Deal would offer $350 million for struggling milk farmers

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:23 p.m. September 30, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from dairy-producing states announced agreement Wednesday on $350 million in aid for struggling milk farmers. Some $290 million would go for direct support of dairy farmers ...
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Ex-WI Supreme Court judge up for federal spot

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:42 p.m. September 30, 2009

MADISON — President Barack Obama has nominated former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler Jr. for a federal judgeship. The White House said in a statement Wednesday that Butler is ...
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Drought brings USDA help

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:06 p.m. September 30, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 31 counties in Wisconsin as primary natural-disaster areas following droughts that have persisted since March 1. The designation announced ...
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Milwaukee police officer shot

Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE at 2:02 p.m. September 30, 2009

MILWAUKEE -- A 44-year-old police officer was shot in the arm while trying to serve a search warrant at a home on the city’s north side where officers knew there ...
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Wis. board to seek crackdown on '08 felon voters

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11 a.m. September 30, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State elections officials have identified up to 195 felons who may have illegally voted in the November 2008 presidential election. Government Accountability Board spokesman Reid Magney ...
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Seven Big Foot High School students injured in crash

Posted by KAYLA BUNGE at 10:55 a.m. September 30, 2009

WALWORTH TOWNSHIP—Seven Big Foot High School students were injured after the car they were riding in crashed into a tree on Cobblestone Road west of Walworth-Linn Townline Road on Tuesday ...
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Goodwill attendants find more than donated shoes

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:37 a.m. September 30, 2009

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) — Donation attendants for Goodwill Industries say they've discovered everything from dead animals to a handgun when unpacking boxes of donated goods at the Marshfield store. But, ...
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Eliminating 2 constitutional offices considered

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:46 a.m. September 30, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Can Wisconsin get by without a lieutenant governor or secretary of state? That's the question a state Senate committee will consider Wednesday. Republican state Sen. Alan ...
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Wis. gov to sign wind farm bill

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:51 a.m. September 30, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle says he will sign a bill that calls for state regulators to come up with statewide rules for wind farms. The state Public ...
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Report: Wis. would hurt without health care reform

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:14 a.m. September 30, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Without national health care reform, the number of uninsured Wisconsin residents could increase by 200,000 in the next 10 years. That's according to a report released Wednesday ...
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Board alters Janesville Chinese program

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 7:55 p.m. September 29, 2009

JANESVILLE – The Janesville School Board decided Tuesday that Chinese-language instruction will no longer be mandatory at two elementary schools. The board voted 5-2 to make the program voluntary. The ...
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Man sentenced in Janesville drug bust

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 4:50 p.m. September 29, 2009

MADISON—An Illinois man arrested in Janesville was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Monday to 10 years in prison for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. Raymond Gray, ...
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Rock County victims have new tool to track offenders

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 4:15 p.m. September 29, 2009

JANESVILLE -- Crime victims can be notified when their attacker is released from the Rock County Jail after a new phone and Internet notification system began running Tuesday. Rock County ...
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Oshkosh inks defense contract

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4 p.m. September 29, 2009

OSHKOSH — The defense division of Oshkosh Corp. has signed a roughly $800 million deal with the Pentagon to deliver nearly 2,500 new and rebuilt military vehicles. Oshkosh Defense said ...
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State approves new rebate program for appliances

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:32 p.m. September 29, 2009

MADISON (AP) — A cash for clunky appliances program should be starting this fall in Wisconsin. The Legislature’s budget committee on Tuesday approved spending about $5 million in federal stimulus ...
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Rock County under frost advisory tonight

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 1:35 p.m. September 29, 2009

Gardeners take note: Rock County could see its first frost tonight. The National Weather Service has put the county under a frost advisory from midnight tonight to 8 a.m. Wednesday. ...
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Wis. lawmaker proposes newspaper tax exemption

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:57 a.m. September 29, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin state lawmaker says he wants to save newspapers even though he admits to sometimes hating reporters. Democratic state Rep. Marlin Schneider, a 39-year veteran ...
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School board meeting at international school

Posted by SID SCHWARTZ at 10:23 a.m. September 29, 2009

The Janesville School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at the Janesville Academy for International Studies, 31 W. Milwaukee St., Janesville. The wrong location for the meeting was published ...
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Funeral set for Elkhorn man killed in auto-shop accident

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 10:11 a.m. September 29, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Wis. astronaut leaves this week for 3rd space trip

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:05 a.m. September 29, 2009

WINTER, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin astronaut Jeffrey Williams is heading back to space this week, and he's bringing a few reminders of home. He says he's limited to two to ...
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Focus on Energy reaches milestone

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:51 a.m. September 29, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy is celebrating a milestone. Focus on Energy says it has helped finance solar-electric generation projects that produce 2.5 ...
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Wis. regulators set hearings on rate increases

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:06 a.m. September 29, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State regulators will hold public hearings on We Energies' plan to increase electric, steam and natural gas rates. We Energies subsidiary Wisconsin Electric Power Company has ...
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Parents, board question if Chinese program should be mandatory

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 4:36 a.m. September 29, 2009

Failures to communicate seem to be at the root of a controversy over a new, mandatory Chinese-language program at two Janesville elementary schools. The Janesville School Board meets tonight to ...
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State suspends payments after newspaper exposes fraud

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:16 p.m. September 28, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has suspended payments to another 35 child care providers because of evidence they violated regulations. The Department of Children and Families said Monday that payments ...
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Hell hath no fury: Trial set for woman who attacked cheating lover

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:13 p.m. September 28, 2009

CHILTON, Wis. (AP) — A judge has set a January trial for one of the four eastern Wisconsin women accused of seeking revenge on a cheating lover by luring him ...
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Oak Creek native is Miss Wisconsin

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:10 p.m. September 28, 2009

MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) — A 19-year-old Oak Creek native has beat out 31 other Wisconsin women in the 2010 Miss Wisconsin-USA pageant. Courtney Lynn Lopez was crowned Sunday at the ...
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Rock County human resources director resigns

Posted by ANN MARIE AMES at 3:56 p.m. September 28, 2009

JANESVILLE—Rock County Human Resources Director John Becker has resigned, according to a news release from Administrator Craig Knutson’s office. Becker’s last day of work will be Oct. 30, according to ...
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Former Warhawk wheelchair basketball star pitches Chicago's Paralympic bid

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 11:37 a.m. September 28, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Ex-juror says he favored acquittal in Wis. killing

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:19 a.m. September 28, 2009

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) — A motion hearing to determine whether a convicted Wisconsin killer should get a new trial has opened with testimony from an ex-juror. Steven Avery of Mishicot ...
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Wis. man seeking new trial in photographer's death

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:50 a.m. September 28, 2009

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) — A Manitowoc County man convicted of killing a young photographer four years ago hoped to convince a judge Monday he deserves a new trial. Steven A. ...
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Legal limbo prompts gas discount

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 7:38 a.m. September 28, 2009

Wisconsin’s so-called minimum markup law still is in legal limbo, but that isn’t stopping a local company from taking advantage of a ruling striking the law down. Woodman’s started offering ...
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Wis. driver involved in 4 crashes in 7 minutes

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:56 a.m. September 28, 2009

APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — An Appleton driver who was involved in four crashes in seven minutes has suffered life-threatening injuries. The Wisconsin State Patrol says the 23-year-old was driving in ...
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Memo: Wis. governor approved fire truck purchase

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:16 a.m. September 28, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Newly released records show Gov. Jim Doyle approved the purchase of a $250,000 fire truck for the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The Wisconsin Department of ...
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Kidnapped Kentucky girl found in Wisconsin

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:41 p.m. September 27, 2009

STURGEON BAY — A 13-year-old girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert in Kentucky has been found in Sturgeon Bay. The nationwide alert was issued Saturday morning after ...
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Agency head to testify about Wisconsin Shares problems

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 3:31 p.m. September 27, 2009

MADISON — The head of Wisconsin’s state agency that licenses child care providers is scheduled to testify before lawmakers amid numerous problems with the welfare-to-work Wisconsin Shares program. Last week ...
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Alleged drunk driver hits patrol car

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 12:16 p.m. September 27, 2009

APPLETON — The Wisconsin State Patrol says a drunk driver struck a State Patrol cruiser while the trooper was out of his vehicle on a traffic stop in Appleton. The ...
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No new terror alerts for Lambeau

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:16 p.m. September 26, 2009

GREEN BAY — Green Bay authorities say they haven’t received any new alerts since last week’s warning of possible terrorist attacks on U.S. stadiums, hotels or entertainment complexes. Police Capt. ...
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Strong winds expected Sunday night

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 9:55 p.m. September 26, 2009

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for southern Wisconsin, including Rock and Walworth counties, for Sunday evening until Monday morning. Forecasters are predicting north to northwest winds ...
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Suspected bank robber arrested

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 6:56 p.m. September 26, 2009

Police arrested a man suspected in two armed robberies after one of the robberies occurred this morning. Michael W. Batiste, 40, of 614 S. Locust St., Janesville, was arrested on ...
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Interstate chase ends in arson

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 12:56 p.m. September 26, 2009

A chase down southbound Interstate 90/39 ended without injury Saturday morning after the driver set fire to her vehicle and apparently threatened to set fire to herself. The suspect, Leah ...
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Middleton rolls past Craig football team

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 2:51 a.m. September 26, 2009

After rebounding from a 19-0 deficit, Janesville Craig couldn’t stay with Middleton in 40-21 loss in Big Eight football Friday night at Monterey Stadium. For a full story, read Saturday’s ...
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Sun Prairie outlasts Parker football team

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 2:47 a.m. September 26, 2009

Sean Marshall led the way as Sun Prairie High School’s football team outlasted Janesville Parker, 28-21, Friday night. For a full story, read Saturday’s Janesville Gazette, read online in the ...
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Inmates investigated in scam

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:43 p.m. September 25, 2009

GREEN BAY — More than a dozen Brown County inmates may have been part of a phone scam that used software to make thousands of collect calls and charge them ...
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Fired chief wants settlement enforced

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 7:04 p.m. September 25, 2009

Fired Darien Police Chief Steve DeVoy has filed a motion asking a hearing examiner to enforce a settlement rejected by the Darien Village Board. DeVoy believes the board authorized the ...
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Gov: Arrested legislator has big decision

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:21 p.m. September 25, 2009

MADISON — If allegations that state Rep. Jeff Wood was driving while intoxicated are true, he put people in danger and needs to think about his future, Gov. Jim Doyle ...
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Janesville police arrest man after chase

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 11:24 a.m. September 25, 2009

JANESVILLE -- An Evansville man accused of leading police on a chase was arrested Thursday. Lawrence J. McDonnell Jr., 37, of 11 1/2 Madison St., Evansville, was arrested at 11:06 ...
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Agencies in line for grant funding

Posted by MARCIA NELESEN at 7:38 a.m. September 25, 2009

HealthNet and ECHO each would receive $38,000 under a recommendation made Wednesday by the Community Development Authority that will be forwarded to the city council during 2010 budget discussions. The ...
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UW Hospital performs organ-switching transplant

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:48 a.m. September 25, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Surgeons at the University Hospital in Madison have performed the state's first organ-switching transplant. Three surgical transplant teams, working more than 12 hours, performed the 'domino' ...
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Wis. drunken driving effort yields 1,200 arrests

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:06 a.m. September 25, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — More than 1,200 people statewide were arrested in a little over two weeks as part of a drunken driving crackdown. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported ...
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Enrollment drop tops projections

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 4:44 a.m. September 25, 2009

The Janesville School District has 176 fewer students in kindergarten through 12th grade than last year at this time, but it won’t affect this year’s budget. That’s because state law ...
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A funny thing happened on Sotomayor's way to Washington

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:08 p.m. September 24, 2009

By JESSE J. HOLLAND Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — A funny thing happened on Sonia Sotomayor’s drive to Washington to be announced as President Barack Obama’s first Supreme Court ...
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Brown County officials investigate inmate death

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:54 p.m. September 24, 2009

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The death of a jail inmate in Brown County is being called suspicious and authorities are investigating. Officials say Thursday that 21-year-old James L. Brown, ...
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State Rep. Wood arrested on suspected OWI

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 3:10 p.m. September 24, 2009

WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Rep. Jeff Wood has been arrested again for suspected driving while intoxicated. The State Patrol says the 40-year-old Independent from Bloomer was arrested about 6:30 ...
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Rep. Kind won't run for governor

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:26 a.m. September 24, 2009

MADISON — U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, a Democrat from La Crosse, will not run for governor next year, a Democratic Party official told The Associated Press on Thursday. The official ...
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Racine police investigating fatal shooting

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:48 a.m. September 24, 2009

RACINE—Police in Racine are investigating a deadly shooting. Authorities say a 34-year-old man was shot about 2:30 a.m. Thursday. He was taken to Wheaton Franciscan St. Mary’s Hospital in Racine, ...
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Reinstated members vote against Lake Geneva mayor’s appointees

Posted by KAYLA BUNGE at 7:46 a.m. September 24, 2009

The mayor and the two council members he suspended and then reinstated don’t agree on much but do agree getting past the history between them is going to be difficult. ...
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1 in 5 Wis. seniors rely only on Social Security

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:38 a.m. September 24, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A study of the economic needs of the elderly shows one in five Wisconsin seniors rely solely on Social Security benefits to live. The average senior ...
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Wis. state superintendent to speak

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:54 a.m. September 24, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin school superintendent Tony Evers plans to deliver his first State of Education speech on Thursday. The speech comes at the same time Evers is working ...
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Wis. utility plans upgrades at river stations

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:03 a.m. September 24, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Power and Light plans to make improvements at electricity-generating dams on the Wisconsin River. The utility wants to make upgrades at its Prairie du Sac ...
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In Dairyland, Pollan’s 'Food' book sparks debate

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:41 p.m. September 23, 2009

MADISON(AP) — One best-selling book advocating fresh, local foods is shaking up America’s Dairyland. Students across University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus, organic grocers, scientists, and dairy farmers large and small have ...
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Lafayette man gets life in prison for sexually assaulting young girl

Posted by PEDRO OLIVEIRA JR. at 3:17 p.m. September 23, 2009

Lafayette man convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl he knows was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.
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Rep. Baldwin introduces gay-rights measure

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 3:03 p.m. September 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — Two openly gay members of Congress on Wednesday urged their colleagues to pass a bill that would — for the first time — protect gays and transsexuals from ...
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Foundation alleges inaccuracies in raw-milk investigation

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 11:29 a.m. September 23, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Board sends longer Wis. deer season to hearings

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:28 a.m. September 23, 2009

STURGEON BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Natural Resources Board wants to hear what hunters think about extending the traditional November gun deer hunt. The board has authorized the Department of ...
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Audit raises concerns over sex offenders

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:35 a.m. September 23, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new audit finds that addresses of four registered sex offenders in Wisconsin are the same as those of licensed child care providers. The Legislative Audit ...
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Wis. prison officials to deliver DNA in person

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:58 a.m. September 23, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Prison officials say they'll start delivering inmates' DNA samples to the state crime lab in person. Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch wants Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, ...
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Search warrants served in drug investigation

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 7:46 a.m. September 23, 2009

BELOIT—Fifty-three staff members from seven Rock County agencies at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday converged on a 54-unit apartment complex at 920 Park Avenue in attempt to serve search warrants related to ...
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Wisconsin would regulate dog breeders under bill

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:46 a.m. September 23, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin would join the growing number of states that regulate dog breeders under a bill scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday. State Department of Agriculture, Trade ...
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Budget avoids cuts directly affecting children

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 5:03 a.m. September 23, 2009

Janesville School District administrators have assembled a budget for this school year with no more cuts directly affecting children. The budget is far from set, however. A public hearing and ...
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Fond du Lac resident bags 30-point buck

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:01 p.m. September 22, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — A Fond du Lac resident bagged a 30-point whitetail buck by bow. Wayne Schumacher shot the deer Sunday night from a tree stand near ...
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Kindergarten to be made mandatory

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 1:37 p.m. September 22, 2009

MADISON — Despite Republican concerns over requiring children to complete kindergarten before first grade, a bill to do just that has passed the state Senate. The measure now heads to ...
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Beloit eyes spending cuts, tax and fee hikes to slash deficit

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 11:27 a.m. September 22, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Wis. groups seek to defend domestic partner law

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:46 a.m. September 22, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Lawyers representing Gov. Jim Doyle, a gay rights group and several gay couples said they would ask the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday to reject a ...
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Traffic diverted on Highway 14 for crash

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 9:45 a.m. September 22, 2009

Authorities are diverting traffic on Highway 14 near the Rock-Walworth county line after a crash, a dispatcher at the Rock County Communications Center said. Westbound vehicles are being diverted at ...
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Court hearing canceled on reinstatement of Lake Geneva alders

Posted by PEDRO OLIVEIRA JR. at 9:10 a.m. September 22, 2009

The attorney representing four suspended Lake Geneva City Council members canceled a hearing on his motion for their reinstatement.

Walworth County Judge John Race was scheduled to hear an ...
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Corrections works to collect missing DNA

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:44 a.m. September 22, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin corrections officials have ordered some felons whose DNA isn't in the state databank to report to their local sheriff's department to submit a sample. The ...
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Bills in Wis. Assembly designed to fight pollution

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:02 a.m. September 22, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly is poised to pass a pair of proposals Tuesday designed to make Wisconsin a cleaner place to live. One would require electronics manufacturers ...
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Wis. sets up secret successors for lawmakers

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:32 a.m. September 22, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Legislature is getting ready to pass a bill that allows lawmakers to secretly designate successors. The bill would allow each legislator to name three ...
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Permit approved for new hospital

Posted by GINA DUWE at 4:54 a.m. September 22, 2009

Residents should see equipment readying the site for Janesville’s newest hospital in just a few weeks. The Janesville Plan Commission gave the project a green light Monday night, approving a ...
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Attorney: Ethanol plant doesn't have conditional-use permit

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 10:05 p.m. September 21, 2009

The Milton Plan Commission tabled discussion of changes to or revocation of United Ethanol's conditional-use permit Monday. As it turns out, the plant might not have a conditonal-use permit to ...
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Darien denies chief settlement

Posted by ANN MARIE AMES at 9:51 p.m. September 21, 2009

DARIEN--The Darien Village Board on Monday night voted 4-2 against accepting a settlement with fired Police Chief Steve DeVoy. The next step will be a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. ...
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Police: Suspect in hit-and-run commits suicide

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:34 p.m. September 21, 2009

NEENAH — Police in eastern Wisconsin say a 52-year-old man suspected of hitting and killing a woman in the parking lot of a Walmart store has taken his own life. ...
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Madison airport’s August passenger numbers up

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:34 p.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — More passengers are traveling in and out of the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. The airport says the number of passengers arriving to Madison increased ...
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Settlement reached in Janesville rape lawsuit

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 12:44 p.m. September 21, 2009

JANESVILLE — The Fort Atkinson woman raped in the Janesville Mall parking lot in December 2005 has reached a settlement in her lawsuit. Michelle L. Young sued the mall, Kohl’s ...
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Orfordville family continues search for lost horse

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 12:26 p.m. September 21, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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2 Wis. lawmakers ask for audit of ACORN funding

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:57 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two Republican Wisconsin lawmakers want to know if any state money was going toward troubled community organizing group ACORN. Sen. Ted Kanavas of Brookfield and Rep. ...
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Referee tosses ethics case against Wis. lawmaker

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:48 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A referee has recommended dismissing an ethics complaint against a lawmaker accused of conducting a dirty trick to help his wife get elected as a judge. ...
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Wis. bill would speed up NFL teams' Lambeau trips

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:30 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Senate is set to consider a bill that would allow NFL teams to run red lights on their way to Lambeau Field in Green ...
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Wis. gov: China wants dairy help

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:15 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle says China wants Wisconsin's help with dairy production. Doyle is on a trade mission to the Far East. Speaking by phone from Shanghai ...
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NFL says no plans for Packers-Vikings site swap

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:06 a.m. September 21, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The NFL is not considering swapping sites for the Packers-Vikings games this year in case baseball gets in the way. Green Bay plays at Minnesota on Monday ...
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Wis. gov: DNA situation needs more study

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:05 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle says he needs to take a hard look at state Justice Department data that shows thousands of convicts' DNA never made it to ...
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Democrat to challenge incumbent Wis. treasurer

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:47 a.m. September 21, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A budget analyst for the city of Madison says he intends to challenge incumbent state Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass for the Democratic nomination next year. Dan ...
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Wis. soldier dies at Arizona post

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:50 a.m. September 21, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin soldier has died at an Army post in Arizona. The Arizona Daily Star reports Staff Sgt. Cynthia Meadows died Saturday at Sierra Vista Regional Health ...
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Victims of Belmont fire identified

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:50 p.m. September 20, 2009

BELMONT, Wis. (AP) — Police on Sunday identified the father and daughter who were killed in a house fire in the southern Wisconsin town of Belmont. Firefighters were called to ...
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Body recovered from Pewaukee Lake

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:10 p.m. September 20, 2009

PEWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) — The body of a 69-year-old Waukesha County man has been recovered from Pewaukee Lake. Police say the body was discovered by a fisherman just before 6 ...
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Spending, personnel questions dog Wisconsin vets agency

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 3:42 p.m. September 20, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The agency that administers benefits for Wisconsin veterans is facing questions about its management and spending at a time when thousands of veterans are returning from ...
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Study predicts Wisconsin will have warmer winters

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 12:10 p.m. September 20, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — If new climate predictions are correct, Wisconsin’s winters will get noticeably warmer over the next 40 years. That’s the word from scientists at the University of ...
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Darien could re-instate police chief

Posted by ANN MARIE AMES at 10:38 p.m. September 19, 2009

DARIEN—The Darien Village Board on Monday night could vote to reinstate fired Police Chief Steve DeVoy. If the board approves the agreement, DeVoy could come back to work under a ...
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Two die in southern Wisconsin fire

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:21 p.m. September 19, 2009

BELMONT, Wis. (AP) — Two people have died and another has been injured in a house fire in southern Wisconsin. Firefighters were called to a split-level home in the small ...
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Officials shut down Elkhorn farm’s raw milk sales

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:55 p.m. September 19, 2009

MADISON (AP) — State agriculture officials have ordered an Elkhorn farm to stop selling raw milk after more than two dozen people fell ill. The order against Zinniker Farm Inc., ...
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Vexing long-term health care absent from U.S. debate

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:26 a.m. September 19, 2009

MIAMI (AP) — Even as the health care debate rages in Washington, scant attention has been given to providing long-term care for the elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, the issue is ...
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McGehee carries Brewers past Astros

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:05 a.m. September 19, 2009

Casey McGehee singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Astros, 3-2, Friday night, sending Houston to its fifth straight loss. For a ...
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Late field goal stings Parker football team

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3 a.m. September 19, 2009

Cameron Bathe’s 31-yard field goal with five seconds left lifted Verona to a 17-14 victory over previously unbeaten Janesville Parker in Big Eight football Friday night at Monterey Stadium. For ...
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Nothing confiscated after bomb threat

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 10:59 p.m. September 18, 2009

EDGERTON—Nothing was confiscated in searches at Edgerton High School on Friday, Principal Mark Coombs said. A student found the words “Bomb this Friday” on a boys bathroom stall Tuesday, but ...
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Two Wisconsin residents charged in Iowa burglaries

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:43 p.m. September 18, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Authorities say two Wisconsin residents charged with burglary could be responsible for at least 100 burglaries in three states. Authorities in eastern Iowa’s Clinton County have ...
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Lake Geneva drug dealer sentenced to 14 years

Posted by PEDRO OLIVEIRA JR. at 2:56 p.m. September 18, 2009

ELKHORN — A Burlington man described by authorities as one of the main heroin dealers in the Lake Geneva area was sentenced Friday to 14 years in prison.

Eric ...
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Sheridan sacks committee chairman

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:23 p.m. September 18, 2009

MADISON — The speaker of the state Assembly has stripped a fellow Democrat of a committee leadership position. The affected lawmaker says it is because of an abortion-related vote. Rep. ...
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Milwaukee union contract ratified

Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE at 1:27 p.m. September 18, 2009

MILWAUKEE -- The city of Milwaukee's largest union has ratified a new contract that swaps a pay freeze in 2010 and 2011 for a no-layoff guarantee, city labor negotiator Troy ...
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RNC chairman Steele to speak at 1st District event

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 12:02 p.m. September 18, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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UW System awards grants for 18 projects

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:40 a.m. September 18, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin System is awarding more than $1 million in grants for 18 projects to help graduate more students. The projects are meant to ...
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115th Fighter Wing heads for Iraq

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:50 a.m. September 18, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — About 300 members of the Wisconsin National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing deploy to Iraq by next week to provide support from the air for several thousand ...
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City, developer at odds

Posted by JIM LEUTE at 5:58 a.m. September 18, 2009

The latest installment in a feud between the city and property owner Jim Grafft includes fresh concerns over the Monterey Hotel and a raft of code violations at a Grafft-owned ...
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Lawton grabs endorsements while others ponder run

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:15 a.m. September 18, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — While Democrats ponder whether to enter Wisconsin's governor's race, Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton is collecting endorsements. Lawton is the most prominent Democrat whose announced they are ...
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Craig football falls in shootout

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:57 a.m. September 18, 2009

Ben McCormick admitted he is “starting to sound like a broken record.” The first-year Janesville Craig High School head football coach’s reoccurring nightmare was another valiant effort falling short here ...
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Childress to be diligent with Favre, injury report

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:07 p.m. September 17, 2009

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress wants to avoid what happened to Eric Mangini. Childress told Brett Favre he'd rather save the $25,000 for college tuition for ...
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Wis. passes tougher drunken driving bill

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:02 p.m. September 17, 2009

MADISON — Unlike the criminal penalties it can draw elsewhere, a first-time drunken driving offense in Wisconsin will still mean a mere traffic ticket under a proposal lawmakers have touted ...
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NOAA develops Great Lakes algal bloom forecasts

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:27 a.m. September 17, 2009

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Federal scientists have developed a system for forecasting the location and intensity of harmful algal blooms on the Great Lakes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric ...
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Wis. audit finds savings, problems in plan

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:15 a.m. September 17, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new audit finds a plan to consolidate state operations has saved about $19 million in state purchases. But the Accountability, Consolidation and Efficiency Initiative, or ...
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Survivor of 2007 Delavan shooting rampage speaks out

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 9:42 a.m. September 17, 2009

Headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Republican Wis state lawmaker Davis eyes lt. gov.

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:28 a.m. September 17, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican state Rep. Brett Davis of Oregon has filed paperwork to explore a run for lieutenant governor. Davis announced Thursday that he will spend the next ...
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Violent crime statistics reveal Elkhorn as Walworth County's safest city

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 8:51 a.m. September 17, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Janesville man could get a second life sentence

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 8:30 a.m. September 17, 2009

A Janesville man faces life in prison for a second time after jurors in federal court Wednesday convicted him of distributing a controlled substance. Christopher C. Bell, 34, had been ...
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2 men struck, killed while fighting on highway

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:57 a.m. September 17, 2009

DARLINGTON, Wis. (AP) — Two Illinois men were struck and killed after their fight spilled onto a southern Wisconsin highway. Lafayette County sheriff's officials say the two men from Freeport, ...
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Trucking firm closes 2 operating centers

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:26 a.m. September 17, 2009

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (AP) — Trucking giant Schneider National is closing two operating centers, one in Wisconsin and the other in Ohio. Fifty jobs will be eliminated when Schneider National closes ...
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City of Beloit settles civil suit for $20,000

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:51 a.m. September 17, 2009

BELOIT, Wis. (AP) — The City of Beloit is paying $20,000 to settle a civil lawsuit from a man who blames his wife's death on negligent emergency medical care. Plaintiff ...
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Wis. missing DNA from thousands of felons

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:04 p.m. September 16, 2009

MILWAUKEE — Mandatory DNA profiles of at least 12,000 Wisconsin felons are missing from a statewide database, according to an audit released Wednesday. The audit was conducted after officials discovered ...
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Jeff Thomas, politician and doctor, dies at age 69

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 5:01 p.m. September 16, 2009

Dr. Jeffrey Thomas, retired Janesville doctor and Democratic politician, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Manor, Footville. He was 69. Thomas served on the Janesville City Council and Janesville School Board. ...
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Portion of I-39/90 closed this afternoon

Posted by BETH WHEELOCK at 2:20 p.m. September 16, 2009

Expect delays when traveling on the interstate this afternoon.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says one lane of southbound I-39/90 will be closed at the Rock River bridge near Newville.

Panel doesn't rule in case against Wis justice

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:41 a.m. September 16, 2009

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A three-judge panel did not rule Wednesday on whether an ethics case against Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman should be dismissed. The charge revolves around ...
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County-owned nursing home to close

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:28 a.m. September 16, 2009

JEFFERSON, Wis. (AP) — A nursing home owned by Jefferson County will close because voters have rejected spending nearly $2 million annually during the next four years to keep it ...
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Body of missing father recovered

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:52 a.m. September 16, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The body of a missing father has been recovered from a Madison lake, a day after his wife and 4-year-old twin sons were rescued in boating ...
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DNR moves quickly after discovery of invasive species near Delavan Lake

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 7:29 a.m. September 16, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Wis. agency funds prescription-drug collections

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:33 a.m. September 16, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin residents looking for a safe way to dispose of expired prescription drugs will now have their chance. A state agency is sponsoring a series of ...
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Wis Supreme Court justice wants charge dropped

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:08 a.m. September 16, 2009

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A three-judge panel is set to hear arguments over whether an ethics case against Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman should continue. The charge revolves around ...
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Data Dimensions growth could add 250 new jobs

Posted by JIM LEUTE at 4:24 a.m. September 16, 2009

A well-established Janesville business that specializes in document conversion and management has launched an expansion that will start with 50 new jobs in a 20,000-square-foot expansion on the city’s east ...
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Report: Great Lakes toxic cleanups lagging badly

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:20 p.m. September 15, 2009

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Cleanup of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes is moving so slowly it will take 77 more years to finish the job at ...
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Plant manager charged with discharging wastewater

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:45 p.m. September 15, 2009

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — A manufacturing plant manager has been charged with letting toxic waste water into the Buffalo River in west-central Wisconsin. Thomas Callaghan was charged Monday with ...
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Edgerton High responding to bomb threat

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 3:17 p.m. September 15, 2009

Edgerton High School will search the grounds, building and student belongings Friday after a student found a bomb threat this afternoon, according to a letter sent to parents, students and ...
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Brewers release 2010 schedule

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 1:38 p.m. September 15, 2009

The Milwaukee Brewers will open their 40th anniversary season at home on Monday, April 5, 2010.
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Senate passes state wind farm bill

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 1:04 p.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON (AP) — The state Senate has approved a bill that would create statewide standards for wind farms. The Democratic measure calls for the state Public Service Commission to draw ...
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Wis lawmakers working on bill to get stimulus cash

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:59 a.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers are still working with Gov. Jim Doyle and others to come up with changes in law so the state can qualify for federal education ...
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Democrats promise to tackle drunken driving, jobs

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:28 a.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats who control the state Assembly promise to focus on creating jobs and cracking down on drunken driving this fall. On Thursday, the Assembly plans to ...
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Alzheimer's Memory Walk Saturday in Lake Geneva

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 10:09 a.m. September 15, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Sex offender released to local corrections facility

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 8:45 a.m. September 15, 2009

JANESVILLE—Corey L. Standfield was placed today at the Rock Valley Community Programs, 203 W. Sunny Lane, according to a press release from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office. Standfield, 31, was ...
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Lake Geneva City Council unable to conduct business

Posted by KAYLA BUNGE at 8:06 a.m. September 15, 2009

Unprecedented things are happening in Lake Geneva, and the latest political turn of events essentially has left residents without a representative government. Mayor Bill Chesen on Monday night was stopped ...
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Wis. plans conference on drug-endangered children

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:34 a.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Drug-endangered children are the focus of conference in Wisconsin Dells this week. The state Justice Department, the Children and Families and Public Instruction departments as well ...
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Wis. governor plans appearance at Tokyo hospital

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:44 a.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle plans to visit a Tokyo hospital on Tuesday that's launching a new radiation therapy system sold by a Madison firm. Doyle is leading ...
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Wis. bill would ban young drivers from texting

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:04 a.m. September 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — One Wisconsin lawmaker is proposing a measure that would prohibit new drivers from using cell phones behind the wheel. The measure would cover texting and talking ...
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Beloit teen killed in shooting

Posted by STEVE BENTON at 4:58 a.m. September 15, 2009

From the WCLO newsroom: A Beloit teen was killed last night in a shooting on the city's east side. Captain Bill Tyler says the victim is identified as Gina Zamora ...
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Ice arena decision on hold

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 11:03 p.m. September 14, 2009

JANESVILLE – The Janesville City Council put off a decision on a new ice arena Tuesday after a private group asked for more time. The issue of whether to spend ...
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One missing in boat accident

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:57 p.m. September 14, 2009

MADISON — Authorities in Madison say four people were thrown into Lake Monona in a boat incident on Monday, and one of them is still missing. Lt. Alecia Rauch of ...
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Milton narrowly rejects 4K

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 9:54 p.m. September 14, 2009

The Milton School Board narrowly rejected moving forward on a 4-year-old kindergarten program Monday, voting 3-3 against the proposal. Superintendent Bernie Nikolay had been looking for preliminary approval of a ...
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No temporary aldermen appointed in Lake Geneva

Posted by KAYLA BUNGE at 8:09 p.m. September 14, 2009

LAKE GENEVA--Unprecedented things are happening in Lake Geneva—and the latest political turn of events essentially has left residents without a representative government. Mayor Bill Chesen on Monday night was stopped ...
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Mayor’s alleged attacker pleads not guilty

Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE at 8:08 p.m. September 14, 2009

(MCT) Sep. 14--Anthony J. Peters pleaded not guilty by reason of mental defect Monday to charges that he beat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett with a tire iron as the mayor ...
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75-year-old man gets trapped in corn bin, dies

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:05 p.m. September 14, 2009

ELLSWORTH, Wis. (AP) — Authorities in western Wisconsin say a 75-year-old man is dead after being trapped inside a corn storage bin. Pierce County Sheriff’s deputy Robin Kivel says Patrick ...
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Council members trying to block replacements

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:44 p.m. September 14, 2009

Four suspended city council members are trying to block the Lake Geneva mayor from appointing replacements.
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Bears LB Urlacher out for season

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 12:59 p.m. September 14, 2009

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair his dislocated right wrist — a major blow for ...
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Wis lawmaker who hit cyclist pays $88 ticket

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:49 a.m. September 14, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin state lawmaker who slammed into a bicyclist after running a red light has paid an $88 ticket. Rep. Fred Clark, a Democrat from Baraboo, ...
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Man accused of beating Wis. mayor pleads insanity

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:24 a.m. September 14, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The man accused of attacking Milwaukee's mayor will undergo a mental-health evaluation after his lawyer entered an insanity plea on his behalf Monday to four charges, including ...
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Former Wis. Dem. chairman tapped for state job

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:56 a.m. September 14, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The former chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has been named a top labor negotiator for Gov. Jim Doyle's administration. Joe Wineke started his $95,000-per-year-job ...
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Drunken driving discussion moved

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 9:11 a.m. September 14, 2009

The location for Rep. Kim Hixson's listening session about preventing drunken driving has changed.
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Sales tax revenue declines for first time

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:02 a.m. September 14, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The amount of sales taxes collected by the state during the past year has dropped by about 4 percent — the first decline since Wisconsin began ...
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Swine flu summit in Milwaukee Tuesday

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:21 a.m. September 14, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The city of Milwaukee's health department and a business group are holding a summit for businesses Tuesday to discuss the spread of swine flu. The Mayoral H1N1 ...
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State offered $409 million incentive package in failed GM bid

Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE at 5:06 a.m. September 14, 2009

Sep. 13--As Wisconsin battled with Michigan and Tennessee this year to persuade bankrupt General Motors Corp. to build a new line of small cars at its recently closed Janesville factory, ...
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University of Wisconsin studying hip hop

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:14 p.m. September 13, 2009

MADISON — The University of Wisconsin-Madison is devoting its semester-long fall lecture series to the scholarship and art of hip hop. Over the nine-week series, university and college experts in ...
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Sick UW students, staff won't need doctor's notes

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:12 p.m. September 13, 2009

WHITEWATER — Sick University of Wisconsin students, faculty and staff won't need to show doctor's notes for extended medical absences this academic year. The Board of Regents has suspended a ...
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Man arrested after stabbing in Janesville

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 10:23 p.m. September 12, 2009

JANESVILLE—A man repeatedly stabbed a man he knew in Janesville on Saturday, according to police reports. Catalino Luna Jimenez, 34, of 159 S. Jackson St., Janesville, is accused of stabbing ...
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Jets win opener

Posted by TOM MILLER at 9:57 p.m. September 12, 2009

The Janesville Jets scored two goals in the third period to defeat Traverse City, 4-3, in the opening North American Hockey League game at Janesville on Saturday night. A crowd ...
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UW Hospital stops student volunteers over H1N1

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:56 p.m. September 12, 2009

MADISON — The University of Wisconsin-Madison and Edgewood student volunteer program at UW Hospital and Clinics has been suspended because of the high number of students with swine flu symptoms. ...
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Cutler debuts for Bears; is Pack's Rodgers better?

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:54 p.m. September 12, 2009

GREEN BAY — When Jay Cutler makes his regular-season debut for the Bears against the Packers at Lambeau Field tomorrow night, he might not even be the best quarterback on ...
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Armed robbery under investigation in Janesville

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 3:21 p.m. September 12, 2009

JANESVILLE — A gunman robbed a business along Milton Avenue on Saturday. An armed robbery was reported at 12:35 p.m. at Janesville Quick Cash, 1728 Milton Ave., officials said. No ...
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Prices falling to fly out of Milwaukee's Mitchell

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:57 p.m. September 12, 2009

MILWAUKEE — Data shows that fares for flights departing for Milwaukee this fall have dropped 20 percent compared with last year and may be falling even more. Analysts say that's ...
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Wisconsin needs 2 OTs to beat Fresno St.

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:54 p.m. September 12, 2009

MADISON — Wisconsin safety Chris Maragos came up with an interception in the second overtime, and Philip Welch kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Badgers a 34-31 victory ...
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Jefferson handles Evansville

Posted by TOM MILLER at 12:49 a.m. September 12, 2009

Host Jefferson cruised past Evansville, 41-19, in a Rock Valley North opener Friday night, and improve to 3-0 overall. For a full story, read Saturday’s Janesville Gazette, read online in ...
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Knutson kicks Parker into first

Posted by TOM MILLER at 12:47 a.m. September 12, 2009

Creed Knutson's 29-yard field goal with 38 seconds left lifted Janesville Parker past host Madison West, 17-14, and put the Vikings into sole possession of first place in the Big ...
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Fuller leads La Follette past Craig

Posted by TOM MILLER at 12:45 a.m. September 12, 2009

Madison La Follette's D.J. Fuller scored three TDs to lead the Lancers past Janesville Craig, 24-17, in Big Eight Conference football action Friday night at Monterey Stadium.For a full story, ...
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Man arrested in Janesville on drug charges

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 8:47 p.m. September 11, 2009

JANESVILLE—A Madison man was arrested in Janesville on Thursday on charges of delivering crack cocaine. Sedrik J. Hibbler, 21, was arrested with 22 grams of crack cocaine at 6:40 p.m. ...
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Stray semitrailer truck wheel hits Milton children

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 5:36 p.m. September 11, 2009

MILTON – A runaway wheel on a semitrailer truck hit Milton daycare children and workers Thursday morning. The vehicle was traveling north on Highway 26 at 10:45 a.m. when the ...
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Whitewater High School students sue over racist threats

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 1:11 p.m. September 11, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Lawmaker's poor response costs taxpayers $38,000

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:11 a.m. September 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Sen. Dan Kapanke's poor response to a request for records by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin will cost taxpayers $38,000. The La Crosse Republican is taking ...
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Wis. board considers deer control options

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:27 a.m. September 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wildlife officials want to nearly double the length of the November gun deer hunt. Biologists are looking for ways to control the state's deer herd ...
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Report: Open high-tech centers at 7 UW campuses

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:16 a.m. September 11, 2009

WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) — A new report says seven University of Wisconsin campuses should open cutting-edge research centers to help small businesses develop new technologies, train more students and create ...
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Deputy Wisconsin treasurer forced out of job

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:59 a.m. September 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Deputy State Treasurer John Lease is being forced out of his job. State Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass said in an e-mail sent to staff that she ...
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Fond du Lac council approves Merc incentives

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:08 a.m. September 11, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — The Fond du Lac City Council has joined the county in approving incentives to keep Mercury Marine and hundreds of jobs in town. The ...
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Early fall colors increasing in northern Wis.

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:57 a.m. September 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Department of Natural Resources says early fall colors are showing up in northern Wisconsin. The agency says scarlet red leaves of sumac and Virginia creeper ...
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Wis. DNR announces new youth hunt incentives

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:56 a.m. September 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State wildlife officials are pumping more dollars into youth hunting. The Department of Natural Resources has laid out a plan that includes about $35,000 to reimburse ...
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UW regents take up jobs, swine flu and IT project

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:39 a.m. September 11, 2009

WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System regents will discuss economic development, an expensive new payroll program and the swine flu when they continue meeting Friday in Whitewater. UW ...
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Levitt: Put new rink on ice

Posted by MARCIA NELESEN at 4:32 a.m. September 11, 2009

Janesville’s city manager recommends that the city spend about $1.3 million to improve the current ice arena rather than spend $2 million on a new one at this time. Eric ...
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Stricker trails by six in BMW

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 1:05 a.m. September 11, 2009

It wasn’t Steve Stricker’s day in the first round of the BMW International golf tournanent a Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill. Stricker, whose victory last week in the Deutsche Bank ...
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Rock County parks, land to keep $250,000

Posted by ANN MARIE AMES at 8:42 p.m. September 10, 2009

JANESVILLE--The Rock County Board on Thursday night voted 21-5 against pulling $250,000 from a special parks and conservation fund. The resolution would have borrowed $250,000 from a fund that was ...
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Suspected serial killer faces more counts

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:21 p.m. September 10, 2009

MILWAUKEE — A suspected serial killer has been charged in the slayings of five more women in Milwaukee. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said Thursday he filed the additional ...
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Nearly 9 percent in Wis. without health insurance

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:20 a.m. September 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nearly 9 percent of Wisconsinites lacked health insurance in 2008, down slightly from the previous year. The U.S. Census Bureau's annual report released Thursday shows 489,000 ...
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Wis. bill would keep property information secret

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:55 a.m. September 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A proposal in the state Assembly would allow judges and district attorneys to keep secret information now made public about property they own. A committee voted ...
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Wis. court: farm can sue energy company

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:23 a.m. September 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court has reinstated a stray voltage complaint against Alliant Energy. Bickford Farms, Inc., of Ridgeway filed a stray voltage claim in 2008 against ...
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Judge dismisses Elkhorn woman's Web search suit

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 10:12 a.m. September 10, 2009

A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit by an Elkhorn woman who complained that Web searches for her name returned links to porn sites.
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Fond du Lac County taxpayers fund Merc incentives

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:38 a.m. September 10, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — The Fond du Lac County Board has approved a new half-percent sales tax to help fund a major incentive package designed to keep jobs ...
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Jewelry store owner shoots suspect during attempted robbery

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 9:32 a.m. September 10, 2009

Latest headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Lawton, lawmakers to discuss finance reform

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:55 a.m. September 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and a pair of Democratic state lawmakers are scheduled to talk about campaign finance reform on Thursday. Lawton will be joined by ...
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Latino groups advise against census boycott

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6 a.m. September 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A national Latino group is asking immigrants to boycott the 2010 census, but immigrant advocates in Wisconsin are advising against that. The goal of the boycott ...
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Janesville athletics budget overspent

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 5:32 a.m. September 10, 2009

The Janesville School District overspent its athletics budget by nearly $90,000 last year, officials reported to the school board Tuesday. “This does not appear to be a case of gross ...
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Two charged in killing of UWM student

Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE at 10:15 p.m. September 09, 2009

A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee film student shot and killed while walking near his Riverwest apartment was the victim of a random robbery attempt, according to a 19-year-old suspect charged in ...
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Mercury Marine to repay tax credits to Okla.

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:19 p.m. September 09, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY — Boat engine maker Mercury Marine has told Oklahoma officials it will refund state investment tax credits now that it plans to move about 380 manufacturing jobs in ...
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Lawmaker to head back to Iraq

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:13 p.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON — Republican state Rep. Roger Roth from Appleton is headed back to Iraq for his second tour of duty as a member of the Wisconsin Air National Guard. Roth ...
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Whitewater denies soldier's claim, donates to fund

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 1:22 p.m. September 09, 2009

WHITEWATER — The common council on Tuesday voted 6-1 abide by the city's insurance company's decision to deny a sewer backup claim filed by a resident who is a Marine ...
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Audit finds some employees misused credit cards

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:49 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Auditors say state employees used their credit cards for some inappropriate purchases, including a laptop computer, luxury luggage and a trip to Las Vegas. The Legislative ...
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Bomb threat at Craig High

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 11:37 a.m. September 09, 2009

JANESVILLE – Craig High School students were all sent to the field house Wednesday morning after the school received a bomb threat. School district spokeswoman Sheryl Miller said officials searched ...
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Firm picked for UW project faces scandal

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:25 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A consulting firm set to win millions in business from the University of Wisconsin System is facing an investigation and numerous lawsuits over accounting irregularities. Chicago-based ...
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Wis. court: Firm not liable in bid-rigging scheme

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:17 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court says a Racine construction company isn't liable for an employee involved in a bid-rigging scheme. According to the 2nd District Court of ...
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Hunters charged after posting incriminating video on Facebook

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 9:51 a.m. September 09, 2009

Headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Neumann launches statewide tour in governor's race

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:58 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican Mark Neumann is launching a statewide tour this week complete with rallies and press interviews to give his run for governor a boost. Neumann first ...
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Wis. court disbars figure in Blagojevich probe

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:27 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has revoked the law license of a former investment banker and aide to Gov. Tommy Thompson who was convicted of corruption in ...
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Official: Late blight in potatoes shouldn't hurt

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A University of Wisconsin-Madison extension vegetable specialist says the late blight fungus should not affect the quality or quantity of potatoes stored in the state this ...
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UW wants to suspend doctor's note rule for flu

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:09 a.m. September 09, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin System is moving to suspend a rule that requires sick employees to turn in doctors' notes as campuses prepare to handle the ...
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Closed lunch coming sooner at Parker High

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 10:22 p.m. September 08, 2009

JANESVILLE — Parker High School ninth-graders will be required to stay at school for lunch starting with second semester, Superintendent Karen Schulte said. Parker Principal Steve Schroeder had planned to ...
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Janesville school tax hike considered

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 10:17 p.m. September 08, 2009

JANESVILLE — The Janesville School Board is leaning toward a 1.9 percent increase in the tax levy for school taxes paid in 2010. The move would leave a budget gap ...
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Bank robbery suspect caught

Posted by CATHERINE IDZERDA at 7:01 p.m. September 08, 2009

MADISON- A Janesville man is in custody this afternoon after he allegedly robbed the US Bank, 3461 Cottage Grove Road, Blooming Grove Township. Theodore Rush, 33, of Janesville was arrested ...
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Trains, tax for Milwaukee?

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:33 p.m. September 08, 2009

MILWAUKEE — Gov. Jim Doyle wants to allow Milwaukee County to raise local property taxes half a percentage point to pay for local transit and a commuter rail line. Doyle ...
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Wisconsin treasurer defends attending conference

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:54 a.m. September 08, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin State Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass is defending her decision to attend a conference last week at a California resort even though her office faces a ...
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Wis Democrats propose tax increase to create jobs

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:46 a.m. September 08, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Assembly Democrats want to pay for additional worker training and financial aid through a 1 percent income tax increase on those making more than $1 million. ...
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Judge: UW-Whitewater cannot collect from ex-dean

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:14 a.m. September 08, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge says the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater cannot collect damages from a former dean accused of misusing school money. U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller says ...
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Milwaukee police: DNA links man to 9 slain women

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:48 a.m. September 08, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Milwaukee man authorities say is linked by DNA to the slayings of nine women since 1986 was captured by police after an alert officer spotted his ...
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White House releases text of speech to schoolchildren

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 6:25 a.m. September 08, 2009

Text of President Obama's planned speech to school children.
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Sheridan to release home foreclosure recommendations

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:04 a.m. September 08, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Recommendations on how to minimize the effect of home foreclosures on Wisconsin residents will be released on Wednesday. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, a Democrat from Janesville, ...
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Seasonal flu vaccine clinics offer convenience

Posted by GINA DUWE at 5:10 a.m. September 08, 2009

Just roll up your sleeve, stick your arm out the car window and get your flu shot. It can be just that easy as more places offer more convenient flu ...
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Unemployment hot line goes cold for some

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:16 p.m. September 07, 2009

MILWAUKEE — When unemployed Wisconsin residents call a hot line to check on claims for benefits, many of them get disconnected. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that callers were disconnected ...
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Darien man dead in accident

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 12:28 p.m. September 07, 2009

DARIEN TOWNSHIP — A Darien man was pronounced dead at the scene of a one-vehicle accident in a cornfield Sunday night. Kenneth M. Santeler, 43, was thrown from a full-size ...
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Truck hits woman on Highway 51

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 10:39 a.m. September 07, 2009

JANESVILLE — A Janesville woman was struck by a truck on Highway 51 near the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport on Sunday night, the Rock County Sheriff’s Department reports. Sheriff’s deputies ...
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Suspect tied to old murder cases

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:25 a.m. September 07, 2009

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Milwaukee police have arrested a suspect in connection with the killings of seven women over a 21-year period that started in 1986. Police ...
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Mercury Marine to close Okla. plant within 2 years

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:50 p.m. September 06, 2009

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — After Wisconsin workers agreed to concessions, Mercury Marine said it will move work there from Oklahoma within two years, putting 380 employees in Stillwater out of ...
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Woman found dead in Waukesha

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:49 p.m. September 06, 2009

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Police in the city of Waukesha are investigating a woman's death as an apparent homicide. A man is under arrest in the death. Officers responding to ...
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Gov. candidate to announce

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:49 a.m. September 05, 2009

MADISON — Republican candidate for governor Mark Neumann plans an online news conference next week to formally announce his campaign. The announcement comes two months after Neumann first officially announced ...
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Stricker shares first-round lead at Deutsche Championship

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:54 a.m. September 05, 2009

Steve Stricker birdied his first two holes, and Tiger Woods could see what was coming. Walking to the next tee Friday at the TPC Boston, Woods said to his caddie, ...
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Beloit gets first football win over Craig since 1998

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:49 a.m. September 05, 2009

No matter how loudly opportunity knocked, Janesville Craig High School’s football team couldn’t manage to open the door in a 12-6 loss to Beloit Memorial on Friday night. The Cougars ...
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Parker football team rolls over East

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:46 a.m. September 05, 2009

Janesville Parker’s foootball team put on an offensive clinic at the expense of the Madison East Purgolders in a 41-13 Big Eight Conference victory Friday night at Monterey Stadium. For ...
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Traffic backed up on I-90/39

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 8:49 p.m. September 04, 2009

Traffic is backed up on Interstate 90/39 this evening in southern Wisconsin, but it’s not because of any specific problems. “It’s due to volume. We haven’t had any crashes,” a ...
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Thumbs up for Merc Marine

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:22 p.m. September 04, 2009

FOND DU LAC — The union at Mercury Marine says its workers have approved a contentious package of wage and benefit concessions the boat-engine maker says it needed to keep ...
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Air quality alert issued

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 3:55 p.m. September 04, 2009

The Wisconsin DNR has issued an Air Quality Watch for particle pollution effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, continuing through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The Department of Natural Resources says the forecast calls ...
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Wis. pays $275K to end disabled worker's lawsuit

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:36 a.m. September 04, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state will pay $275,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a parole agent who resigned after the Department of Corrections failed to accommodate her disabilities. ...
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Wis. observatory renovations complete

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:32 a.m. September 04, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin-Madison's space observatory is getting ready to celebrate renovations. Washburn Observatory plans an open house on Friday, Sept. 11, to celebrate the two-year, ...
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Central Wisconsin to get new area code

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:03 a.m. September 04, 2009

WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) — Central Wisconsin is getting a new area code. The 715 area code is running out of phone numbers because of cell phones, fax machines, and other ...
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Wis. Dept. of Tourism launches Fall Color Report

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:09 a.m. September 04, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — With autumn just around the corner, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is launching its annual Fall Color Report. The online report lets travelers track the change ...
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On UW campuses, new misconduct rules are in effect

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:42 a.m. September 04, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin campuses have the power to discipline students for serious off-campus misconduct for the first time this semester. New disciplinary rules went into effect ...
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UW simplifies scholarship application

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:39 a.m. September 04, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin-Madison has launched two initiatives designed to make it easier for undergraduate students to learn about and apply for scholarships. There's a new ...
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Woman accused of holding daughter under water

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:29 a.m. September 04, 2009

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. (AP) — A mother is accused of holding her 10-year-old daughter under water in Lake Michigan to punish her for her sins. Port Washington police said Thursday ...
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Merc union voting on concessions continues Friday

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:54 a.m. September 04, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — Union workers at Mercury Marine continue voting Friday on wage and benefit concessions the boat-engine maker says it needs to keep 850 manufacturing jobs ...
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‘No red flag’ was seen in Edgerton PTA theft

Posted by STACY VOGEL at 4:47 a.m. September 04, 2009

When Melanie Simmons took over as PTA president at Edgerton Community Elementary School last year, she was happy to have a veteran treasurer in Kim Kienitz, she said. Kienitz, the ...
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Stofflet, not Stossel

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:23 p.m. September 03, 2009

A Madison TV news anchor is having to explain — again — that he’s not longtime ABC news correspondent John Stossel. John Stofflet, who anchors NBC-15’s 6 and 10 p.m. ...
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Woman suing over spinach

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:25 p.m. September 03, 2009

FOND DU LAC — An 85-year-old Fond du Lac woman is suing the growers, packers, distributors and sellers of spinach involved in a deadly 2006 E. coli outbreak. Jane Majeska ...
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Former pitcher sentenced for tax evasion in Wis.

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 3:54 p.m. September 03, 2009

MADISON (AP) — A federal judge in Madison has sentenced a former New York Mets star pitcher to six months in prison for not paying his taxes. Prosecutors say Jerry ...
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Oshkosh Corp. division, Air Force sign $20M deal

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:32 a.m. September 03, 2009

OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) — The airport-related division of Oshkosh Corp. will provide 36 vehicles to the U.S. Air Force in a deal worth nearly $20 million. Oshkosh Airport Products Group ...
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Wis. schools deciding how to handle Obama speech

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:18 a.m. September 03, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — School districts across Wisconsin are deciding whether students will watch a nationwide address directed at them from President Barack Obama. The speech on the importance of ...
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Wis. father charged in death of infant son

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:03 a.m. September 03, 2009

JEFFERSON, Wis. (AP) — A Lake Mills father is accused of throwing his infant son against a wall and causing his death. Thirty-year-old Michael Wey is charged with first-degree reckless ...
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Video: Maura Wieners named Fairest of the Fair

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 9:22 a.m. September 03, 2009

Continuing coverage of the Walworth County Fair on WalworthCountyToday.com
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Merc union voting again on concessions

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:05 a.m. September 03, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — The union at Mercury Marine has started voting on a package of wage of benefit concessions the boat-engine maker says it needs to keep ...
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Cost to heat homes with natural gas dropping

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:50 a.m. September 03, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The price of natural gas is at its lowest point in nearly 7 and a-half years. That has Wisconsin utilities predicting lower costs to heat your home ...
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Many Wis. state agencies closing Friday

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:54 a.m. September 03, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — You can forget about trying to get a driver's license, accessing vital records or calling a state unemployment office for help on Friday. The offices that ...
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Beaver Dam middle school to try same-sex classes

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:30 a.m. September 03, 2009

BEAVER DAM, Wis. (AP) — A southeastern Wisconsin middle school is the latest to try single-gender classrooms. Officials at Beaver Dam Middle School say they'll test the concept with 50 ...
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Cool, wet weather delaying crops

Posted by ANN MARIE AMES at 5:20 a.m. September 03, 2009

It’s getting to be a nail-biter for many producers who are wondering if corn and soybeans will have time to mature and dry before the first killing frost. Two separate ...
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Mich., Wis. governors hold clean energy forum

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:35 p.m. September 02, 2009

SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) — U.S. Commerce Seretary Gary Locke joined Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle in participating in a clean energy forum. Also attending Wednesday’s Clean ...
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Wardens cite 15 for clubbing animals

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 5:21 p.m. September 02, 2009

BEAVER DAM (AP) — Wisconsin wardens have cited 15 young people for clubbing wild animals. State Department of Natural Resources wardens got a tip this past spring about people chasing ...
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County H to close Sept. 3 to through traffic

Posted by GAZETTE STAFF at 1:51 p.m. September 02, 2009

JANESVILLE-- County H, between Highways 213 and 81, will be closed to through traffic beginning Thursday, Sept. 3, for road construction and bridge replacement, according to a press release from ...
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Danny Gokey in Stetson and boots?

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 12:24 p.m. September 02, 2009

MILWAUKEE — “American Idol” finalist Danny Gokey is going country. 19 Recordings/RCA Records Nashville announced Wednesday Gokey has signed a recording contract. In a news release, the 29-year-old former church ...
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Janesville man stood mute to sexual assault, battery charges

Posted by TED SULLIVAN at 12:14 p.m. September 02, 2009

JANESVILLE -- The man accused of nearly fatally beating an Orfordville woman in May stood mute Wednesday to felony charges of first-degree sexual assault and aggravated battery. Dustin L. Sperb, ...
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Okla. plant to lose jobs if Mercury concessions pass

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:42 a.m. September 02, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — A Mercury Marine spokesman says some jobs at its Stillwater, Okla., plant will be eliminated if the labor union at its Fond du Lac ...
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UW-Rock seeing record numbers

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 10:20 a.m. September 02, 2009

UW-Rock County is poised for record enrollment for the second year in a row, an official said. Today is the first day of the fall term at the campus on ...
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Plastic pink flamingo named Madison's bird

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:32 a.m. September 02, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — One of the greatest college pranks ever has inspired Madison leaders to name the plastic pink flamingo the city's official bird. The Madison City Council voted ...
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Wis. Assembly moves to restart IT oversight panel

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 8:41 a.m. September 02, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Assembly speaker is reforming a committee that oversees risky state information technology projects after receiving criticism for failing to appoint its members earlier. Speaker Mike ...
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Bill toughens penalties for voter intimidation

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:49 a.m. September 02, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A proposal toughening Wisconsin's laws against voter intimidation is up for a hearing Wednesday in a state Senate committee. The bill by Milwaukee Democratic Sen. Spencer ...
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Forest Service issues new firewood restrictions

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:24 a.m. September 02, 2009

RHINELANDER, Wis. (AP) — The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is tightening restrictions on firewood to keep a tree-eating beetle out of its ash trees. The new restriction bans firewood gathered more ...
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Carp removal leads to strikingly clear Wis. lake

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:06 a.m. September 02, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Experts who study waterways say one Madison lake is cleaner than it's been in many years. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison say Lake Wingra is ...
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Ice arena work nearing completion

Posted by MARCIA NELESEN at 5:12 a.m. September 02, 2009

Bright paint, new cabinetry and a new floor plan have given the Janesville ice arena a facelift in time for the opening Jets hockey game on Saturday. To bring the ...
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3 Wisconsin teens arrested for burning racist symbols

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 10:25 p.m. September 01, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Three teens have been arrested for allegedly burning a swastika and the initials “KKK” into a basketball court in a predominantly white city in southeastern Wisconsin, police ...
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New Mercury Marine vote slated

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:01 p.m. September 01, 2009

FOND DU LAC — The union at Mercury Marine says there will be another vote on a package of wage and benefit concessions the company says it needs to keep ...
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Official vows to improve Wisconsin campaign database

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 4:36 p.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s top elections official is promising more improvements to the state’s new $1 million computer database for campaign finance information. Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy ...
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Video shows state lawmaker hitting cyclist

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 2:30 p.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON — Video taken from inside a city bus shows state Rep. Fred Clark running a red light and smashing into a bicyclist. Clark, a Democrat from Baraboo, was ticketed ...
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2nd brother pleads guilty in Wis. meatpacker fire

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 11:18 a.m. September 01, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A man accused of launching a military flare that sparked a $50 million blaze and forced the temporary evacuation of thousands of residents pleaded guilty Monday to ...
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Mercury Marine agrees to meet with union

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:53 a.m. September 01, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — A day after a union leader said Mercury Marine was no longer interested in talking about a package of wage and benefit concessions, the ...
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Tax increase could send Illinois residents to Wisconsin liquor stores

Posted by DAN PLUTCHAK at 9:22 a.m. September 01, 2009

Today's headlines from WalworthCountyToday.com
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Wis. DMV to close Friday for furloughs

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 9:16 a.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Division of Motor Vehicles will close again Friday for employee furloughs. Gov. Jim Doyle has ordered all state workers to take 16 furlough days ...
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Wis. considers declaring air safe from lead

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:33 a.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin environmental officials are preparing to declare lead levels in the state's air are safe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised lead air standards last year. ...
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Man accused in Cudahy plant fire to plead guilty

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:14 a.m. September 01, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) — One of two brothers accused of starting a $50 million fire at a Cudahy meatpacking plant is expected to plead guilty Tuesday. Prosecutors say 25-year-old Kurtis Popp ...
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New Wisconsin phone fee starts Tuesday

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 7:11 a.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new 75-cent monthly fee for all cell phones, landlines or other devices capable of calling 911 starts Tuesday in Wisconsin. The fee was approved by ...
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Highway crashes, fatalities down in Wis

Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS at 6:42 a.m. September 01, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The number of people killed in highway crashes so far this year in Wisconsin is down significantly. The state Department of Transportation reports 347 people have ...
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Corvina’s closes, new bar might open

Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ at 5:14 a.m. September 01, 2009

A downtown bar that attracted unfavorable attention in recent months apparently is closed, and the building’s owners are looking to reopen it under new management. The city declared the liquor ...
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