The leader of the Town of Hortonia is very happy that a state youth prison won’t be coming to the community.
Lawmakers on the Legislature’s budget committee shot down plans from Governor Evers and the state corrections department. The prison would’ve gone on state-owned land, along Highway 15.
Town Chair Bob Luedtke says most of the time, the proposed site is underwater, and eagles use the area for nesting. He says that’s why it was so surprising that the state announced the site, out of the blue, without talking with local leaders.
The lack of notice by state officials was one of the reasons many in the community opposed the proposal. Luedtke says a group collected about 700 signatures on a petition.
