Two killed when cars collide in Sheboygan County
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 31, 2013
TOWN OF HERMAN—Sheboygan County authorities say two cars have collided in the Town of Herman, killing two people. The sheriff’s office says the collision occurred Sunday about 4 p.m. Both people who died were in one vehicle. Sheriff’s Lt. John Detienne says details are still being sorted out. But he ...Read more, add a comment »
DNR approval of well permit angers Wisconsin residents
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 31, 2013
RICHFIELD—Neighbors of a proposed dairy farm in central Wisconsin are questioning whether Wisconsin officials are doing their jobs after the state approved high-capacity wells for the industrial-size facility. Residents say the state Department of Natural Resources did an incomplete environmental analysis. They want the DNR to deny the well permit. ...Read more, view comments (8) »
Wisconsin GOP lawmaker wants to control sea lamprey
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 31, 2013
MADISON—A Republican state lawmaker is circulating a bill to control sea lamprey, eel-like parasites that attack trout and other fish in the Great Lakes. State Sen. Robert Cowles of Green Bay wants to provide funding to the state Department of Natural Resources to combat the “rotten invasive species.” Environmental groups ...Read more, view comments (8) »
Janesville educators seek to stamp out bullying
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 31, 2013
JANESVILLE--The kids in Amanda Werner’s fifth-grade class were role playing. The scene: A girl on the bus was calling another girl names. “I would tell the driver. Or I would go up to her and tell her she shouldn’t say mean things to people,” Payton Kahl said. “Would you confront ...Read more, view comments (37) »
Wisconsin Conservation Congress gears up for hearings
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 31, 2013
MADISON—The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is gearing up for another round of annual spring hearings next month. The congress is a group of influential sportsmen who advise the state Department of Natural Resources on policy. Every April the congress holds hearings in all 72 counties to give people a chance to ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville woman arrested on fifth OWI charge
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 31, 2013
TOWN OF RUTLAND—Crystal M. Croft, 32, of Janesville, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, reported to be her fifth offense, according to a Dane County Sheriff’s Office news release. According to the release: Croft was booked into the Dane County Jail on the felony OWI charge after ...Read more, add a comment »
Sanity at issue at dad’s trial for killing 3 girls
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 31, 2013
HUDSON—A Wisconsin man has admitted slashing his three daughters to death. Now, a jury will decide whether they believe his claim that he was insane when he did it. Aaron Schaffhausen (SHAF’-howz-ihn) goes on trial Monday in St. Croix County, just east of Minneapolis. Schaffhausen last week admitted cutting the ...Read more, add a comment »
Landslide in La Crosse blocks two highway lanes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
LA CROSSE—La Crosse authorities say a landslide has blocked both westbound lanes of Highway 14/61 near the Highway 35 split at the south end of La Crosse. A La Crosse Tribune report says the slide happened Saturday about 5:30 p.m. Traffic is being rerouted into the eastbound lanes, and drivers ...Read more, add a comment »
UPDATE: Milton Avenue reopens to traffic
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 30, 2013
JANESVILLE—Milton Avenue has reopened to traffic, according to scanner chatter. Drivers were asked to avoid the road between Centerway and East Memorial Drive after a two-vehicle crash that happened just after 8 p.m. Janesville police and fire have now left the scene after traffic was diverted for nearly 90 minutes.Read more, add a comment »
Report: Wausau jail dangerously understaffed
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
WAUSAU—Six years ago a consultants’ report concluded that the Marathon County Jail was so understaffed that employees could be in danger. This week, staffing was even lower at the time an inmate attacked and critically injured a corrections officer. A Wausau Daily Herald report quotes Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger ...Read more, add a comment »
First eagle’s nest seen in Racine County since 1800s
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
BURLINGTON—State wildlife officials say an eagle’s nest near the Fox River around Burlington is the first confirmed in the area in over a century. Ron Eckstein is retired from the state Department of Natural Resources. The former wildlife biologist tells the Kenosha News the DNR hadn’t been aware of any ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Proposed Wisconsin mine still years from opening
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
APPLETON—Construction of a controversial mine in northern Wisconsin probably won’t start for several years. First the mining company would have to file for a mining permit, a request that would trigger a review by state and federal agencies lasting about two years. Other infrastructure would also need to be built ...Read more, view comments (14) »
Victim of small-plane crash was Duluth man, 48
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
HAWLEY, Minn.—Clay County authorities have identified the victim of a fatal small-plane crash as Kevin Ferris of Duluth. The Forum of Fargo, N.D., reports the 48-year-old was traveling from Superior, Wis., to Moorhead on Friday morning to visit his parents for Easter weekend. He was found dead after his plane ...Read more, add a comment »
Schnucks: Source of credit card problem found
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 30, 2013
ST. LOUIS—A credit card fraud problem at Schnucks grocery stores has been traced to a “cyberattack” and the chain has taken steps to block unauthorized access in the future, the company announced Saturday. Schnuck Markets Inc., based in the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights, said in a news release ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville police warn of fake online ads
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 30, 2013
JANESVILLE--The Janesville Police Department received four complaints in two days this week of fraudulent advertisements on Craigslist for rental properties. There are two properties listed on Craigslist that the homeowners have verified are currently occupied and not available for rent, said Officer Valerie Southwick. According to Southwick: A subject using ...Read more, add a comment »
SHINE submits application to NRC
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 30, 2013
MONONA--SHINE Medical Technologies has submitted its construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as it moves forward with a plan to manufacture medical isotopes in Janesville. The submission is the first formal step by SHINE in seeking an NRC permit to begin construction of its medical isotope facility in ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Recent dog attack fuels pit bull debate
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 30, 2013
WALWORTH--Hours after learning his 1-year-old boy had been mauled to death, Jeff Borchardt went to Facebook to talk about the dogs that killed his son. Pit bulls, two of which killed toddler Dax Borchardt and injured his baby sitter in the town of Walworth on March 6, are “naturally wired” ...Read more, view comments (28) »
Ice road to Madeline Island closes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 29, 2013
BAYFIELD—It’s a sign of spring in one of Wisconsin’s most scenic areas: The ice road between the city of Bayfield and Madeline Island on Lake Superior has closed for the season and the Coast Guard will begin icebreaking operations on Wednesday. WDIO-TV reports the ice road closed Wednesday, with a ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Plane crashes near western Minnesota town of Hawley
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 29, 2013
HAWLEY, Minn.—Authorities are working to identify a person found dead in a single-engine plane that crashed near the western Minnesota town of Hawley. Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist says they’re trying to determine if it’s a plane that went missing on a flight from Superior, Wis., to Moorhead. The sheriff ...Read more, add a comment »
Wisconsin governor closes down legal defense fund
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 29, 2013
MADISON—Gov. Scott Walker has closed a legal defense fund he created while prosecutors were secretly investigating illegal campaign activity by his aides and associates during his stint as Milwaukee County executive. Walker’s campaign released an IRS filing Friday showing he moved $247,602 from his campaign into the fund over the ...Read more, add a comment »
UPDATE: Body found in Milwaukee River is missing student
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 29, 2013
MILWAUKEE—An autopsy has confirmed the body found in the river in downtown Milwaukee is that of a college student who went missing on New Year’s Day. The deceased is Nick Wilcox, 24, a UW-Milwaukee student, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said Friday. Family and friends had posted flyers about ...Read more, add a comment »
20 percent turnout expected for Tuesday elections
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 28, 2013
Turnout is projected at 20 percent for Tuesday's elections across Wisconsin, which includes statewide races for Supreme Court justice and state education chief.
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Wis. drops to 44th in private-sector job creation
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 28, 2013
New quarterly figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Wisconsin has dropped to 44th in the nation for creating private-sector jobs.
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City of Janesville wants riverfront property
Posted by MARCIA NELESEN on March 28, 2013
The owners of Adams & Sons Roofing—situated along the Rock River at Main Street and Centerway—are looking for space to relocate now that the city has received a state grant of $602,000 to pay the costs, a city official said.
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Sen. Vinehout wants sand-mining limits
Posted by MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE on March 27, 2013
(MCT) LA CROSSE--Sen. Kathleen Vinehout is proposing to regulate the booming frac sand mining industry that has swept across western Wisconsin in recent years. The Alma Democrat introduced legislation Monday that would place new limits on the industry, including one that would prohibit mining within half a mile of any ...Read more, view comments (31) »
Walker, Barrett support Milwaukee start-up model
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 27, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are teaming up in another rare show of bipartisan support in hopes of stimulating business growth in Milwaukee. The political rivals — Walker defeated Barrett in the governor’s race in 2010 and again in a recall race ...Read more, view comments (10) »
No plea change yet for dad in Wis. girls’ deaths
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 27, 2013
HUDSON, Wis. (AP) — A potential plea change for a North Dakota man accused of killing his three daughters in Wisconsin is on hold. Defense attorney John Kucinski had said Aaron Schaffhausen might change his plea at Wednesday’s pretrial hearing. Schaffhausen has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. maple-syrup season predicted to be sweeter
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 27, 2013
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (AP) — Last year’s unseasonably warm weather took a toll on the Chippewa Valley’s maple syrup output, but local producers say the cooler conditions this year have improved the 2013 outlook significantly. Syrup flows best in conditions where daytime highs hit the low 40s and overnight lows ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. gov downplays presidential talk
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 27, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is distancing himself from talk of running for president after word surfaced he’s working on a memoir. The Sentinel imprint of Penguin Group announced Tuesday Walker is writing the book with President George W. Bush’s former chief speechwriter. It set for release later ...Read more, view comments (25) »
Wisconsin DNR: No elk hunt this year
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 27, 2013
MADISON—State wildlife officials say they won’t authorize an elk hunt this year. Department of Natural Resources big game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang issued a statement Wednesday saying the herd still hasn’t grown enough to sustain a hunt. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point reintroduced elk to Wisconsin in 1995, establishing a herd ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Marriage debate persists locally
Posted by CATHERINE IDZERDA on March 27, 2013
JANESVILLE--Julaine Appling believes the U.S. Supreme Court should leave decisions about gay marriage to the states. “Our position is that if the court is doing what it should be doing—upholding the law and not wandering into judicial activism—then Prop. 8 will be upheld,” said Appling, head of the conservative group ...Read more, view comments (67) »
Fire in Janesville garage causes $95,000 in damage
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 27, 2013
JANESVILLE—A fire in a detached garage Monday evening started with an electrical short-circuit in a pickup truck parked inside, according to a Janesville Fire Department report. Firefighters were dispatched at 7:24 p.m. Monday to 19 Sunset Drive, where they found heavy black smoke billowing from the pickup parked in the ...Read more, add a comment »
Tribal head: Wisconsin lawmaker overreacting to limits
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
MADISON—The president of the Lac Du Flambeau Tribe says a Wisconsin lawmaker is overreacting by threatening to reconsider a state grant for a Native American cultural center. Tom Maulson said Tuesday that Rep. Dean Kaufert is “shooting from the hip.” Kaufert, a Republican from Neehan, says he may push to ...Read more, view comments (27) »
North Dakota man might change plea in Wisconsin daughters’ deaths
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
HUDSON—The defense says a North Dakota man accused of killing his three daughters in Wisconsin might admit to the crimes but maintain an insanity claim. Defense attorney John Kucinski tells the Star Tribune that Aaron Schaffhausen might change his plea Wednesday and just have an insanity phase of the trial. ...Read more, add a comment »
Wisconsin nuclear plant layoffs to start May 31
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
CARLTON—Layoffs from the shutdown of the Kewaunee Power Station in eastern Wisconsin are scheduled to start at the end of May. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says it received notice that a series of layoffs at the nuclear plant will begin May 31. About 633 workers will lose their ...Read more, view comments (19) »
UPDATE: SWAT team used rubber bullets to end Milton standoff
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 26, 2013
MILTON—A man is in custody after he barricaded himself inside a residence Tuesday morning in the 600 block of Rogers Street in Milton, Milton Police Chief Dan Layber says. The standoff ended shortly before 3 p.m. when SWAT team members shot the man with rubber bullets through a basement window, ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. legislators question DNR stewardship program
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
Republicans on the Legislature’s budget committee are complaining about the Department of Natural Resources’ land stewardship program.
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Police dealing with standoff in Milton
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 26, 2013
MILTON—A SWAT team and negotiator have been called to the 600 block of Rogers Street in Milton for a report of an armed man. The call came in at 11:45 a.m., according to a dispatcher at the Rock County Communications Center. Rogers Street has been blocked off. Police units are ...Read more, add a comment »
Start the presses: Walker working on book
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
MADISON—Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a possible contender for the presidency in 2016, is writing a memoir detailing the reforms he has introduced during his two years in office. “Unintimidated: A Governor’s Story and a Nation’s Challenge,” is tentatively scheduled for release late this year, the Sentinel imprint of Penguin Group ...Read more, view comments (51) »
Janesville sidewalk saga far from set
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
With the seven-year sidewalk plan approved for a second time by the Janesville City Council on Monday, Councilman Russ Steeber also asked to discuss a 2006 ordinance requiring sidewalks on both sides of the street in new subdivisions.
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Pickup fire in garage causes $95,000 damage
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 26, 2013
A fire in a detached garage Monday evening started with an electrical short circuit in a pickup truck parked inside, according to a Janesville Fire Department report.
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Board to meet next week on officer memorial
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 26, 2013
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association says a national memorial board will meet next week to reconsider adding the name of a slain Wauwatosa police officer to its monument.
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3 Beloit men severely injured in I-43 crash
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 25, 2013
TOWN OF DARIEN—A Beloit man was arrested on multiple charges Sunday night after a one-vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 43, near Highway 14 in the town of Darien, left him and his two male passengers severely injured. According to a Walworth County Sheriff’s Office news release, Ricardo Orlando Villalobos, 25, ...Read more, add a comment »
Wisconsin sells four $10,000 Powerball winning tickets
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 25, 2013
MADISON—Wisconsin sold four $10,000 winning tickets for this weekend’s Powerball drawing. The Wisconsin Lottery says the four $10,000 tickets were sold at the 5 Star Citgo in Mukwanagon, Tri-Par Oil in Saukville, Petro Center in Sheboygan Falls, and the Kwik Trip at 124 West McCoy Blvd. in Tomah. Those winners ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Rock Aqua Jays to host fireworks, Fourth of July events
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 25, 2013
JANESVILLE--The booms you’ll hear coming from Traxler Park this Fourth of July should be more pronounced than those in the past. With plans to spend about $15,000 on this year’s fireworks display, the Rock Aqua Jays are looking to boost the size of the show and the grand finale, said ...Read more, view comments (3) »
Campaign finance reports due Monday in Wisconsin court race
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 25, 2013
MADISON—A new round of campaign finance reports is due in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Incumbent Justice Pat Roggensack and challenger Ed Fallone have until midnight Monday to turn in their reports to the state Government Accountability Board, the body that oversees Wisconsin elections. Reports the candidates filed last month ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Janesville City Council to consider allowing dogs in parks, trails all year long
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 25, 2013
JANESVILLE--Janesville has banned dogs from most parks during the warm months for more than 40 years. That could change. The city council tonight will consider whether to invite public input and debate on the prospect of allowing dogs in parks and bicycle trails all year long. The council is being ...Read more, view comments (59) »
Bad accident on Interstate 43
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 24, 2013
DARIEN – Emergency responders are calling for a helicopter for an accident where three people were injured at Interstate 43 and Highway 14 in Walworth County, according to radio communications. The accident occurred around 10 p.m. Sunday. A dispatcher said one of the victims was pinned under a vehicle.Read more, view comments (2) »
Weather causing problems on I-90
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 24, 2013
MILTON — Roads are getting slick as flurries continue as temperatures fall. An accident involving several cars with possible injuries occurred around 8:23 p.m. Sunday on Interstate 90/39, emergency radio communications indicate. The Milton Fire Department was called to the scene.Read more, view comments (8) »
Missing Milwaukee girls found safe
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 24, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee police say two girls who were missing from a north-side home have been found safe. Sgt. Mark Stanmeyer says 9-year-old Samaria Johnson and 4-year-old Olivia Erkins were dropped off at a police station by a concerned citizen shortly before 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The department continues to ...Read more, add a comment »
No pardons for criminals from Gov. Walker
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 24, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker has refused to consider more than 1,400 pardon applications since he’s taken office. An Associated Press analysis of pardon application data shows 1,403 active applications. A little less than half of the applications have come in since Walker became governor in January 2011. ...Read more, view comments (25) »
Tribe invites donations for mine lawsuit
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 24, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A northwestern Wisconsin Chippewa tribe has started raising money for a possible lawsuit challenging a giant iron mine near their reservation. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has set up a link on the tribe’s website that allows visitors to donate directly to the ...Read more, view comments (17) »
Janesville team leads in robotics competition
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 23, 2013
MILWAUKEE—A Janesville high school robotics team was in first place with three rounds to go after competition Saturday, the team reported. The Wisconsin Regional FIRST Robotics Competition continues today at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The competition requires teams to build a robot that can travel on wheels, throw Frisbees accurately ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Fugitives arrested after standoff in Beloit
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 23, 2013
BELOIT, Wis. (AP) — Police in Wisconsin have arrested a mother and son wanted in connection with alleged felonies in Minnesota and North Dakota. Beloit police served search warrants at two residences Saturday about 4 a.m. They detained eight people and arrested the two suspects. One is a 25-year-old man ...Read more, add a comment »
Officials: Don't buy a living trust without a lawyer
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 22, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin agency says consumers should use a qualified attorney to protect their interests when purchasing living trusts. Living trusts help consumers administer their assets and transfer them to designated beneficiaries when they die. The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions says living trusts are legal documents ...Read more, view comments (3) »
Blank: UW-Madison needs to emphasize fundraising
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 22, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The woman selected as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s next chancellor says her top priorities will include a strong emphasis on fundraising. Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank will be the university’s next chancellor, subject to approval by the Board of Regents in two weeks. Blank ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Bloody pillow had missing woman's DNA
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 22, 2013
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An amended complaint says blood on a pillow found during a search last weekend matches the DNA of a missing Minnesota woman presumed dead. The pillow — along with a pillow case, sports bra, shirt and sponge — was found by a volunteer during a ...Read more, add a comment »
Big bonuses for managers as pension payments shrink
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 22, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s pension fund managers were given more than $8 million in bonuses as a reward for strong investment returns, nearly double what they received last year, according to records released to The Associated Press on Friday. The bonuses come as most retirees are about to see ...Read more, view comments (33) »
HIDTA drug searches net 33 arrests
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 22, 2013
JANESVILLE—Police on Thursday seized heroin, marijuana and $5,400 in cash during a focused drug interdiction effort in Janesville, according to a news release from the Janesville Police Department. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., police focused on watching for traffic violations on the Highway 11 bypass, Interstate 90/39, Highway 51 ...Read more, add a comment »
Rock County's airport on FAA tower closure list
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 22, 2013
JANESVILLE – The Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport is among the airport towers that the Federal Aviation Administration will close, according to a list released Friday. The FAA announced it would close 149 federal contract towers over the four weeks beginning April 7, as part of the agency’s sequestration plan. Towers ...Read more, view comments (20) »
DA clears deputy in shooting of inmate at hospital
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 22, 2013
A sheriff's deputy's fatal shooting of an inmate in January was justified, Walworth County District Attorney Dan Necci said Friday. Deputy Richard Lagle "was attempting to prevent himself and others from being attacked with potentially deadly force" when he shot 18-year-old Alfredo Villarreal at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center Jan. 21, ...Read more, add a comment »
Child porn counts lead to exam order
Posted by ANN MARIE AMES on March 22, 2013
JANESVILLE--A month after a Rock County judge declared a former Palmyra man incompetent to stand trial, a Racine County judge has ordered two competency exams for the man in another case. The Racine County District Attorney’s Office in February charged Keith M. Abbott, 49, with nine counts of possession of ...Read more, add a comment »
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates to debate
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 22, 2013
MADISON—Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Pat Roggensack and Ed Fallone are scheduled to meet for a debate a little over a week before the April 2 election. Roggensack is seeking a second 10-year term on the state’s highest court while Fallone is running his first election. The two are scheduled to ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Rock County ranks low in health
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 22, 2013
JANESVILLE--Rock County is trying to improve residents’ health with programs designed to curb childhood obesity, give people more opportunities to be physically active and reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. But according to Rock County Health Officer Karen Cain, many of the problems here are stubborn ones. In some cases, they’re ...Read more, view comments (26) »
Gateway seeks $49 million for expansion
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 22, 2013
ELKHORN--The welding lab at Gateway Technical College today is crowded with equipment, training bays and wires hanging from the ceiling. Still, Dean Michael O’Donnell says classes are full each semester. If voters in Walworth County and two other counties approve a referendum on the April 2 ballot, O’Donnell said the ...Read more, add a comment »
Sheriff’s office posts slow/no wake on Rock River
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 21, 2013
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office has posted slow/no wake restrictions on the Rock River and Lake Koshkonong, according to a news release from the office. County ordinances require a slow/no wake posting on the Rock River when the water level exceeds 7.5 feet on Lake Koshkonong and 6.5 feet in ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Bill requires teachers, staff to report bullying
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 21, 2013
MADISON—Educators fear a bill that would fine teachers and staff who fail to report bullying could have unintended consequences. Republican Rep. Garey Bies, of Sister Bay, is circulating the legislation that imposes a $200 fine for failing to report students who bully. Wisconsin Association of School Boards spokesman Dan Rossmiller ...Read more, view comments (40) »
Demand for fur in China helps Wisconsin mink farms
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 21, 2013
SHEBOYGAN FALLS—Wisconsin’s mink farms are growing with demand for high-quality furs in China. Fur rancher Bob Zimbal, of Sheboygan Falls, says he had 34,000 mink at his three farms a decade ago. Today, he has 54,000 breeding females, 26 miles worth of cages and an on-site feed plant. Zimbal was ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Wisconsin DNR seeks input on new deer surveys
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 21, 2013
MADISON—The state Department of Natural Resources is asking deer hunters to fill out two new surveys. One survey focuses on hunters’ perceptions of local herds, asking whether hunters believe the herd in local management units has grown or shrunk and whether the DNR issues the proper number of permits for ...Read more, view comments (5) »
Kenny Loggins to headline Walworth County Fair
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 21, 2013
ELKHORN--Be warned—for one night this summer, going to Elkhorn will take you right into the Danger Zone. The Walworth County Fair announced Wednesday that singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins will headline its Aug. 31 grandstand entertainment. Loggins, whose songs propelled such films as “Footloose,” “Caddyshack” and “Top Gun,” rounds out the schedule ...Read more, view comments (15) »
State unemployment rates had big increase in January
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 21, 2013
Reflecting the post-holiday doldrums, January unemployment rates jumped markedly in all 12 Wisconsin metro areas, according to the state’s Department of Workforce Development. Overall, the state unemployment rate in January was 8 percent, significantly higher than the 6.6 percent rate posted in December and above the 7.7 percent posted in ...Read more, view comments (46) »
Wis. man accused of bigamy
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 20, 2013
WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) — A Mosinee man is accused of bigamy after his wife of seven months told police he already was married. Forty-five-year-old Timothy Swinea is charged with three felonies — bigamy, bail jumping and making a false statement on a marriage license. According to the complaint, a 48-year-old ...Read more, add a comment »
Board spells out absentee process in nursing homes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 20, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state oversight board moved Wednesday to clarify the way absentee ballots are handled in Wisconsin’s nursing homes. The Government Accountability Board said Wednesday that absentee ballots must be delivered in secured containers by designated poll workers. The workers also must ask residents in person to ...Read more, add a comment »
Protesters use biblical message to attack Paul Ryan’s “immoral” 2014 budget
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 20, 2013
JANESVILLE--A dozen protesters on Wednesday waged a quiet fight against poverty and an “immoral, draconian” federal budget penned by U.S. Congressman and Janesville native Paul Ryan. Led by Rev. David Andert, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Janesville, a somber group of local clergy and residents met outside Ryan’s congressional ...Read more, view comments (30) »
Badgers will open 2015 season against Alabama
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 20, 2013
The Wisconsin football program will open its 2015 season against Alabama, currently the two-time defending BCS champion, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
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Janesville school unions, board to 'meet and confer'
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 20, 2013
JANESVILLE – The Janesville School Board decided Tuesday to “meet and confer” with employee unions about benefits and working conditions next week. The board’s decision, taken in closed session, is a response to the teachers union request last week to commence negotiations, said board President Bill Sodemann. The union had ...Read more, view comments (13) »
Green Bay names street for Driver
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 20, 2013
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The City Council on Tuesday night voted unanimously to rename a downtown street "Donald Driver Way" after the popular retired Green Bay Packers player. The wide receiver retired last month after 14 seasons with the Packers. Driver is also recognized for his off-the-field charity work. ...Read more, view comments (5) »
Wrong ballots mailed for Delavan City Council races
Posted by NICO SAVIDGE on March 20, 2013
DELAVAN--An error in the Delavan City Clerk’s office meant more than 100 absentee ballots mailed out last week listed the wrong city council races. After sending out a second round of ballots with the correct council elections, the city now hopes voters will send back the right ballot before Election ...Read more, view comments (5) »
Oxycodone theft similar to other area thefts
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 20, 2013
BELOIT—An oxycodone theft that happened Monday night at CVS pharmacy, 1063 Fourth St., is similar to other recent oxycodone thefts that have happened in Janesville, Madison and Rockford. According to a Beloit Police Department news release: the incident was reported at 8:15 p.m. Monday when the thief was described as ...Read more, add a comment »
New resource center opens in Janesville
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 20, 2013
JANESVILLE--A new one-stop shopping center for the elderly, people with disabilities, their families and caregivers has opened in Janesville. The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Rock County opened March 13 in the Rock County Job Center building, 1900 Center Ave., said Jennifer Thompson, division manager. “This is a resource ...Read more, view comments (3) »
Two Illinois men in custody after armed robbery
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 20, 2013
TOWN OF JANESVILLE—Following a vehicle and foot pursuit, two Loves Park, Ill., men are in custody at the Rock County Jail after being arrested Tuesday night on charges of armed robbery. Multiple other charges are likely to follow, said Sgt. Josh Lund of the Rock County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested were ...Read more, add a comment »
Tadder arrested on 4th OWI charge
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 20, 2013
JANESVILLE—A Janesville man is in custody at the Rock County Jail after being arrested Tuesday night on charges of operating while intoxicated, reported to be his fourth offense, and prohibited alcohol concentration, also reported to be his fourth offense. According to a Janesville Police Department news release: Roger J. Tadder, ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. limits use of nude beach to reduce sex, drugs
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin officials say they will close down a well-known nude beach on weekdays to reduce problems with outdoor sex and drug use. Nudists from around the country have been traveling to the beach near Mazomanie for decades, and the state Department of Natural Resources has been ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. AG says he needs solicitor general position
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is telling legislators he needs a new solicitor general position in the state Justice Department to help defend Gov. Scott Walker’s policies. Walker’s executive budget includes $960,500 for a solicitor general’s office. Both Walker and Van Hollen are Republicans. Van ...Read more, view comments (9) »
Green Bay diocese settles with 2 sex abuse victims
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — The Diocese of Green Bay has settled a lawsuit brought by two brothers who accused the diocese of fraud. Todd and Troy Merryfield alleged the diocese withheld knowledge of a former priest’s prior sexual misconduct. The Rev. John Feeney later was convicted of sexually abusing the ...Read more, add a comment »
Poll: Wis. residents approve of Obama, Walker
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A new poll says Wisconsin voters generally approve of President Barack Obama and Gov. Scott Walker. The Marquette University poll released Tuesday says 48 percent of respondents approve of the job Obama is doing, while 45 percent disapprove. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 ...Read more, view comments (18) »
Janesville city manager is only finalist for city manager job in Simi Valley, Calif.
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 19, 2013
SIMI VALLEY, CALIF.—Janesville’s city manager is the only finalist for the same job in Simi Valley, Calif., according to a news release from the Simi Valley City Manager’s Office. The Simi Valley City Council on Tuesday announced the city would start a background review of Eric Levitt, according to the ...Read more, view comments (27) »
Both sides stake positions as budget debate starts
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
Republicans and Democrats are staking the positions on Gov. Scott Walker’s two-year budget as the legislative committee that will vote on changes to the plan begins its review process.
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State posts 'checkbook' online
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
Administrators say they are ready to post the state’s “checkbook” online, giving taxpayers a chance to scrutinize spending by Wisconsin officials.
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Nearly 12 percent increase in Wisconsin home sales
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 19, 2013
Homes sales in Wisconsin rose for the 20th consecutive month in February.
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17 accused of crimes against children
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 18, 2013
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — An online investigation by state and local authorities in northeastern Wisconsin has resulted in 17 arrests for crimes against children. The Brown County and Door County sheriffs led the investigation with assistance from the state Division of Criminal Investigation and 12 other law enforcement agencies. ...Read more, add a comment »
Coast Guard breaks the ice for Great Lakes shipping season
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 18, 2013
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s 240-foot-long ship Mackinaw is busy breaking ice in the Twin Ports in preparation for the upcoming shipping season. The huge ship is the largest U.S. icebreaker on the Great Lakes. Cmdr. Mike Davanzo said 10 officers and 46 enlisted members serve on ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Obama cabinet member to lead UW-Madison
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 18, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank is leaving the Obama administration to serve as chancellor at UW-Madison. President Barack Obama announced Blank’s departure in a statement Monday. He said Blank has distinguished herself as a "steady leader and a vital member of my economic team." Blank joined the ...Read more, view comments (11) »
DNR seeks comments on NE Wisconsin land plans
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 18, 2013
MADISON—The state Department of Natural Resources is looking for feedback on preliminary plans for a number of northeastern Wisconsin wildlife and fisheries areas. The DNR has scheduled an open house for March 27 at the Oconto City Hall. Officials will describe the planning process, provide draft regional and property analyses, ...Read more, add a comment »
Beloit man arrested on 7th OWI charge
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 18, 2013
JANESVILLE—A man whose blood alcohol content was more than five times the legal limit, was arrested early Monday morning on charges of operating while intoxicated, reported to be his seventh offense, and operating after revocation. According to a Janesville Police Department news release: An officer was patrolling the area of ...Read more, add a comment »
'Airplane!' duo to unveil new Wisconsin tourism ad today
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 18, 2013
MADISON—The director and star of the 1980 comedy hit “Airplane!” are flying in to Wisconsin again. David Zucker and Robert Hays will be in Madison on Monday to unveil a new TV spot promoting the state as a tourism destination. Their appearance coincides with a statewide conference on tourism. Zucker ...Read more, view comments (10) »
JPAC finishes 2012 in black
Posted by CATHERINE IDZERDA on March 18, 2013
JANESVILLE--It’s been a good year for the arts. In May of last year, Janesville Performing Arts Center Executive Director Elizabeth Horvath said she hoped the facility would break even sometime in the near future. Last week, the center released its 2012 annual report, and it is ahead of budget by ...Read more, view comments (3) »
GOP superintendent’s campaign blacklists news reporters
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 17, 2013
A Republican running to be Wisconsin’s schools superintendent has blacklisted five reporters he considers biased. An internal memo from state Rep. Don Pridemore’s campaign says he will not call the five back or give phone interviews to them or their media outlets. It names Mary Spicuzza of the Wisconsin State ...Read more, view comments (33) »
Evansville man arrested for OWI 5 after trying to hide in a snowbank in Cambridge
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 17, 2013
CAMBRIDGE—An Evansville man was arrested Saturday afternoon on suspicion of fifth-offense intoxicated driving after he tried to hide from police in a pile of snow. Dane County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested James M. Frion, 35, Evansville, at 3:45 p.m. in a business parking lot in Cambridge, according to a news ...Read more, add a comment »
55 goats died in Saturday night barn fire near Janesville
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 17, 2013
TOWN OF JANESVILLE--Fifty-five goats died Saturday in a barn fire on Highway 14 west of Janesville, according to a news release from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency workers responded to a report of a barn fire at 9:14 p.m. to a farm at 4802 W. Highway 14 in the ...Read more, add a comment »
Highway 14 west closed due to barn fire
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 16, 2013
JANESVILLE Four fire departments were battling a barn fire Saturday night west of Janesville. Janesville Fire Department was dispatched to 4790 W. Highway 14 in the town of Janesville at 9:14 p.m. Saturday, according to Rock County Communication Center shift supervisor Michelle McMahon. Footville Fire Department was called in, as ...Read more, add a comment »
Craig High School Engineering Club wins national title
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 16, 2013
JANESVILLE All it takes to win at the Rube Goldberg Contest is teamwork, over-the-top-creativity, and a machine—or rather, several machines—that work perfectly. On Saturday, the Craig High School Engineering Club won the national Rube Goldberg Contest, defeating 14 other teams from around the nation. It’s the seventh time the club ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Walker for president?
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 16, 2013
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker got a warm reception from conservative activists in an early road-test of possible Republican presidential candidates. Walker thrilled the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday when he declared: “In America, we believe in the people and not in the ...Read more, view comments (82) »
East Troy loses at end
Posted by TOM MILLER on March 16, 2013
The East Troy girls basketball team held a 13-point first-half lead, but Kewaunee got a layup at the buzzer to score a 60-58 victory in the WIAA Division 3 state title game at the Resch Center. Rachel Atchison scored a team-high 21 points and Breanna Gaspervich added 14 points for ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Latest cheese champion puts small Wis. town on map
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 15, 2013
THORP, Wis. (AP) — The Clark County town of Colby holds a claim to fame as the place where Colby cheese was created in 1885. But now cheese lovers have another famous Wisconsin destination to visit: the nearby town of Thorp, the hometown of the nation’s newest top cheesemaker. Marieke ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Wis. man convicted of neglect in daughter’s case
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 15, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man accused of starving and torturing his teenage daughter was convicted of child neglect late Friday, but jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on several other charges. Jurors found the 41-year-old Madison man guilty of felony child neglect, which carries a 6-year prison sentence, but ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville house fire investigated
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 15, 2013
JANESVILLE—Janesville firefighters and police officers are still investigating a house fire today at 67 South Harmony Drive. A passerby reported the fire at 4:26 p.m. Firefighters arrived on scene at 4:30 p.m., said fire department shift Cmdr. James Ponkauskas. When firefighters arrive smoke was coming out the front door and ...Read more, add a comment »
UW-Whitewater will play for national championship
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 15, 2013
Mary Merg made a last-second 3-pointer to send Friday's game to overtime, then beat the buzzer again to lead UW-Whitewater to a 64-62 victory over Amherst in an NCAA Division III semifinal game at Holland, Mich.
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Milton loses in state semifinals
Posted by JOHN BARRY on March 15, 2013
Allison LeClaire led four players in double figures with 14 points as Green Bay Notre Dame caged the Red Hawks, 61-35, in a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal game at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
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Van Hollen won't continue to seek hold on ruling
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 15, 2013
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says he will not ask the Wisconsin Supreme Court to consider putting on hold a lower court’s ruling that threw out major portions of the law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions.
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Racine man banned from all libraries on earth
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 15, 2013
A 20-year-old Racine man who’s accused of engaging in lewd behavior in a library has been banned from “all the libraries on the face of the earth.”
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Fire shuts Parker Drive
Posted by CATHERINE IDZERDA on March 14, 2013
JANESVILLE Firefighters have closed North Parker Drive while they deal with a transformer room fire in the office building at 1 Parker Place, Janesville. Firefighters were called to the building at 8:36 p.m. for an automatic commercial fire alarm according to Rock County Communication Center. Initially, firefighters encountered a smoky ...Read more, add a comment »
Rivers and creeks drop, flood warning continues
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 14, 2013
Water in area rivers and creeks has dropped, but the Rock County Sheriff’s Office reminded residents Thursday the county remains under a flood warning.
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Court upholds conviction in 1980 murder
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 14, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin appeals court has upheld a conviction in a 1980 murder. Curtis Forbes of Randolph was sentenced to life in prison in 2010 after he was convicted of first-degree murder in the beating and stabbing of 18-year-old Marilyn McIntyre. Forbes argued on appeal that the ...Read more, add a comment »
Affidavit: Wis. GOP files not preserved as ordered
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 14, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — An affidavit filed in federal court says documents were deleted from state redistricting computers last year even after lawmakers’ aides were told to preserve all records. The discovery raises the possibility that Republican officials or their lawyers could face sanctions from the panel of three federal ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. communities prepare for climate-change issues
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 14, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Officials in Dane County and elsewhere are setting up task forces to see how prepared they are to deal with symptoms of climate change. A Wisconsin Public Radio report says the councils will evaluate how readily they can cope with issues such as heat, droughts and ...Read more, view comments (31) »
Wisconsin population growing since 2010 census
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 14, 2013
MILWAUKEE—A new U.S. Census Bureau report says Wisconsin’s population is growing. The latest figures show the state’s population grew by about 39,000 since the 2010 census to about 5.7 million residents. Dane County experienced strong growth with nearly 40 percent of the state’s increase attributed to that county. Brown and ...Read more, view comments (5) »
Closing arguments in starving teen trial expected
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 14, 2013
MADISON--Closing arguments are expected to begin in the trial of the father accused of starving and torturing his 16-year-old daughter. The trial against her 41-year-old father was scheduled to wrap up in Dane County Circuit Court on Thursday. The man faces six felony child abuse charges. The girl testified that ...Read more, add a comment »
Parkview coach reinstated after arrest
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 14, 2013
ORFORDVILLE--The Parkview girls basketball coach has been reinstated after ending the season with a suspension following a drunken-driving arrest, the superintendent said. The district suspended high school physical education teacher Chad Smith from his coaching duties Feb. 18 for the remainder of the season as a result of his conduct ...Read more, add a comment »
Gouda enough! State cheese wins
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 13, 2013
GREEN BAY—A Wisconsin Gouda won top honors Wednesday night at the 2013 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, edging out entries from Vermont and Illinois. Marieke Penterman, of Holland’s Family Cheese in Thorp, Wis., won the two-day competition in Green Bay with her Marieke Mature Gouda. Out of a possible 100 points, ...Read more, view comments (9) »
Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 13, 2013
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Argentine Jorge Bergoglio was elected pope Wednesday and chose the papal name Francis, becoming first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. A stunned-looking Bergoglio shyly waved to the crowd of tens of thousands of people who gathered ...Read more, view comments (15) »
Teachers union to school board: Negotiate or face lawsuit
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 13, 2013
JANESVILLE – The union representing Janesville public school teachers is threatening to sue if the school board does not agree to contract negotiations by 5 p.m. Thursday. The school district, meanwhile, told teachers today that they must sign individual contracts and a separate “standards of professional conduct” by April 17 ...Read more, view comments (82) »
Catholic church has new pope; white smoke rises
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 13, 2013
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals elected a new pope to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics on Wednesday, overcoming deep divisions to select the 266th pope in a remarkably fast conclave. Tens of thousands of people who braved cold rain to watch the smokestack atop the Sistine Chapel jumped in ...Read more, view comments (22) »
Legislature to consider another raw milk bill
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 13, 2013
MADISON—The state Legislature is expected to consider another bill legalizing the sale of unpasteurized milk in Wisconsin, legislation that could have Gov. Scott Walker’s support if it contains safeguards for consumers’ health. Republican Sen. Glenn Grothman says he plans to introduce the legislation in the next few weeks. State law ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Janesville School District summer school fee to increase
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 13, 2013
JANESVILLE--The fee to attend summer school in the Janesville School District has been $7 for many years. It will be $15 this year. The Janesville School Board voted 8-0 Tuesday to approve the change. Summer School Director Steve Huth said the new fee would do away with additional materials fees ...Read more, view comments (18) »
Retirement deadline concerns Janesville teachers; board seeks resolution
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 13, 2013
JANESVILLE--Thirty-five to 40 Janesville teachers are anxiously waiting to see what the school board will decide about their retirement benefits. The teachers, who are eligible for retirement this year, must declare their intention to retire by April 15. If they don’t retire, they risk whatever changes the board might make. ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Milton City Hall could vacate Shaw building, pave way for library expansion
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 12, 2013
MILTON--It’s looking more likely that Milton City Hall could vacate the Shaw Municipal Center and pave the way for Milton Public Library to expand inside the 21,000-square foot building. Tuesday night, the city council unanimously approved a plan to get mechanical drawings ready for potential bids on a $2.5 million ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. court reinstates pipeline trespassing claims
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin appeals court says a Superior landowner can proceed with trespassing claims against an energy distributor. Enbridge Energy built three pipelines in 2002 and 2009 beneath Jeremy Engelking’s land. Engelking and his family sued the company for trespassing. Enbridge argued an existing easement the company ...Read more, add a comment »
Dalai Lama to return to Madison in May
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Dalai Lama is returning to Madison in May. The Tibetan spiritual leader will visit as part of a one-day series of panel discussions on making the world a healthier, happier place. The event will be moderated by Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington and psychologist Daniel ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Wis. convicted felon accused of voting illegally
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — A convicted felon is accused of voting illegally in the November election in Kenosha County. Forty-nine-year-old Michael Radtke of Twin Lakes faces three felony counts of election fraud. According to the criminal complaint, records indicate Radtke registered and voted Nov. 6 at Lakewood School in Twin ...Read more, view comments (19) »
Milton Schools grappling with $890K budget gap, state school funding cap
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 12, 2013
MILTON--Although more state fiscal and legislative water will pass over the dam between now and later this year, when Milton School district finalizes its 2013-2014 budget, it appears the water has slowed to a trickle. For Milton School District, officials say, it’s created a budget crisis that’s broadened an already ...Read more, view comments (25) »
Wis. appeals court refuses to reinstate union law
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
A Wisconsin appeals court has refused to put on hold a judge's decision repealing major parts of Gov. Scott Walker's law effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers.
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Kewaunee nuclear plant to close in May
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
CARLTON, Wis. (AP) — Owners of the Kewaunee Power Station in eastern Wisconsin say the nuclear plant will be closed in May. Dominion Resources has notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission the target date for the plant to be shut down is May 7. Dominion hasn’t been able to find a ...Read more, view comments (11) »
Lambeau construction on schedule, budget
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The majority of the outdoor construction on Lambeau Field’s new south end zone is done. Green Bay Packers officials say the $143 million renovation project is on budget and on schedule. Some outside seating work still needs to be done, but crews have largely turned ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Some Wisconsin judges unhappy with child-porn law
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
FOND DU LAC—Some Wisconsin court officials are pushing back against a law intended to toughen punishment for those convicted of viewing child pornography. The 2012 law calls for a mandatory prison sentence of at least three years. But some judges and prosecutors don’t like that inflexibility, according to a ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Action on Wisconsin budget to begin next week
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
MADISON—Four public hearings by the Legislature’s budget committee are in the works to give people a chance to comment on Gov. Scott Walker’s two-year state spending proposal. Dates and places for the hearings before the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee have not yet been set. The committee plans to begin receiving ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Sen. Ron Johnson will seek re-election
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 12, 2013
MILWAUKEE—U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson says he plans to seek re-election in 2016. Some Republicans have speculated the senator who calls himself a ‘citizen legislator’ might only serve one term. But, Johnson said on WTMJ radio that he feels his vote will be needed on bipartisan solutions to the nation’s fiscal ...Read more, view comments (34) »
Milton OKs pit permit application
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 12, 2013
TOWN OF MILTON--When town officials confirmed Monday that a developer’s proposed gravel pit plan is “compatible with the public interest” and gives “substantial justice” to all township residents, several residents responded with a wave of jeering laughter. But Marion Trescher, chairwoman of the town’s planning and zoning committee, quickly extinguished ...Read more, view comments (2) »
Hanover sex offender heads to Beloit home
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 12, 2013
HANOVER--The end is near for sex offenders living in the small, rural community of Hanover. A man committed under the state’s sexually violent offender law will move to a home in Beloit later this month, and the town of Plymouth might pass an ordinance to prevent future placements in Hanover. ...Read more, add a comment »
Verona woman, 93, dies from exposure
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 11, 2013
VERONA, Wis. (AP) — Authorities say a 93-year-old woman found dead outside an assisted living facility in Verona died of hypothermia from exposure to the cold. The Dane County medical examiner’s office identified the woman as Edna Bierderman. Preliminary autopsy results indicate the death was accidental. Police say Biederman was ...Read more, add a comment »
Flooding closes roads in Rock County
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 11, 2013
Officials are warning of high water that is closing roads in parts of Rock County. The Rock County Sheriff’s Office reports that Turtle Creek has exceeded flood levels in Beloit and Clinton. The sheriff’s office reported these road closures because of water over the roadways: -- West Keesey Road in ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Walker, Barrett support Milwaukee lakefront work
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 11, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A construction project is being planned along downtown Milwaukee’s lakefront that officials say will ease traffic congestion and free up land for development. The plan was announced Monday with a rare show of bipartisan support between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. A ...Read more, view comments (3) »
Damage from Echo Lake fire pegged at $40 million
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 11, 2013
BURLINGTON, Wis. (AP) — A fire at a Burlington food-processing plant in January caused damage worth an estimated $40 million. A Journal Times of Racine report says the fire occurred in an older part of the Echo Lake Foods building that was built before sprinklers were required. A Burlington Fire ...Read more, add a comment »
No arrests made after SWAT response on Beloit’s north side
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 11, 2013
TOWN OF TURTLE—No one was arrested on criminal charges, but a man was taken into custody after Rock County Sheriff’s Office deputies and SWAT team members responded to a disturbance Monday morning on the north side of Beloit. Police responded at 12:19 a.m. to a report of a man “freaking ...Read more, add a comment »
Silver Slipper to end stripping after license suspension
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 11, 2013
TOWN OF BELOIT--The Silver Slipper Saloon & Gentlemen’s Club will have its alcohol license suspended for 50 days and reopen in May as a neighborhood bar with no nude dancing, according to a deal bar owners and the town reached this morning. The town board had planned to hold a ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville School Board plans long night
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 11, 2013
JANESVILLE--The Janesville School Board has a busy agenda that could make for a long night when it meets Tuesday. The board canceled its meeting Feb. 27 because of a snowstorm and decided to roll that agenda into Tuesday’s meeting. The meeting is scheduled to begin with an hour-long discussion of ...Read more, view comment (1) »
Former La Crosse bishop will vote on pope
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 11, 2013
LA CROSSE—The former bishop of the La Crosse diocese is among the 115 cardinals gathered in Vatican City for their final days of talks before the conclave to elect a new pope. Of 11 voting cardinals from the U.S, six are from the Midwest. Cardinal Raymond Burke is a Richland ...Read more, view comment (1) »
UPDATE: Deputies take suspect taken into custody
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 11, 2013
TOWN OF TURTLE—Rock County Sheriff’s Office deputies have taken a male suspect into custody after surrounding a house in the town of Turtle, officials say. “I don’t have a name or if there are any injuries, but I know he (the suspect) was taken to Beloit Memorial Hospital,” said Sgt. ...Read more, add a comment »
Flood warning and fog advisory issued
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 11, 2013
SULLIVAN—A flood warning continues for the Sugar River at Brodhead while a dense fog advisory is in effect Monday morning. The National Weather Service issued the flood warning just after 4:30 a.m. Monday. Minor flooding is forecast when some roads will become flooded about 6 miles downstream in the town ...Read more, add a comment »
Deputies have house surrounded in Beloit
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 11, 2013
TOWN OF TURTLE—Rock County Sheriff’s deputies have a house surrounded at 2237 Huebbe Parkway, Beloit, in the town of Turtle, according to a dispatcher at the Rock County Communications Center. The incident was reported at 12:30 a.m., she said A call the to third-shift patrol desk at the sheriff’s office ...Read more, add a comment »
Trade mission to China aims to boost Wis. exports
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 10, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker hopes a trade mission he is leading to China will help expand markets for Wisconsin products in the world’s second-largest economy. Walker will visit four cities in 10 days in April. He will meet with representatives from China’s agriculture, machinery, medical devices and ...Read more, view comments (15) »
Wis. turkey permits go on sale this month
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 10, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hunters can start buying leftover Wisconsin spring turkey permits later this month. The state Department of Natural Resources made 234,130 permits available. More than half were awarded through a lottery, leaving about 100,000 for over-the-counter sales. Permits for Zone 1 will go on sale March 18, ...Read more, add a comment »
New TSA policy could mean fewer Wis. freebies
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 10, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Now that federal officials plan to let passengers carry pocketknives on planes, that could mean fewer freebies for Wisconsin agencies. In the past, some confiscated items were offered to Wisconsin agencies and charitable groups through the state’s surplus system. For example, pocketknives might have gone to ...Read more, view comments (10) »
Gov. Walker hopes to bolster China connection
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 10, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker hopes a trade mission he is leading to China will help expand markets for Wisconsin products in the world’s second-largest economy. Walker will visit four cities in 10 days in April. He will meet with representatives from China’s agriculture, machinery, medical devices and ...Read more, view comments (17) »
Milton girls headed to state
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 09, 2013
MILTON The Milton High girls basketball team earned a trip to the first-ever WIAA state basketball tournament held at the Resch Center in Green Bay with a 62-51 victory over Monona Grove in a Division 2 sectional final game at Janesville Craig on Saturday night. Morgan Blumer scored 26 points ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Set clocks ahead for daylight saving time
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 09, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spring must be around the corner. It’s time to set the clocks forward for daylight saving time. At 2 a.m. local time Sunday, daylight saving time arrives with the promise of many months ahead with an extra hour of evening light. You lose an hour of sleep, ...Read more, view comments (19) »
WI trucker gets prison for NC crash that killed 5
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 09, 2013
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A Wisconsin truck driver could spend up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to ramming his rig into a line of stopped traffic on a North Carolina interstate and killing five people. Roumen Todorov Velkov of Beloit, Wis., pleaded guilty Friday to five counts ...Read more, add a comment »
Hazardous weather on its way
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 08, 2013
JANESVILLE The National Weather Service in Sullivan is predicting potentially hazardous weather conditions over the next three days. Freezing rain is expected to start early Saturday and then change over to rain. Rain is expected off and on through Sunday morning, according to the NWS. The rain and resulting snowmelt ...Read more, view comments (22) »
Some US communities seek to require gun ownership
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A town of 140 people in western Maine is considering an ordinance making gun ownership mandatory, the latest of a handful of communities nationwide to pass or consider such a rule even though the measures are widely considered unenforceable. All three members of the Board of ...Read more, view comments (43) »
Printer return foiled by counterfeit bills
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
LAKE HALLIE, Wis. (AP) — Police say a Wisconsin man faces charges after trying to return a printer to a Walmart store that contained a sheet with two photocopied $100 bills. Lake Hallie Police Chief Cal Smokowicz says police found three more counterfeit $100 bills on the man, who was ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. GOP looks to expand wrongful death coverage
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow parents to sue if their fetuses die as a result of someone’s wrongful acts, including medical malpractice. Under current state law, dead children’s families can file wrongful death claims but can’t pursue such claims for the ...Read more, view comments (11) »
Milwaukee, Janesville airports' control towers could lose staff
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Federal budget cuts could force overnight airport control towers in Milwaukee to go dark or trigger the closure of eight regional Wisconsin airports, leaving it up to pilots to coordinate their own landings. The Federal Aviation Administration must cut $600 million under the automatic budget cuts that ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Aging explosives dumped back into Lake Superior
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
RED CLIFF, Wis. (AP) — Some 22 barrels of military ammunition that were dumped into Lake Superior decades ago have been re-submerged while a local tribe and clean-up workers seek a federal waiver to bring the barrels to shore. A Duluth News Tribune report says the barrels contain thousands of ...Read more, view comments (11) »
State offers safety reminders for daylight saving
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 08, 2013
It's almost time to spring forward, and Wisconsin officials are using the occasion to remind residents about home safety.
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Mining debate goes on in Wis. Assembly
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 07, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Debate on Wisconsin Republicans’ contentious mining bill is dragging on in the state Assembly. The chamber’s approval is the last step before the bill can go to Gov. Scott Walker, who has promised to sign it into law. The GOP contends the bill will ease the ...Read more, view comments (26) »
New information on shooting at governor’s mansion
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 07, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Newly released records show the Capitol Police officer who was terminated after firing her gun inside the governor’s mansion last October told investigators the gunshot came from outside the building. Records released at the request of the Wisconsin State Journal show the officer was in the ...Read more, add a comment »
Minnesota, Wisconsin close to tax reciprocity deal
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 07, 2013
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Revenue officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin have settled a key issue to reaching a tax reciprocity agreement. Separate studies by the two states find Wisconsin would owe Minnesota about $69 million to compensate for the tax revenue it would lose if residents who live in ...Read more, view comments (4) »
UW System students could see smaller tuition hikes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 07, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Students within the University of Wisconsin System have become accustomed to regular 5.5 percent tuition hikes, but they might be in line to see some relief. The governor’s proposed two-year budget includes $181 million in new taxpayer investments in the UW System. A UW System executive ...Read more, view comments (5) »
Official: Toddler was at babysitter's home during fatal dog attack
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 07, 2013
A 14-month-old boy was at his babysitter's house in the town of Walworth on Wednesday afternoon when the two of them were attacked by a pair of dogs, a sheriff's office official says. The boy died at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee hours after the attack, authorities said. Susan ...Read more, view comments (20) »
Wis. Assembly set for last debate on mining bill
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 07, 2013
The state Assembly is preparing for what’s shaping up to be the last legislative debate on Republicans’ polarizing mining legislation.
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Wis. DOJ: Watch for amber alerts on cellphones
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 06, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Justice Department is urging people to keep an eye out for Amber Alerts for missing children on their cellphones. The agency implemented a plan in January that calls for it to notify the Dane County Public Safety Communication Center of an Amber Alert. The ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Meeting to be held on Detroit-to-Wisconsin trail
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 06, 2013
MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — A meeting is planned for later this month to discuss an initiative being pushed by Gov. Rick Snyder to create a hiking and biking trail that would stretch from Belle Isle park in Detroit to Ironwood on the Wisconsin boundary in the western Upper Peninsula. The ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Man dies 16 years after he was beaten at Summerfest
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 06, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office says a man has died more than 16 years after he was beaten at Summerfest, and ruled his death a homicide. The medical examiner says 49-year-old Joseph Hetzel died Feb. 28 at a rehabilitation center in Fond du Lac. Hetzel’s brother, ...Read more, add a comment »
Fourteen-month-old dies after dog attack in Walworth
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 06, 2013
A 14-month-old boy died Wednesday after he and a 30-year-old woman were attacked by a pair of dogs in the town of Walworth, according to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.
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Downtown snow removal scheduled for tonight
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 06, 2013
JANESVILLE—The city of Janesville has scheduled downtown snow removal activities to start at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. During this time, residents should refrain from parking in on-street stalls in the downtown area. Downtown business owners are encouraged to remove snow and ice from their sidewalks prior to snow removal activities. ...Read more, view comments (14) »
Police have 3 in custody for possible shooting in Madison
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 06, 2013
University of Wisconsin-Madison police have taken three people into custody after receiving numerous reports of gunfire near a campus housing complex.
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Walker invites fellow governors for Harley ride
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 05, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he challenged his fellow governors to join him for a motorcycle ride when the National Governors Association meets in Milwaukee this summer. Walker says Wisconsin will pay for the other governors to take training courses to ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Walker told reporters Tuesday ...Read more, view comments (67) »
City volleyball league, lap swimming canceled
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 05, 2013
City of Janesville co-ed volleyball games and adult lap swimming at Marshall Middle School are among the latest events canceled for tonight. Click here for a complete listing of closings.Read more, add a comment »
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez dies at 58
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 05, 2013
CARACAS, Venezuela—President Hugo Chavez, the fiery populist who declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against U.S. influence and championed a leftist revival across Latin America, died Tuesday at age 58 after a nearly two-year bout with cancer. Vice President Nicolas Maduro, surrounded by other government officials, announced the death ...Read more, view comments (40) »
Middle school sports postponed
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 05, 2013
JANESVILLE -- All Janesville and Beloit middle school athletics events scheduled for Tuesday night are postponed, the Janesvile School District announced. Click here to view a list of other canceled and postponed events.Read more, add a comment »
Snowstorm plus gas leak equals commuter detours
Posted by CATHERINE IDZERDA on March 05, 2013
DELAVAN A gas leak in the middle of a snowstorm is bad. A gas leak in the middle of a snowstorm that closes a main thoroughfare during the morning commute is even worse. At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Delavan city employee using an end loader to clear snow from an ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. Senate passes bill boosting workforce training
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 05, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Senate has passed one of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposals to bolster funding for workforce training while also creating a new database to better match job seekers with spots available. The proposal passed on a unanimous vote Tuesday. It also easily cleared the Assembly on ...Read more, view comments (2) »
City plans snow operations
Posted by MARCIA NELESEN on March 05, 2013
JANESVILLE—Forecasters predict six or more inches of snow accumulation during daylight hours, according to a city news release. This morning, 16 operators in plow trucks equipped with salt applicators plowed and chemically treated main roads, hills, bridges, curves, bus routes, school zones and other high priority areas. The objective is ...Read more, view comments (9) »
Lawmakers consider restricting absentee voting
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 05, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Republican-backed bill in the Wisconsin state Assembly would limit the hours and days that voters can cast in-person absentee ballots. The measure by Republican Rep. Duey Stroebel, of Saukville, would prohibit clerks from opening early, late or on weekends to accommodate voters wishing to cast ...Read more, view comments (46) »
Craig solo/ensemble fest postponed
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 05, 2013
JANESVILLE – A local solo/ensemble music festival scheduled for Tuesday night at Craig High School has been postponed. The event, which includes students from the city’s three middle schools and Craig, will be held March 18. Organizer Dave Rush said judges from Madison, Fort Atkinson and Beloit were scheduled to ...Read more, view comments (2) »
Clinton declares snow emergency
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 05, 2013
CLINTON—The village of Clinton has declared a snow emergency in effect from 1 p.m. Tuesday until 1 p.m. Wednesday. Residents are not allowed to park any vehicle on any village street during snow emergencies.Read more, add a comment »
Candidate forum rescheduled
Posted by MARCIA NELESEN on March 05, 2013
JANESVILLE—The Janesville City Council candidate forum originally scheduled for tonight has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 13. The event, sponsored by the local chapter of the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, will be held at 7 p.m. in the program room at the Hedberg Public Library, 316 South Main St.Read more, view comment (1) »
Storm causing closings and delays
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 05, 2013
A winter storm warning is in effect for Rock County until 9 p.m. Tuesday. The National Weather Service is calling for 5-8 inches of snow by this evening.
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Town of Beloit man accused of shooting thief released from jail; victim sought
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 04, 2013
JANESVILLE—A town of Beloit man accused of shooting a reported thief has been released from jail while authorities investigate a potential self-defense claim. Police continue to search for the man they think was shot, town of Beloit Police Chief Steve Kopp said. Jacob Davenport, 31, of 1973 Shore Drive in ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville man faces homicide, intoxicated driving charges after fatal crash
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 04, 2013
JANESVILLE—A Janesville man faces a homicide charge after a fatal car crash Sunday afternoon on Janesville’s south side. Bruce R. Hohenstein, 54, of 2122 Afton Road, Janesville, was arrested Tuesday on charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle and injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, according ...Read more, add a comment »
Janesville declares snow emergency for Tuesday
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 04, 2013
JANESVILLE -- The city of Janesville has declared a snow emergency starting at noon Tuesday. A snow emergency means that all vehicles must be removed from city streets and public parking lots until snow plowing operations are complete. To ensure that you do not receive a parking ticket, move your ...Read more, view comments (7) »
Orfordville snow emergency issued
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 04, 2013
The Orfordville Police Department has issued a snow emergency effective at 6 p.m. Monday until 3 p.m. Wednesday. No parking will be allowed on the streets during the snow emergency.Read more, add a comment »
Rock County Sheriff's Office issues travel warning
Posted by FRANK SCHULTZ on March 04, 2013
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary trips Tuesday and to give themselves extra time if they must venture out in the snowstorm that is expected to hit Tuesday morning. The sheriff’s office said in a statement issued Monday afternoon that the forecast calls for the ...Read more, view comments (6) »
Fire damages town of Beloit mobile home
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 04, 2013
TOWN OF BELOIT—A fire started by a heat gun caused $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to a mobile home in the town of Beloit on Monday morning, according to a news release from the Town of Beloit Fire Department. According to the release: Heavy smoke and fire was coming from ...Read more, add a comment »
City of Beloit, town of Beloit declare snow emergencies
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 04, 2013
BELOIT—The city of Beloit has declared a snow emergency in effect from 11 a.m. Tuesday until 11 a.m. Wednesday. The town of Beloit's snow emergency will begin at midnight Monday until midnight Tuesday. Because of construction in the downtown Beloit area, the eastbound lane of the 400 block of East ...Read more, add a comment »
Tornado warning alert only a test
Posted by GINA DUWE on March 04, 2013
The tornado warning alert that some Southern Wisconsin residents might have received on their mobile devices this morning was only a test, according to the National Weather Service. There is no severe weather in the area, meteorologist J.J. Wood said. The alert was supposed to be sent out as a ...Read more, view comments (11) »
State posts child care fines online
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 04, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The performance of child care providers in Wisconsin can now be found online. The state has started posting the fines levied against the child care centers and the reasons for the fines. The move is backed by child care advocates and providers. The state began posting ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. Assembly gears up for mining fight
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 04, 2013
Assembly Republicans are preparing for what promises to be the last, brutal debate on their divisive mining bill this week.
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Forecasters: More snow, as much as 8 inches coming Monday, Tuesday
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 03, 2013
JANESVILLE—Just what you wanted: more snow. Forecasters are calling for the month of March usher itself in wildly with another big helping of snowfall – as much as eight inches of it are possible across Rock and Walworth Counties Monday and Tuesday. Sarah Marquardt, a meteorologist at the Sullivan Office ...Read more, view comments (13) »
Town of Beloit police still searching for man apparently shot during vehicle theft
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 03, 2013
TOWN OF BELOT—Police are still trying to locate a man who was apparently shot by a resident while he was fleeing an attempted vehicle theft in the town of Beloit last week. Town of Beloit Police Chief Steve Kopp told The Gazette this evening that police believe they know the ...Read more, add a comment »
UPDATE: One person killed in vehicle crash at Afton Road overpass
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 03, 2013
JANESVILLE—Details are still being withheld this evening, but Janesville police have confirmed that one person has died after a two-vehicle crash this afternoon on the Afton Road overpass on Janesville’s south side. Janesville police are still on scene working on an accident reconstruction for a crash that happened around 4 ...Read more, add a comment »
Beloit man dies after snowmobile plunges into Lake Koshkonong
Posted by NEIL JOHNSON on March 03, 2013
TOWN OF MILTON—A Beloit man is dead after his snowmobile went into open water early Sunday on Lake Koshkonong. According to a news release from the Rock County Sheriff’s Department, officers in an airboat found Willie A. Guzman, 47, of Beloit, in the water and unresponsive about 400 yards offshore ...Read more, add a comment »
Democratic aide apologizes for Dahmer comment
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 02, 2013
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wisconsin’s Democratic Party spokesman is apologizing for comparing Republican Gov. Scott Walker with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Graeme Zielinski made the comments in three tweets after prosecutors announced Friday they closed the John Doe investigation of Gov. Scott Walker’s aides. In one, Zielinski tweeted: “” (at)GovWalker had ...Read more, view comments (41) »
No breakthroughs yet in missing Minn. woman case
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 02, 2013
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — St. Paul police have received more than a dozen leads from a tip line set up to help find a missing Minnesota woman, but haven’t yet found her, a spokesman said Saturday. “At this point it’s difficult to qualify the leads until we follow them ...Read more, add a comment »
Wis. labor expert benefits from bargaining changes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 02, 2013
APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — A Middleton labor consultant has signed nearly $600,000 in contracts and carved out a unique professional niche because of changes to collective bargaining for state workers, according to a newspaper report. Gov. Scott Walker effectively ended collective bargaining for public workers in 2011 as part of ...Read more, view comments (16) »
Pair of crashes results in 6 deaths, 5 injuries
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 02, 2013
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Police say six members of an extended Wisconsin family were killed and two injured when their SUV was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer and burst into flames on a Kentucky highway. Minutes later, another crash in the opposite direction injured three, one critically. Police say the first ...Read more, add a comment »
Milton police report copper theft from vacant house
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 02, 2013
MILTON—Milton Police say that a residence was stripped of copper during a burglary reported this afternoon. According to a press release from the Milton Police Department, police were called to a burglary at a residence this afternoon at the 900 block of Parkview Drive that had been burglarized of copper ...Read more, add a comment »
Wisconsin Public Service warns of scams
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 02, 2013
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Public Service is warning customers to be aware of scammers posing as utility employees. The Green Bay-based utility says the scammers have been contacting small businesses and residential WPS customers and telling them payments on their accounts have not been received. Customers are told ...Read more, view comments (10) »
State: Why not add $30 scratch-off lottery tickets in Wisconsin?
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State revenue officials say sales of $30 scratch-off lottery tickets are doing well in other states, so why not add it in Wisconsin? The Department of Revenue wants to add the ticket after the new fiscal year starts July 1. The department’s report to the Legislature’s ...Read more, view comments (20) »
State retirees' pension cut to be 9.6%
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Retired public employees in Wisconsin will see their monthly pension payments decrease by 9.6 percent starting in May, the Department of Employee Trust Funds announced Friday. The department warned in December the cut could be as steep as 13 percent. Pension payments are based on the ...Read more, view comments (26) »
Rock County Spring Bridal Expo set for Sunday
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 01, 2013
JANESVILLE—Best Events will host the Rock County Spring Bridal Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at the Craig High School Field House, 401 S. Randall Ave. An incorrect date for the event was published on page 5A of Friday’s Gazette. The event will feature ideas for ...Read more, view comments (3) »
Man who shot at theft suspect is arrested
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 01, 2013
TOWN OF BELOIT--A town of Beloit man accused of shooting at a suspected thief was arrested early Friday morning on a charge of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Jacob M. Davenport, 31, of 1973 Shore Drive, told police he heard somebody open the door of his van in his driveway at ...Read more, add a comment »
GOP leader proposes alternative school-funding plan
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican president of the state Senate is proposing an alternative plan to Gov. Scott Walker’s budget that would allow public school spending to increase $150 more per student in each of the next two years. Sen. Mike Ellis’s plan would cost $382 million but relies ...Read more, view comments (10) »
Secret investigation into Walker aides closes
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
A secret investigation into illegal campaign activity by former aides and associates of Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker closed last week with no charges filed against Walker.
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Man robs Edgerton pharmacy for painkillers, police say
Posted by GAZETTE STAFF on March 01, 2013
A man robbed the Edgerton Pharmacy for pain medication Thursday night, authorities said, and the robbery may be connected to others. Edgerton Police were called to the pharmacy at 711 N Main St. just after 6:45 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release. A man showed the pharmacist a note ...Read more, add a comment »
Sale of Golden Guernsey Dairy could be imminent
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
WAUKESHA—The Golden Guernsey Dairy plant in Waukesha could soon have a new owner less than two months after it closed and filed for bankruptcy. A creditor in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Accord Financial, says a bankruptcy trustee is apparently negotiating a sale of the plant and all of its equipment. ...Read more, view comments (4) »
Lawmakers propose making no-call list permanent
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
MADISON—Registration on Wisconsin’s no-call list designed to block telemarketers would not need to be renewed every two years as proposed under a bill Republican lawmakers are preparing to introduce. The bill being circulated for co-sponsorship would make registration of a phone number on the state’s no-call list permanent, instead of ...Read more, view comments (14) »
$30 scratch-off lottery ticket likely
Posted by ASSOCIATED PRESS on March 01, 2013
MADISON—State revenue officials say sales of $30 scratch-off lottery tickets are doing well in other states, so why not add it in Wisconsin? The Department of Revenue wants to add the ticket after the new fiscal year starts July 1. The department’s report to the Legislature’s budget committee doesn’t say ...Read more, view comments (2) »
Janesville Jets, YMCA create partnership
Posted by SHELLY BIRKELO on March 01, 2013
JANESVILLE--Were it not for the Janesville Jets attire, it might have been difficult to single out the new faces working out at the YMCA of Northern Rock County. But there they were, members of the local North American Hockey League team, getting cardio work on stationary bikes, lifting free weights ...Read more, view comments (10) »
I-90/39 Interstate expansion project still set to start in 2015
Posted by JIM LEUTE on March 01, 2013
JANESVILLE--Preparations for the widening of Interstate 90/39 will continue despite Gov. Scott Walker’s recent request that a state board review major highway projects that have been approved but not yet started. That’s according to Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie, who said the state plans to move forward with the project that ...Read more, view comments (6) »
