FRI AM News: Average mortgage rate and time on the market increased compared to last year; Dems blast Republicans over Planned Parenthood abortion pause

September 26, 2025

— The average mortgage rate and time homes have been on the market increased in August compared to last year, the Wisconsin Realtors Association monthly report shows.

Mortgage rates are nine basis points higher on average than last year, up to 6.59% this August. And homes were on the market an average of 69 days compared to 66 days in August of last year before selling. But home sales during the peak selling months of the year, May through August, also increased by 3.3% over the same period last year.

The statewide median home sale price also rose 1.8% to $338,000 from a year ago.

“Improving inventory, moderating price appreciation and increasing days on the market are signs that the strong seller’s markets we’ve seen over the last few years continue to soften,” WRA President and CEO Tom Larson said. “This is welcomed news for young families still struggling to buy their first home.”

See the report.

— Dem lawmakers blast Republicans over Planned Parenthood’s abortion access pause while Wisconsin Right to Life said it’s a significant victory.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Wednesday night announced it’s pausing abortion services starting in October while considering options under new restrictions imposed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump.

The legislation implemented a one-year ban on all federal funding to organizations that provide abortion services and receive more than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements. Planned Parenthood has been fighting the provision legally, but a federal appeals court lifted an injunction earlier this month, clearing the way for the restriction to take effect.

Senate Majority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, of Middleton, and Assembly Majority Leader Greta Neubauer, of Racine, in a joint statement called Planned Parenthood “a cornerstone of Wisconsin’s health care system.”

“It is very clear that the Trump administration and Republican extremists are focused on targeting access to reproductive health care,” they said. “Planned Parenthood’s announcement that it is pausing abortion services is the latest example of the devastating effects of Trump’s Big, Ugly Bill. Wisconsinites will continue to have their lives upended and their wellbeing threatened by that piece of legislation.”

Wisconsin Right to Life said the spending bill and its apparent impact on Planned Parenthood directly addresses concerns about federal dollars indirectly funding abortion services.

“Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has long centered its operations around abortion services, and this announcement only confirms that reality,” Executive Director Heather Weininger said. “Women and girls facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies deserve compassion, real support, and life-affirming care — and that’s exactly what the pro-life movement is committed to providing.”

The chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, Rep. Lisa Subeck, of Madison, argued Republicans “will stop at nothing to block access to abortion and other reproductive health services.”

“Defunding Planned Parenthood is the latest Republican assault on our trusted reproductive health care providers and the patients who depend on them,” she said. “Make no mistake about it: Republicans will not stop short of a national abortion ban.”

Tanya Atkinson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said it will “continue to provide the full spectrum of reproductive health care—including abortion—as soon and as we are able to.” She said the organization is continuing to pursue “every single option.”

Planned Parenthood clinics in Madison, Milwaukee and Sheboygan provide abortion. The Sheboygan clinic only provides medical abortions, while the other two also perform surgical abortions.

Separately, there are two other clinics in Milwaukee that perform the procedure.

It is the second time over the last several years that Planned Parenthood has halted performing abortions in Wisconsin. Three years ago, it did so after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1973 ruling that had guaranteed the right to an abortion. That’s because of an 1849 law that took effect again after that ruling was overturned. The organization resumed abortion services again after that 1849 law was challenged and eventually overturned by the state Supreme Court.

— Rep. Joy Goeben expressed frustration with the DNR, charging the agency with “backing down” on an agreement to modify a proposed rule designed to promote surface water quality.

The proposed rule revision would update the state’s antidegradation policy, which seeks to protect surface water by regulating new or increased pollutant discharges under federal requirements in the Clean Water Act.

Goeben, R-Hobart and chair of the Environment Committee, criticized the Department of Natural Resources for not testifying in person yesterday on the antidegradation rule to explain its reasoning.

“So that is a very big disappointment that we can’t ask them the questions,” Goeben said, noting her concerns about increased regulations and costs, particularly for large farms.

DNR provided written testimony on the rule in lieu of speaking at today’s hearing. The testimony echoed DNR’s past comments on the proposal. It did not mention modifications DNR in February told the committee it would submit to address concerns from stakeholders. The agency recalled the rule in April before resubmitting it for consideration this month.

Gov. Tony Evers included the antidegradation rule as part of a larger package his administration directed the Legislative Reference Bureau to publish last month without approval from the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules. But LRB found the rule had not completed the standing committee review process. Evers has since filed a lawsuit arguing state law doesn’t bar agencies from promulgating a rule before standing committees complete their review.

DNR did not respond to a WisPolitics inquiry today asking if the agency is still considering modifications, and if not, whether that decision is tied to Evers’ lawsuit.

Environmental groups have said the rule update is long overdue and will help protect water quality. But opponents, including Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and some ag groups, say it will add more administrative burden and cost more than state law allows.

Scott Manley, WMC’s executive vice president of government relations, was the only one to testify in person before the committee today on the antidegradation rule. The business lobby has threatened to sue over the policy if changes aren’t made.

Manley said WMC was part of conversations with DNR about modifications to the rule and thought revisions DNR had previously proposed were “a really good start.”

“And that’s why we were incredibly disappointed after the department had come to your committee and said, ‘These are the changes we’re going to make,’ that just three weeks ago to the day, they sent this rule back to your committee with none of those changes,” Manley said.

He criticized the move as a “breach of trust.”

— The FBI reported a joint operation with federal immigration officials that led to the arrests of 21 people in Manitowoc County who weren’t in the country legally.

The FBI posted on X that nine of those arrested were targeted for their suspected involvement in the sexual assault and/or trafficking minor American girls.

The post didn’t include any other details of the action other than the agencies that assisted included the U.S. Marshals, DEA and others.

A spokesperson for the FBI office in Milwaukee said there were no other details to share beyond what was posted on social media.

“FBI Milwaukee and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to and focused on protecting and safeguarding our Wisconsin communities every day,” the agency wrote in a post on X.

— Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius says the district will likely close “much more than five schools” as it seeks to “right size” its physical footprint with a much smaller enrollment than it once had.

Speaking earlier this week at a Newsmaker luncheon hosted by WisPolitics-State Affairs and the Milwaukee Press Club, Cassellius noted the district is down to about 65,000 students after once having 120,000. She said there will be mergers and closures, likely within the next three to five years.

In addition, she said there are buildings with deferred maintenance and inadequate facilities that mean it no longer makes sense to keep pouring money into them.

“You know, when do you stop investing in 100-year-old buildings and you start thinking about rebuilds or major renovations within schools?” Cassellius said. “So I’m suggesting that we need to do that work with the community and start thinking about what that work looks like.”

Watch yesterday’s event.

— The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending over a quarter million dollars to Wisconsin to help with wildfire mitigation.

The $309,150 comes from the Community Wildfire Defense grant fund and will all go to the Town of Townsend Mitigation Plan for Optimizing Fuel Breaks in High-Risk Areas project. The money is part of over $800,000 doled out to the USDA’s eastern region, which funded four projects in total. Wisconsin received more than Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

The agency in a release said the program will be investing over $1 billion over five years to assist at-risk communities.

“These grants are about putting resources in the hands of those that know their lands and communities best, so that they can better protect their families, businesses, infrastructure and the future of our shared landscape,” USDA Secretary Rollins said.

See the release.

— Nonprofit congenital heart disease therapy researcher Heartworks announced its world headquarters in Eau Claire will open in October.

The organization is moving to Wisconsin after outgrowing its current space in Rochester, Minnesota. Founded in 2020, Heartworks built on its work at May Clinic on the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hydroplastic Left Heat Syndrome.

Heartworks’ new facility is designed to bring manufacturing, research and discovery, marketing and events, and resource development under one roof. The expansion means cardiac cell development will grow to 100 patients annually from 12.

“The 1 in 100 families impacted by CHD deserve 100% of our commitment,” said Tim Nelson, CEO and Co-founder. “We could have built this headquarters anywhere, but we chose to stay rooted in the Midwest where partnerships are strong, purpose runs deep, and people roll up their sleeves to make a difference.”

The grand opening is set for Oct. 9.

See the release for more details.

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