everyone thought it was okay if their house plumbing drained right to the water?)

The same can be said for things in your medicine cabinet. Last year as part of Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Wisconsin led all states with more than 57,000 pounds of chemicals collected—one tiny pill at a time... or a patch, some ointment, inhalers, pet medications, and more.

That's 57,000 pounds of contaminants not in Wisconsin groundwater. And it also eliminates the risk of accidental ingestion, misuse, theft, or overdosing,

Participating law enforcement agencies will take part in their annual collection this Saturday. But many agencies—in hundreds of locations—also have a year-round drop box for safely disposing household drugs.

Take Back Day is coordinated by the state Department of Justice along with several other agencies. Visit their website for more information on what medications you can bring for disposal. And head over to the state Department of Health Services website to find a link to the special events being held on Saturday.