Latest news with #SteveMartinez
CNBC
21-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
How lumber duties could worsen home affordability in the U.S.
Volatile lumber prices are once again rattling the U.S. housing market, squeezing builders and threatening to exacerbate an already dire affordability crisis. Softwood lumber prices in April surged 23% year-over-year, while futures rose sharply in early 2025 amid fears of increased U.S. duties and widespread sawmill closures across North America, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This has weighed heavily on major homebuilders such as Lennar, D.R. Horton and Toll Brothers, which have all seen their stocks slump this spring. Though lumber avoided inclusion in the latest round of tariffs, the Trump administration has signaled growing interest in tightening trade restrictions. In March, the White House issued an executive order directing the Commerce Department to investigate the national security implications of lumber imports and boost domestic production. The U.S. currently imposes a 14.5% duty on Canadian lumber, and Canada accounts for about 85% of all U.S. softwood lumber imports, representing almost a quarter of U.S. supply, according to NAHB. That tariff rate could jump to 34.5% later this year following a regulatory review by the Department of Commerce, further disrupting a sector already reeling from material costs and labor shortages. "The unpredictability of lumber prices adds serious complexity to planning and budgeting," said Steve Martinez, president of Idaho-based Tradewinds General Contracting. His business builds high-end multifamily homes, where wood frames are critical, accounting for up to 18% of construction costs, according to HomeGuide. Beyond homebuilding, higher lumber costs are hitting renovations, fencing and interiors. The United States Forest Products annual market review and prospects found that U.S. lumber production inched up to 64 million cubic meters in 2023, up nearly 1% from the year prior. But demand continues to outpace supply. Environmental regulations, aging forests and labor constraints compound the challenge. Nearly 100 million U.S. households can't afford a median-priced home, which now averages $460,000, according to NAHB. As affordability worsens, experts warn that higher tariffs and ongoing supply instability could stall new development for years. The Department of Commerce is expected to reach a final decision on Canadian lumber duties by August. Watch the video to find out more about the trade tension between the U.S. and Canada and what's behind the rise in lumber prices.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Get to know Steve Martinez, service journalism editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Steve Martinez, a lifelong Milwaukeean and long-tenured veteran of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, oversees the service journalism desk at the Journal Sentinel. The new emphasis, often called Connect, launched two years ago, trying to tackle a simple premise: Let's give the people of Milwaukee answers to their day-to-day questions. That includes parking restrictions, details of upcoming events, consumer-focused stories, weather, lottery numbers, gas prices and simply how the news of the day impacts Milwaukee and Wisconsin. The concept allows us to connect with our readers on a more utilitarian level, and after all, aren't you wondering why that flag is at half-staff? Steve has previously been a reporter and producer, covering crime, courts and breaking news. Here's what to know about him. I've thankfully streamlined my mustache grooming routine to about 5-10 minutes a day. Sometimes it can take longer if I want to do more intricate trimming or shaping, but that's maybe once a week. It actually bothers me how much constant care and attention it needs (laughs), but it's my signature look, so I put up with it. My dad had a great mustache when he was younger, so that's where I get it from. All 33 years of my life. I was born and raised in West Allis, and my parents moved us to New Berlin when I was 10. I've lived in Milwaukee for the last eight years. It's a great city, not without its problems, but probably a little underrated. With some initiative and a lot of help from patient and encouraging editors who graciously tolerate my dark humor and overuse of memes and gifs. I started as a reporter in the Waukesha County suburbs, covered courts and breaking news, among other things, and slowly climbed up the career ladder. I found I had a good head and eye for trending news and saw a lot of potential in using digitally focused journalism to expand the Journal Sentinel's audience in Wisconsin. That's a big part of my job now as the paper's service journalism editor. I define it as journalism that helps people navigate their lives and understand how major, national issues, such as tariffs or immigration policy, can have significant hyperlocal effects. On the Connect team, we also make it a priority to answer reader questions on a huge range of topics, from interesting weather phenomena and road closures to famous Milwaukee Brewers fan Front Row Amy. We definitely cover a lot of the same topics regularly, but I'm weird and don't mind the repetition. Every day, people want to know what the weather's going to be like, and they never get tired of checking the forecast. I hope my team's work has a similar appeal. I want our coverage to be something people think is worth returning to day-in and day-out because it's relevant and important to their lives. I'm partially clairvoyant. I also spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter. In all seriousness, Google has some very useful search trend information, which can be really helpful during a breaking news event. And other social media in general can give you a sense of what people are talking about or the things that are important to them. I will also, occasionally (and only if necessary), talk to my friends and see what gets them fired up. Men's fashion, the Milwaukee Brewers and the 2016 movie "Hell or High Water." Buy a very expensive bottle of bourbon and pour myself a generous glass. Reach Steve at This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Get to know Steve Martinez, MJS service journalism editor
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
For Wisconsin educators, Trump's K-12 demands could threaten local control
I'm Steve Martinez and this is the Daily Briefing newsletter by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Sign up here to get it sent to your inbox each morning. I don't know about you, but I'm excited for the snow Wednesday. Milwaukee could see up to 9 inches of accumulation. Forecasts say they snow will likely start falling later in the morning and continue into the night. Watch the roads on your drive home. The evening commute could get a little rough. For Wisconsin educators, Trump's K-12 demands could threaten local control President Donald Trump's executive orders related to K-12 education are raising legal issues for Wisconsin's public education system, whose leadership have spent the past two weeks decoding the orders' language and gauging how they conflict with existing law. Among the dozens of executive orders Trump has signed since taking office is a directive on "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling." The order gives the U.S. secretary of education a 90-day deadline to make plans for cutting federal spending on curriculum, teacher education, or other K-12 programs programs that support concepts it labels as problematic: "discriminatory equity ideology" and "gender ideology." The order broadly targets teachings of systemic racism and protections for transgender students. As a rationale, it argues that parents are witnessing schools "indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies." But legal experts and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction have noted ways the order appears to conflict with existing law and legal precedents. The order itself states that it will be enforced "to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." What might the 2025 MLB season hold for the Milwaukee Brewers? With snow on the horizon it might not feel like it, but, yes, baseball season is (almost) here. Pitchers and catchers report to American Family Fields of Phoenix on Wednesday for the beginning of Milwaukee Brewers spring training. The team didn't make a ton of moves in the offseason, so fans won't see a lot of lineup changes, and the starting pitchers will be in full focus, writes beat reporter Curt Hogg. Questions abound for a unit that ranked 17th in Major League Baseball in earned run average last year, a significant drop-off from years prior. Does Freddy Peralta have another level in him after a solid, albeit inconsistent, first go-round as the team's No. 1 starter? What version of Brandon Woodruff will we see post-injury? Was Tobias Myers' out-of-nowhere breakout rookie campaign a flash in the pan, or was it repeatable? Do the Brewers have enough depth? Can Logan Henderson or Jacob Misiorowski establish themselves as viable big-league starters moving forward? I can't wait for opening day. Don't miss these Steve Martinez can be reached at Follow him on Twitter/X at @stjmartinez. Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Not yet a Journal Sentinel subscriber? Please consider signing up at
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
As national debate grows, more Wisconsin communities reject fluoride in water
As national debate grows, more Wisconsin communities reject fluoride in water I'm Steve Martinez and this is the Daily Briefing newsletter by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Sign up here to get it sent to your inbox each morning. You might want to spend your Tuesday preparing for what could be a significant snowstorm Wednesday. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Milwaukee region from Wednesday afternoon into the night. Up to 7 inches of snow accumulation is possible, forecasters said. As the national debate grows, more Wisconsin communities are rejecting fluoride in water DeForest, a suburb of Madison, is the latest Wisconsin community to be swept up in what has become a national controversy over fluoride, which helps stop early tooth decay by putting minerals back in tooth enamel. The U.S. has been adding fluoride to drinking water since 1945, and top medical and dental groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association say it's safe and effective. The CDC calls it one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. But anti-fluoride activists have for decades argued it's toxic, and they point to recent research that found an association between higher levels of fluoride and neurodevelopmental issues in children as unshakable proof. They also have the support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who could become the nation's health secretary under the Trump administration and has suggested removing fluoride from the U.S. water supply. DeForest officials voted 4-3 Feb. 4 to remove fluoride from their drinking water, joining nearly 80 Wisconsin municipalities that have moved to discontinue it, according to data from the state Department of Natural Resources. Like elsewhere, the discussion exposed rifts between public health and personal choice. You can read more about the issue in reporter Madeline Heim's latest story. While federal funding remains uncertain, Wisconsin tribes are considering getting into the cannabis industry In the wake of a federal funding freeze threat and the Trump Administration's 'review' of billions of dollars in tribal funding, a call for tribes to enter the cannabis industry for additional revenue is being renewed. Cannabis is illegal in Wisconsin for both recreational and medical use. But it is unclear whether cannabis can be legalized on reservations where state or local law does not apply. Federal law, which lists cannabis as a prohibited drug, does apply on reservations, but its use and sale is allowed on many tribal lands throughout the U.S. In his 2023 State of the Tribes Address to the Wisconsin Legislature Mole Lake Ojibwe Chairman Robert Van Zile urged lawmakers to legalize cannabis in the state. He told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that the Hannahville Potawatomi Tribe, about 100 miles east of Mole Lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, earns about 90% of its $5 million annual cannabis business from Wisconsin residents. Don't miss these Steve Martinez can be reached at Follow him on Twitter/X at @stjmartinez. Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Not yet a Journal Sentinel subscriber? Please consider signing up at
USA Today
29-01-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
What effects would Trump's federal aid freeze have on Wisconsin?
I'm Steve Martinez and this is the Daily Briefing newsletter by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Sign up here to get it sent to your inbox each morning. The unseasonably warm weather continues Wednesday with mostly sunny skies and a high around 38. Forecasts call for spring-like temperatures Thursday with a high near 50 before things a cool off again heading into the weekend. What effects would Trump's federal aid freeze have on Wisconsin? The effects of President Donald Trump's order freezing federal grants would reverberate across Wisconsin and could have "devastating" consequences in some cases, officials told the Journal Sentinel. Gov. Tony Evers sent a letter to Trump on Tuesday seeking more guidance about which programs in the state would be affected and pleaded for a delay. He also planned to join a multistate lawsuit to delay the order's implementation, according to a source with knowledge of the plans. Milwaukee officials say they're unsure how the freeze might affect law enforcement, road building projects, housing assistance and other operations that receive federal funds. The freeze could also affect the Great Lakes, local nonprofit organizations, and could have serious implications for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He often was the only dad at family events, so he started his own Milwaukee group for dads and kids After Adam Haggerty became a new father less than two years ago, he and his daughter and wife spent a lot of time at Alice's Garden, especially for a weekly Playtime in the Garden event. But Haggerty was a little out of place. In his conversations with other dads, Haggerty found that their lack of participation in events like this isn't because they aren't involved in their children's lives or they don't have the same kinds of parenting discussions that moms have; rather, it's that, even in 2025, "it's expected that moms are the ones engaging and having the bulk of parenting conversations." Haggerty noted that men are expected to find community through things like sports and work activities, whereas women are typically the ones who organize around parenting activities. Suspecting that dads would get together for a parenting-focused activity if they were invited to do so, he decided to start a monthly DadsWalkgroup in partnership with CLARA. Don't miss these Steve Martinez can be reached at Follow him on Twitter/X at @stjmartinez. Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Not yet a Journal Sentinel subscriber? Please consider signing up at
