Local News (archives)
School
district has funds to cover window repairs"The Hurley School District has enough funds remaining from its roof replacement project to cover most of the cost of needed window repairs, district administrator Chris Patritto said this week. Earlier this month, board members learned it will cost around $550,000 to repair rotting windows and defective block on the K-12 school. "
Montreal:
City budget hearing set for Nov. 13 "Montreal residents will have a chance to discuss the city's 2008 budget that shows an increase of $26,103 over last year's expenditures of $151,301. Proposed expenditures total $177,504."
Mercer:
Clinic can fill prescriptions"The service can help patients who might not get prescriptions filled or would not be able to start treatment right away while they wait for transportation to a pharmacy in a neighboring community or for the drug to be mailed."
Duluth,
Minn.: Scientists: Humans are greatest threat to Lake Superior"Development along the shores of Lake Superior could be the greatest threat to the lake, scientists said during a conference in Duluth. The panel of scientists who spoke Monday agreed that pollution, rising temperatures and invasive species also threaten the world's largest freshwater lake and its cold, sensitive ecosystem."
Department
of Tourism releases new guide "The new format provides more sidebar articles of interest and a streamlined contact information section to help travelers plan their vacation. Separate guides for seasonal events, festivals, exhibits and performing arts are available as a companion piece to the Wisconsin Activity Guide."
Felons
issued gun hunting licenses"An analysis of records from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and Department of Natural Resources shows that at least 77 felons bought deer licenses last year. The actual number was likely higher because only one of every five Wisconsin hunters consented to release their names when applying for a license."
We
Energies proposes new wind power farm"The Milwaukee-based utility has ordered a $200 million wind project that would generate about 100 megawatts of electricity, We Energies Chairman Gale Klappa said. The project would consist of 50 to 65 turbines, depending on the size and power output of the turbines eventually selected."
DNR:
Blast away at wild pigs"State wildlife and agriculture officials want hunters to shoot, skewer or otherwise summarily dispatch as many of the destructive, diseased porkers as possible this fall, and with plenty of prejudice. "Shoot them on sight," implored Brad Koele, a state Department of Natural Resources wildlife damage specialist, in a statement to hunters this week."
Smoke
and mirrors?""But it's all smoke and mirrors. People need to look at the facts. In 1994 the company promised new jobs and expanded broadband in exchange for a bill that allowed it to charge more money. That bill passed and their profits sky-rocketed. But they didn't keep their promises."
[As background info you might want to check Speed Matters. The US now ranks 16th in high speed internet. - Bob]
"Later, Bolen barged back into the house and got into an argument with Lee. Lee told police Bolen slammed him down on the couch and threw two large pickles at him and said, “Here’s your damn pickles.”"
New
rules will change the nature of boating and fishing"Just as frequent flyers have learned to accept increased security at the nation's airports and change their attitudes about public safety, boaters and anglers will be conscripted into the war against biological invaders, foreign agents that often cannot be seen. The institutional term is "bio-security" and it means folks will have to get used to the idea you just can't transfer water, plants or fish tissue from one body of water to another."
Gov.
DoyleSchool
district approves $7 million budget"School board president Joe Simonich, of Kimball, said while the state promises two-thirds funding to school districts, Hurley is actually getting less than 50 percent with its $3,496,489 in state aid. As recently as 2004-05, the district received $4,150,358 in state aid."
Hospital
tax plan could be revived"Hospitals see the new tax as the only way to get their first rate increase in years for what they spend caring for Medicaid patients, Decker told reporters. The tax would cost them $418 million, which would attract about $575 million in additional federal Medicaid funds. Overall, Wisconsin hospitals that treat Medicaid patients would come out $284.2 million ahead."
The
failure of school choice"We had expected to find a wellspring of hope that increased parental involvement in the Milwaukee Public Schools would be the key ingredient in improving student performance," acknowledges George Lightbourn, a senior fellow with the institute and longtime advocate for school choice initiatives. Instead, an honest assessment of Milwaukee's school choice experiment is summed up by the phrases "bad schools" and "little change."
Freedom
from Religion lawsuit against Boys Ranch adds defendants"If this was a private, legally run facility with nothing to do with the state, then they could do whatever they like," Gaylor said. "But this is unacceptable." The lawsuit filed in federal court in Bismarck asks a judge to declare a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state, and to order the government to stop sending children or money to the ranch."
One
day later: Police itemize Halloween crimes"Of the 181 total arrests, 135 people were released that same night, 43 were brought to jail and three were taken to detox. However, a release from the MPD stated that there were others brought to detox throughout the weekend who did not come through the arrest processing."
Lawmakers
target Badgers, Packers TV access"The biggest hang-up has been over whether to offer the channel as part of the basic tier or a more expensive special sports tier. The bill, sponsored by a Democrat in the Senate and a Republican in the Assembly, would establish an arbitration system to settle disputes between the sports networks and cable companies."
"Aspirus assumed administrative oversight of the 25-bed critical access hospital in January, which had been in financial crisis... Aspirus plans to invest more than $4 million in building improvements, physician recruitment, equipment upgrades and additional services."
Jauch:
New state budget will benefit the north "To end our work on the budget was a matter of great satisfaction and relief," he said Monday. "I argued very hard that there had to be a better, more human, more decent way to reach a conclusion."... "There is way too much about personality and power, and people are exercising their frustration rather than exercising their energy and voice in ways that we can make things better," he said.
"The project aims to transform the 1906 building, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, into an education and cultural center where language programs and traditional skills such as mat making and basket weaving are taught. It will also serve as a monument to the brutal regime to which American Indian families were subjected when their children were taken from them."
Sen
R. Feingold
"Refusing to be distracted by the coming presidential election, Feingold promised to remain focused on the work at hand: bringing U.S. troops home, taking honest steps to promote stability in the Middle East, and turning the attention of the U.S. intelligence and defense establishment toward real threats -- as opposed to the fantasies of Dick Cheney and the neocons."
Rep
D. Obey
Editorial:
We shouldn't shift costs of Iraq to future generations ... -
San Jose Mercury News"David Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has the right idea. He is proposing a temporary surcharge on income taxes to pay specifically for the war in Iraq. But he cannot even get a hearing in Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, immediately rejected the idea; anti-war Democrats want to stop the war, not get blamed for taxing it."
Collage
of Hurley's Late ColorAt "peak color" the landscape is overwhelmed with the orange and red of the hardwoods. Hurley has a second color season, the ambers and yellows of the poplars and tamaracks. These pictures were taken on Oct 24th and 25th in stormy late afternoon and bright mid-morning. - Bob
The
Globe - About_IRonwood"Look out your window, drive around town if you think we should do better, do you think are taxes are being wasted or our water rates too high? If so, then you believe as I do. We need to go in a new direction and I'm hoping that you will all join me in on that trip. Let's start that journey November 6th. Please Vote."
[Posting of this is not intended as an endorsement of this or any other candidate. - Bob]
Manitowish
Waters, Wis.: Cutright to speak at bird club meeting"The North Lakeland Discovery Center Bird Club will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. at the center in Manitowish Waters. Special guest will be Noel Cutright, former Wisconsin for Society Ornithology president and senior editor of the "Atlas of the Breedeing BIrds of Wisconsin." "
Doyle
vetoes free shots of liquor, new wine distribution system
"A provision slipped into the budget at the last minute would have allowed up to 1.5 ounces of liquor to be handed out for free. "To me, it's absurd that you walk into a grocery store and start taking shots,'' Doyle said. "
"I found the best lice expert in the U.S., Katie Shepherd of Lice Solutions in Florida (licesolutions.org or 561-842-9969)... Shepherd is all about education, awareness, safe products that work, grants and helping us parents. Gosh, imagine someone that actually wants to help us parents with head lice, so much that she deals with it every day."
"Not all of the schools chartered by local school boards violate basic requirements such as having independent governance boards, Zautcke said. "But the vast majority of them, if there was a governance board, it was district administrators and maybe the principal . . . and it wasn't really very clean.""
"Powless was accused of taking the Hobart village snowplow last April to escape police who were chasing him for an incident nearby. A police dog gave chase, the complaint said, and Powless allegedly wrestled the dog while he held an 8-inch kitchen knife."
"A year ago, the program had $61.4 million available and helped about 145,000 households with an average grant of $382, she said. The program expects to help 150,000 households this year, paying each an average $587 in energy aid, she said."
Students
ride windsled to school"They go by windsled, an airboat of sorts, which can traverse the 2.5 miles across Lake Superior to the mainland of Wisconsin when there is too much ice for the ferry to operate, but not enough to support cars and trucks on an ice road."
"Doyle's proposed ban on smoking in all bars, restaurants and public buildings also has an uncertain future, even in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Decker said he would like to see a compromise between lawmakers who support a total ban and those who want an exemption for taverns. Huebsch hasn't taken a position on the ban. The powerful Tavern League, which represents the state's bars, has been fighting for an exemption to allow smoking in bars and taverns across the state."
Gov.
Doyle
Hunting
And Fishing Bill Of Rights"Today, during a tour of western Iowa, John Edwards unveiled his Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy America's incredible natural resources. Edwards' plan calls for increasing access to public lands, protecting gun rights, improving conservation efforts and ensuring clean waters for safe, healthy fishing."
School
board to meet Monday to set tax levies"Now that Wisconsin has finalized a budget for the next two years, school districts and municipalities can determine how much state aid they'll be getting and set 2007-08 tax levies. The Hurley School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday to set its levy and adopt a budget."
Northern
Wisconsin jobless rates fall"It is really important to demonstrate that we can move beyond gridlock and focus on resolution of key issues. If thoughtful legislators will work together, we will not only be able to address important health care matters, but can also set the high standard of legislative performance that the public expects,"
Jauch
to lead effort to revisit hospital assessment "State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, said Friday a bipartisan group of legislators should immediately begin to work with the Wisconsin Medical Society and Wisconsin Hospital Association to find a way to increase hospital medical assistance payments and help avert a potential fee increase to physicians."
Hurley
man charged in Silver Street incident "A 46-year-old Hurley man has been charged with battery and disorderly conduct stemming from an early morning Oct. 13 incident in his Silver Street apartment."
Good
news in economy abounds across range"In my short time as a member of the Ironwood City Commission, I have been stunned by the volume of pessimism pulsating through certain segments of the community. Even more irritating, is the number of people who take the time to forward this negative information via mail and the Internet."
[See also Candidates use Web site to lash incumbents, officials and Local Web site carries harsh images, messages . - Bob]
'Frankenstein
veto' debate gets new life"We spent months negotiating and debating the budget provisions, and specifically the levy limit, and through the use of the Frankenstein veto he simply ignores those negotiations and puts in place what he wants," said state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls), sponsor of a constitutional amendment to limit the authority."
Budget
'pork' is tough to pin down"Among his veto casualties was a provision that would have allowed grocery stores to give out free samples of hard liquor - an idea Doyle called "absurd." The measure showed up in the budget at the last minute, but no lawmaker will acknowledge he or she wanted it."
Analysis:
Budget debacle shows flaws in system"Ideas that are out there, which would have varying levels of impact, including banning campaign contributions during the budget process, freezing legislative pay and per diems during an impasse, limiting the time that lawmakers are allowed to be in session, and requiring government to shut down when there is no budget by the July 1 deadline."
Doyle
veto raises property tax ceiling"As a result of the veto, the owner of a state median-value home, valued at $170,305, would pay $107 more in taxes over the next two years compared to an increase of $92 under the version of the budget lawmakers passed, said Dave Schmiedicke, state budget director."
Nation's
only health insurance co-op for farmers helps cut costs"Organizers of the Farmers' Health Cooperative of Wisconsin, the nation's first such program, say it's growing faster than expected and tapping into an unmet need in rural communities. The concept, they say, should spread nationwide."
Public
access TV advocates oppose state bill"It's like giving the job to enforce customer service protection to municipalities but then tying their hands behind their back. Basically, all municipalities can do is say please obey these customer service requirements -- they have no authority; there's no penalties."
Sen
R. Feingold"I will not stand idly by while this mistaken war continues," the Democratic senator from Wisconsin announced, as he pledged to make the wrongheaded occupation of Iraq a day-in, day-out issue in the Senate for the rest of 2007 and into 2008."
Sen
H. Kohl"According to a study conducted in July of this year by AARP, only 17 percent of 401(k) enrollees knew that they were paying any fees. Two-thirds of the respondents, or 65 percent, thought they paid no fees for their 401(k) plan. In conjunction with this hearing, Chairman Kohl and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will introduce the Defined Contribution Fee Disclosure Act of 2007."
"According to U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, who sits on the panel, the measure authorizes federal farm programs for the next five years, such as the Milk Income Loss Contract program. MILC is the counter-cyclical safety net for small and mid-size dairy farmers when milk prices plummet."
Rep
D. Obey
"I ask everyone who comes into this office seeking money two questions," Obey, Congress's top money man, said from behind his desk across the room. Each wrinkled sign bears one of those questions, and Obey asks them so often that he can recite them by heart. "The first is: If what you want costs money, are you willing to go home and tell your friends that we need to cut back on the size of the President's tax cuts so there is room for it in the budget?" The second, and related question, goes as follows: "Is there anything you want me to do for somebody else that is more important than whatever it is you want me to do for you?"
Great
Lakes key front in water wars"But potentially huge battles over water are looming in the Great Lakes region as cities, towns and states near and far fight for access to the world's largest body of fresh surface water, all of it residing in the five Great Lakes. Call them water wars, with the Great Lakes states hunkering down to protect what they see as theirs."
Although "Under the Radar" seems antithetical to the public persona of the "gorgeous blonde constitutional scholar," Miss Anne Coulter, any area where the only talk radio is the admitted sexual deviant and known prevaricator, Bill OhReally, there should have access to this clever satire. - Bob
"The Iron County Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, November 01, 2007 at 3:00 PM at the Iron County Courthouse, Hurley, Wisconsin. The meeting is open to the public per Chapter 19, Sub Chapter V, Wisconsin Statutes."
Halloween Party at Nora's"Nora's Red Carpet Lounge on historic Silver Street is having a Halloween costume party with cash prizes, and live music by Jimmy Lee on Saturday, Oct 27th."
Madison,
Wis.: Campaign finance reformers accuse Doyle of breaking promise
"One of the sponsors of the main reform bill, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said it is reasonable to get campaign finance done yet this year. "I think we do have enough time between now and the end of the year," he said, although Erpenbach said he had not talked with the governor's office about it recently. "In my mind there's somewhat of an urgency to get something done here.""
Petoskey:
Tribes, Michigan celebrate deal on Indian hunting, fishing rights"Five American Indian tribes and the state are celebrating an agreement designed to end decades of legal wrangling over members' hunting and fishing rights. Leaders of the tribes joined state and federal officials for a pipe and flag ceremony in Petoskey. They signed a document declaring their negotiations complete."
About Ironwood
Lists Interviews |
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| 10 AM - John Cain | 12:30 PM - Marvin Shepherd | 3:00 PM - Jim Albert |
| 10:30 - Tom Laabs | 1:00 PM - Bruce Noreen | 3:30 PM - Lou Bonaguro |
| 11 AM - John Kasieta | 1:30 PM - Suzanne Toth | 4:00 PM - Steven Frank |
| 11:30 AM - Lawrence Zani | 2:00 PM - Gemma Gorrilla Lamb | 4:30 PM - Robert Burchell |
| 12:00 Noon - Scott Sturzl | 2:30 PM - Jim Beckman | 5:00 PM - David Peite |
Board
OKs interim rules against fish-killing virus"The board approved emergency rules this week that will make it illegal for anyone to transport fish or water from one water system to another within the state. The move is a tougher package of viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, rules than the one that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources pitched to the board."
"The Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing should verify the immigration status of all applicants because federal law prohibits states from issuing professional licenses to illegal immigrants, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a legal opinion issued Thursday."
Doyle
veto raises property tax ceiling"Gov. Jim Doyle announced today that he used his veto pen to let local governments raise property taxes by 3.86 percent this year instead of the 2 percent limit agreed to by lawmakers in the new two-year budget deal."
"It includes more than $525 million in new funding for public schools, $21 million in new funds for the University of Wisconsin's "growth agenda," and new money for student aids and grants. It creates the Wisconsin Covenant, a new program that guarantees financial assistance for higher education to all state students who graduate from high school with good grades."
Food
producers seek legislative support of local campaign"The "Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin" program aiming to promote the sale of produce grown in the state is now being implemented as a part of the budget approved Tuesday by the Wisconsin state Legislature. The program provides $600,000 over two years to farmers, communities and nonprofit organizations to develop and expand local food markets,..."
Residents
want Superfund cleanup to be permanent "More than 50 people, and their little red dots, have spoken: When the Superfund site is cleaned up, it should be done right to ensure it's permanent, the city should be able to re-use the site, and it should be restored to its original beauty."
New
emergency rule affects all boaters, anglers statewide"This means the operator of any boat removed from any body of water in the state must immediately drain off all water from the boat, boat trailer and any fishing gear, including from any bilge, ballast tank, live well or any other container with the exception of containers of potable water for human consumption."
Sen
R. Feingold"I am deeply troubled by reports of the release of Jamal al-Badawi, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, in which 17 Americans were killed. The Yemeni government's reported decision to release him – after two jail escapes - is completely unacceptable."
Gov.
Doyle
"Mills said that Sovereign Deed would offer planning and rescue services to subscribers who pay a "country club type membership fee." Basic service, he said, would involve a one time $50,000 fee and $15,000 per year. "The reality of FEMA is that is has no infrastructure, and a lot of our National Guard is elsewhere fighting the war," Mills said. "You never know what could happen. A hurricane, a terrorist attack, a nuclear power plant going bad -- it doesn't matter, you make concentric circles, you get a plan.""
City
council receives six applications to fill vacant position "Mayor Joe Pinardi said former Mayor Robbie Lanctoe, former council member Leon Baron, Larry Fluhr, Dennis Munn, Jim Bock and Mike Sejbl answered an advertisement to fill the vacancy that was created when Robert Kallas moved to Saxon."
Good
Samaritan shows he's humble, too"Here's the twist: It just so happened that Dabbs' next stop was White Cross Pharmacy. He mentioned to staff that he'd just found $50 dollars at Super One and turned it in. A pharmacy representative told the Globe they put two and two together and called Sullivan with the good news. Sullivan told the Globe, "I went and got my money back, renewing my faith in mankind."
CESA
12 grant writer back on books"The Mercer School Board voted 5-0 Monday to contract with the Cooperative Education Service Agency for $10,800 for the shared services of a grant writer."
Volunteers
take to the streets to perform walking, biking audit "As a recipient of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Planning Grant, the school and town needed to gather information and identify concerns regarding the walking and biking possibilities and issues that exist near the school."
Airport
secures grant to fund marketing efforts "The airport will be receiving a $135,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for advertising and marketing, Stupak told DuRay. Another $15,000 matching funds will come from local government and business sources."
Tobacco
check nets 4 vendors "Only four of 30 vendors inspected so far in 2007 sold tobacco to minors, according to Karen Hagemann, coordinator for Tobacco-Free Iron County Community Coalition. Iron County tobacco vendors recorded an overall compliance rate of 87 percent, according to Hagemann."
"Wisconsin bet big on corn this year, with farmers planting more than 4 million acres of the crop - about 400,000 more acres than in 2006, according to state and federal statistics. The crop is predicted to biggest ever in the state. That bet, combined with sharply higher prices, could have a ripple effect not seen in years through the state economy."
"In a formal legal opinion, Van Hollen told the Department of Regulation and Licensing to begin checking the immigration status of all those who apply for professional licenses and credentials. The opinion came after the agency discovered earlier this year that some of its 350,000 credential holders were using invalid Social Security numbers."
So
much for compromise -- legislation would undo budget decisions"Breske, who doesn't like the patients fund transfer, said the $418 million tax would help bring in added federal money that could be used increase reimbursement to hospitals for Medicaid treatment of the poor and help the state do without all or part of the transfer."
'First
Lady of the Press' Helen Thomas rails against Bush, Iraq war in Northland
talk "Helen Thomas, who began her career as a White House reporter with the administration of John F. Kennedy, has been both revered and reviled for her hard-nosed journalistic toughness and fearlessness. Those who attended the first of Northland College's "Leaders and Visionaries" lecture series Wednesday got a firsthand look at how she earned her singular reputation as she mounted a scathing verbal assault on the Bush administration, Congress, the Supreme Court and even on fellow members of the Washington press corps."
College
costs outpace inflation"The price of college in Wisconsin rose faster than the inflation rate this year but just about kept pace with the national tuition average, increasing about 6% at four-year public and private schools and about 4% at public two-year institutions."
Truck
registration fees would rise 30%"We figured there would be a truck registration fee increase . . . but quite honestly, the 30 percent was a little bit of a shock," said Thomas A. Howells Jr., president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association, the industry's key lobbying group."
"It's terribly in error, especially in view of Wisconsin's open records law. We are aware of police agencies all over the state that have started redacting items of information that heretofore were commonly released to the public and the media without any sort of problem."
State
budget fallout -- Robson shown the door"Decker said some Democrats were dissatisfied with the budget deal Robson struck with Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem. Decker said he was among them, adding that he would have fought harder to keep in the budget a tax on oil company revenues."
"The wine rules bring Wisconsin into compliance with a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires states to treat wine shipments the same whether they are from in-state or out-of-state. Separate rules are designed to help small breweries such as the Great Dane Pub in Madison add more retail locations."
Robson
out, Decker in as majority leader"Decker said the final budget deal clearly missed some opportunities on issues important to Democrats, including their efforts to eliminate a tax loophole for companies based in Wisconsin but registered in other, lower-tax states, as well to pass a $400 million tax on hospitals and nursing homes that would have leveraged more federal Medicaid matching funds."
Budget
provides funds for UW union, new housing projects"With the Wisconsin state budget passing last night in both the House and the Assembly, renovations of both Memorial Union and Union South were approved, as well as a major University of Wisconsin Housing project. However, a planned addition of two residence halls in the Lakeshore area was nixed in the Assembly."
Grand
opening planned for Wal-Mart Supercenter "In addition to a vastly augmented choice of general merchandise, the operation features a new food center with a full line of groceries, baked goods, deli center, frozen foods, dairy products and fresh produce. Also new is a tire and lube express, one-hour photo lab, a pharmacy with drive through lanes and a family fun center."
Sen
R. FeingoldAnniversary
of the Authorization of the Use of Military Force in Iraq"Five years after the authorization of war, America is mired in a conflict that continues to have no end in sight. Nearly 4,000 of our soldiers have died and more than 27,000 have been wounded. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed, if not more, and at least 4.5 million have been displaced from their homes."
Collins,
Feingold Hail Senate Passage of Dental Health Care Funding Increase"The Act provides grants to states to help them develop innovative programs tailored to the needs of the state and focuses on expanding dental care to people living in urban and rural areas with little access to dental care. The Collins-Feingold amendment doubles funding for the program to $4 million."
"Feingold and Collins introduced an amendment to the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill to increase funding for the Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory (ADAM) Act, a program they have long championed. The Labor-HHS Appropriations bill will contain $200,000 for the ADAM Act."
Gov.
Doyle
"After a long process, Democrats and Republicans have come together to hold the line on taxes, streamline government, and create real opportunity for Wisconsin families and businesses. Tonight, the Legislature has done the right thing for our schools; for the safety of our neighborhoods; for the health of our kids and the health of our economy."
Mercer:
School district delays setting levy"Eight residents of the Mercer School District plus the school board approved a 2007-08 budget of $3,045,565 on Monday night. It is a 7.98 percent increase -- $225,116 -- over the 2006-07 budget."
DNR
pushing for permanent rules to stop fish virus' spread"Nobody knows how viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, arrived in the Great Lakes region, though many suspect that the virus somehow hitched a ride on an oceangoing freighter. It has been migrating west since it was first discovered in Lake Ontario in 2005."
"As a group, they're the fifth-largest employer in the state and generate about $22 billion a year in revenue. But they have no collective voice in Madison. No central clearinghouse for training and information. No way to leverage their significant presence to either raise or save money."
DNR:
Some hunters use road kill to get around earn-a-buck"I don't suspect it is successful all that often. Anybody who has driven by road kill, there are probably some that don't show much damage but most of them look pretty beat up."
Budget
offers big winners and losers"The University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Broadcasting, and the city of Madison are all big winners in the final state budget package that comes up for approval by state lawmakers today."
Lawmakers
add free shots to beer samples"Wisconsin lawmakers quietly slipped a provision into the overdue budget that allows liquor and grocery stores to hand out free samples of hard liquor. Each customer could have up to three samples of half an ounce or less, or about a shot-and-a-half."
DNR
may back off statewide fish movement ban "We're actually going backwards," Meyer said. "This means we're only protecting those waters where we've already found the problem. We won’t be effectively protecting the state."
Staph
infections confirmed at Lakeland Union High School"Three Lakeland Union High School students tested positive for staph infections this past August and September, but it is unclear whether any of the cases involved MRSA, a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus bacteria that made national headlines last week after one Virginia high school student died from the infection."
Air
America inks 11 new affiliates"But rumors of the network's demise are currently unfounded. In fact, they issued a press release today announcing eleven new affiliates, in areas such as Washington, DC, Tampa, Tuscon, the Pennsylvania Poconos and even the capital of Alaska."
[It amazes me that an area this overwhelmingly Dem has only one talk show, the right wing Bill O'Reilly. Would it be too much to ask for a more compatible voice also? - Bob]
"Many prominent libraries have accepted Google's offer - including the New York Public Library and libraries at the University of Michigan, Harvard, Stanford and Oxford. Google expects to scan 15 million books from those collections over the next decade. But the resistance from some libraries, like the Boston Public Library and the Smithsonian Institution, suggests that many in the academic and nonprofit world are intent on pursuing a vision of the Web as a global repository of knowledge that is free of business interests or restrictions."
Mercer:
Plum Creek Foundation aids park effort"The planned park improvements will enhance the overall facilities at W.S. Carrow Park in Mercer . They include new bike racks, benches and picnic tables, playground improvements, a new beach shelter, walkway lighting and signs."
Parade/cake
walk"The Hurley elementary school will hold its Halloween parade Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. in the school auditorium. Parents and guests are welcome to attend."
"There are extensive areas of the park that contain evidence of former beaches, old wave-cut caves and ancient barriers and lagoons," Anderton said. "This information will be used to generate a geographic information system model of a prehistoric Native American settlement that will be used to predict the location of archaeological sites."
Budget
full of surprises"The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated that December property tax bills on the median-valued home - about $170,000 - would rise $80, from $2,734 to $2,814, or about $2.9%, under the budget compromise. That tax bill would jump another $18, or 0.6%, in December 2008."
"A group that includes executives from some of the country's largest corporations, including chief executives of Manpower and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., has concluded that the system of providing health insurance through employers is failing and must be scrapped."
Anti-tax
group protests budget deal"The anti-tax group that sponsored last week's rally at the Capitol was set to deliver toy pigs to lawmakers and hearing aids to Gov. Jim Doyle today to protest a final state budget deal."
Leaders
agree on budget plan"The students again got beat up by the leaders of both parties by taking out the tuition cap," Mikalsen said. "The worst news is the UW System is going to take a minimum of a $21 million [cut], meaning in the next year, you will see tuition go up dramatically."
Inch
by Inch, Great Lakes Shrink, and Cargo Carriers Face Losses -
NY Times"The picture is just as serious in the upper Great Lakes and is particularly grave in Lake Superior, where water levels have hovered below average since 1998 and, based on provisional data, set record lows in August and September. It is the longest stretch of below-average readings at Lake Superior since the Corps of Engineers started tracking the Great Lakes' levels in 1918."
Women's
council to hold observance Oct. 28"The St. Mary's Catholic Women's Council will observe National Council of Catholic Women Sunday, Oct. 28 at the St. Mary's Catholic Church 11 a.m. Mass."
Lice
more nuisance than health risk"At Hurley, elementary secretary Leola Maslanka said they had some head lice at the start of the school year, but none now ... If they have a student with lice, she said, they check the whole class as well as friends and other family members of the student at school."
Hurley
to host playoff game"Hurley (5-4) gets to host Cameron (7-2) despite Cameron's better record. That's because Cameron does not have a certified field for the playoffs and Hurley does."
State
budget deal brings compromises"Gov. Jim Doyle and leaders of both parties broke a three-month budget stalemate Friday night by agreeing to a $1 increase in the cigarette tax, the governor's Wisconsin Covenant college enrollment plan and an elimination of hospital and oil company taxes backed by the governor."
Health
proposal dead, senator says"Healthy Wisconsin in some form is coming back," he said in an interview. He dismissed the notion that the Senate would focus now on less comprehensive solutions to the problem of providing affordable health insurance for all Wisconsin residents."
DNR
targets island birds"Five islands on Wisconsin's Lake Michigan and Green Bay shorelines are now home to more than 12,000 nesting pairs of fish-feasting double-crested cormorants, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources would like to slash that number in half."
DNR
stocks cupboard for pheasant hunters"In a cupboard-stocking tradition that started in the late 1920s, a state Department of Natural Resources crew released 140 ring-necked roosters at the property east of the Village of Jackson on Friday afternoon, just 16 hours before the start of shooting."
Republicans,
Democrats can claim victory in Wis. budget deal"Republicans who control the Assembly can take credit for killing Democratic plans to increase taxes on hospitals and oil companies, limiting property tax increases to 2 percent and forcing cuts in state spending. Democrats who control the Senate have less to brag about and might have given up the most. But they can tout Doyle's plans and increased funding for financial aid, public schools and the University of Wisconsin System.
Finally,
it's a deal: 100-plus days late, pols agree on budget"... the deal features a number of victories for Democrats, including fully funding two-thirds of the cost of local schools statewide; expanding the BadgerCare program, which provides low-cost health insurance for low-income families, to allow all children in the state to participate; providing tuition assistance to all veterans who want to go to college; and establishing the Wisconsin Covenant program that guarantees financial aid to all Wisconsin students who maintain good grades in high school and stay out of trouble."
Teacher
boycott hits 100 activities"As of Friday, more than 100 activities or events have been affected at schools district wide, said Paul Clark, chairman of the Wausau Education Association's action committee. Teachers in the union decided Sunday to stop performing duties not specified in their old contract as negotiations with the district on a new contract continue."
Sen
R. Feingold
Senate
Panel Approves Immunity for Spying Telcos - Wired News"Democratic Senators Russell Feingold (Wisconsin) and Ron Wyden (Oregon) were the two lone votes against the bill, which they successfully modified to include a provision forcing the NSA to get warrants when targeting Americans oversees."
Rep
D. Obey
House
fails to override children's health insurance veto - The
Reporter - Fond du Lac"Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, was among 44 GOP members to vote for an override, but Republicans Paul Ryan of Janesville and James Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls voted against an override of the veto. Wisconsin Democrats Tammy Baldwin of Madison, Steve Kagen of Appleton, Ron Kind of La Crosse, Gwen Moore of Milwaukee and David Obey of Wausau will vote to override the veto."
Iron
County judge takes part in World Scouting Jamboree"Having participated in the World Scouting Jamboree in Chemelsford, Essex, England, in June, watching the role women (mainly from other countries) play in Scouting, Madden said he is truly committed to bringing both boys and girls together."
"Dan Walowinski, 52, of Poplar Street in Hurley, was cited Tuesday for inattentive driving ... Walowinski was also cited for unreasonable and imprudent speed and open intoxicant (driver). State charges of hit-and-run and property damage are pending, the report said.
Budget
deal would toss hospital, oil taxes"Gov. Jim Doyle and legislative leaders hoped to announce a long-overdue budget deal this afternoon - an agreement that would let Republicans claim they killed new taxes on hospitals and oil companies the governor has been fighting for since February."
Drain
hole theory explored"The International Joint Commission, which oversees boundary waters issues between the two countries, said it will expedite its study of the "drain hole" theory on the St. Clair River to find out whether ongoing erosion since a 1960s Army Corps of Engineers dredging project has caused lake levels to plummet."
Deal
on budget reached by Doyle, legislative leaders"Legislative leaders and Gov. Jim Doyle reached agreement Friday on a new, two-year budget that raises the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, expands health care for poor people and limits property taxes, according to Doyle's office."
"Nelson has set up camp in the Capitol because of a vow he made Thursday to remain in the Assembly chambers until the budget impasse ends. "I'm here ready to work, and I'm going to be here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until we pass a budget,"
Lawmaker
has rough night in sit-in"Things didn't get much better today. Nelson had to take a cold shower in the Capitol basement because there was no hot water. "It was quick," he said. Then, the Assembly Sergeant at Arms Rick Skindrud rejected his request for a phone at his desk. Nelson protested to no avail, saying he's put more than 300 minutes on his cell phone so far. Skindrud also chastised Nelson for having food at his desk and seized a box of Tater Tots and a half-eaten candy bar. "No food is allowed in the chambers," Skindrud said.
Van
Hollen agrees to pay costs to end campaign lawsuit "Bob Dreps, one of the fund's attorneys, said Van Hollen shouldn't be allowed to walk away "scot-free" from the case. "He used the courts as a political weapon and then wanted to just walk away without any consequence," Dreps said. The Greater Wisconsin Political Fund is a political entity affiliated with the Democratic-leaning Greater Wisconsin Committee. Under federal law, the fund can spend money to influence elections."
WEAUEau Claire
Senate
Approves Money to Help Stop Meth"Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl says this money will help the Meth Law Enforcement Initiative and Regional Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response Task Force. The initiative is the only statewide project addressing the use of meth."
Sen
R. Feingold
Working
Every Step of the Way to Fix the FISA Bill"I was pleased that in the Intelligence Committee markup yesterday Senator Wyden and I were able to make some improvements to the bill, including requiring FISA court orders for wiretapping U.S. citizens overseas and more meaningful oversight by Congress and the Inspector General of the new authorities."
Feingold
to hold listening sessions in Ashland and Sawyer Counties -
BusinessNorth.com - Duluth,MN"There are consistent themes, but there are certain parts of the state where you hear extremely heavy emphasis on environmental issues, such as far northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior."
Rep
D. ObeyObey
Raises the Specter of War Tax - Washington Post "We're going to have . . . tax cuts for people making a million bucks a year while we supposedly can't afford to improve education or improve veterans' health care or do some real science on climate change. It's all a political charade."
Muckraker
Today's
Must Read"Only Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) voted against the bill. The two holdouts got a proposal into the measure to "get a court order to eavesdrop on Americans wherever they are in the world," according to the AP. But that's unlikely to actually stay in the bill:"
School
district sticks with cell phone policy"Hurley's policy specifies that the first time a student is caught with a cell phone in school, the phone is taken away for the rest of the day. A second violation results in the school keeping the phone for two weeks. For a third violation, school officials would maintain possession of the phone for the remainder of the school year."
Wisconsin
budget showdown leaves locals in funding limbo"On Wednesday, Dan Kanninen, chief of staff for State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said the Republican Assembly rejected a compromise budget by the Senate that included $500 million in cuts."
"Commercial air service at the airport will not be interrupted, however, as Skyways Airlines (Midwest Connect) will continue to fly in and out of the airport until another essential air service carrier is selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation, DuRay said."
Mama
bear responds to cub's cries by mauling hunter "Kevin Schultz was strapped into a tree stand 12 feet above ground when a bear cub climbed up and planted itself on a branch above his head. Then it cried for its mother."
Stalled
state budget budges"Meanwhile, both sides in the debate - those opposing any tax increases and members of state unions demanding a budget that includes tax increases that protect their jobs - rallied at the Capitol."
Recycling
schools"Statewide, at least 130 schools date to the same era, according to a 1999 survey by the state Department of Public Instruction. Some districts are turning to a third option: selling the buildings to someone who will preserve them as something else."
Residents
describe Superfund site odor "Others who live on the bluff just above the lakeshore also said they've noticed a foul smell coming from the lake, caused by contamination mostly from the benzene and naphthalene found in the sediment and stirred up when the wind is high. Still more people spoke of visible "sheens" or slicks on top of the water caused by contamination down in the sediment below."
Sen
R. Feingold
Intelligence
Committee's Consideration of FISA Legislation"When the Committee considers this legislation today, I will also fight to reject immunity for anyone alleged to have cooperated with the Administration’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program."
State
budget stalemate causes delay in setting school tax levy "It appears as if the Hurley School Board will postpone setting a tax levy after next Monday's annual budget hearing. Since the state legislature has not yet agreed on a 2007-09 budget, Hurley School District Administrator Chris Patritto said he's not certain how much state aid Hurley will receive."
Mercer
clinic sets dates for flu shots"Marshfield Clinic Mercer Center will hold flu shot clinics on Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Flu shots for children and adults and pneumonia vaccinations for adults will be available."
Judge
rules state's minimum markup law is unconstitutional"A federal judge has ruled that Wisconsin's law designed to ensure fair competition among gas station operators is unconstitutional."
We
Energies completes sale of land to DNR, trust "In transactions that will protect unique and environmentally significant lands and waterways in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, We Energies said it has completed more than 2,500 acres of land sales to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and The Trust for Public Land."
Lakefront
Superfund site to be discussed at public meeting"Tonight, along with Department of Health and Family Services, the DNR and EPA will provide information about conditions at the site, based on findings of a recently completed remedial investigation."
"The debate over the mining project began several years ago as a mostly local squabble in Marquette County. Now it's reverberating across Michigan as the state Department of Environmental Quality approaches a final decision on whether to issue permits."
Governor
threatens 'partial shutdown'"In our schools, universities, state parks and prisons across Wisconsin, we are facing higher costs. We are simply spending more each month now than we are taking in," Doyle said in response to a Republican-led Assembly vote Monday that killed his second budget proposal. "A partial shutdown may well be necessary," he said.
Anti-tax
group, state workers hold competing rallies at Capitol"Police separated the two groups with yellow tape. The anti-tax crowd faced the Capitol, while their opponents surrounded them on both sides. They blew air horns, yelled through megaphones and screamed in an attempt to drown out the anti-tax group's booming amplification system."
Big,
bad, booming weather coming"The first half of the wicked weather show starts late tonight, as a warm front comes through with heavy rains but little chance of severe storms."
Waterfront
contamination to be discussed today"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Northern States Power Wisconsin tonight will provide greater detail about the extent of contamination throughout Ashland's Superfund site."
Forest
Service hears mixed feelings on road access "Until then, the public still has a chance to submit comments until Oct. 29 on this initial proposal. The Forest Service will then analyze comments from Tuesday's meeting and four previous meetings in the other Ranger Districts before conducting an environmental analysis of the proposed changes."
- Hurley School District, 5503 W Range View Drive, Hurley, WI 54534
- Monday, October 15, 2007 ... 5:30 p.m.
- Held in the Hurley High School IMC
"Phillips
said the rotten windows and bad block in the 16-year-old K-12 school
building are a result of poor roof design. There were no eaves on the
building and that caused precipitation to drain down the side of the
building, causing deterioration problems along the walls.""A 69-year-old Boulder Junction, Wis., woman had to extricated from her vehicle on Monday morning after it rolled on U.S. 51, about a half-mile from Sandrock Road, in Oma."
"An editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday read: "The news media must give the survivors room to grieve in private. But they must also do their job -- report on a matter of great importance to the state. Unfortunately, Van Hollen has signaled that he may make the media's job harder.""
"Menomonee Falls-based Kohl's Corp. was among the majority of chains that reported lower-than-forecast sales. Kohl's saw same-store sales drop by 3.2% for the five weeks ended Oct. 6. The company said sales were weak for cold-weather clothing such as long pants, fleece and sweaters."
Judge
rules state's minimum markup law is unconstitutional"Magistrate Judge William Callahan ruled Friday that because the state does not actively supervise its minimum markup law, the law violates federal antitrust laws and the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. The judge's ruling - if it stands - could get rid of the law, something its critics have been unable to do."
"In one call, Mike Kegley tells Crandon Police Chief John Dennee that Tyler Peterson is calm and sitting around talking with him. Kegley says Peterson has given up his assault rifle but is still carrying his pistol."
Doyle:
Threat of government shutdown remains 'very real'"I just don't want to be scaring people prematurely," Doyle said only moments before warning that UW campuses could be shuttered next semester and some inmates could be released from state prisons."
Odd:
Don't read the ingredients on this water"Ingredients," notes the back side of the bottle's label: "Water, fecal matter, toilet paper, hair, lint, rancid grease, stomach acid and trace amounts of Pepto Bismol, chocolate,..."
Sen
R. Feingold
"I am pleased to have you all as partners as we work together to explore how the United States can do more -- and do so efficiently, effectively, and sustainably -- to contribute to international efforts to prevent, contain, and combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic..."
Gov.
Doyle"Extreme elements of the Republican Assembly have again won out by not supporting this compromise. Under the Constitution, it is the Legislature's job to pass a budget, and for nearly nine months they have failed to do it."
"Pointing out that Rhodes was wearing a jogging suit and displayed no purse or jewelry, Elliott speculated that "this does not appear to me to be a standard grab the money and run mugging.""
The
Truth About Wal-Mart and Food Safety"The truth is that Wal-Mart is putting profits over people - again - by blocking laws requiring disclosure of where food comes from. Instead of looking out for consumer safety, Wal-Mart is watching its own bottom line."
School
board to discuss window replacement "At its September meeting, the school board learned some rotting windows need to be replaced. Head custodian Cookie Laguna said two windows were already replaced and he was uncertain how many more were damaged."
Costa
Rica trip"Hurley High School students who are going to Costa Rica in June 2008 will meet Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the school commons."
Mercer:
Friends of library to be honored"A few of the items purchased by the group in past years include monthly story hours, Tom Pease, the Bassmeister, The Wolf: Fact and Fiction, GPS Training, Wilderness: A Lost Voice?, a die cut machine, DVD cleaner, a portion of the landscaping project and the gas insert for the fireplace."
Senate
passes budget proposal, Assembly likely to reject it"The 1,625-page bill, released just hours before the vote, passed the Senate with all 18 Democrats in favor and 14 Republicans against with one absent. Democrats also passed a transportation funding bill, which includes a new tax on oil companies, even though Doyle wanted to keep that issue off the table until later."
Where
to catch nature's fall show"The brightest autumn colors are produced when cool, dry nights follow bright, sunny days. Wind and rain are a death knell. The Madison area is on the cusp of the richest colors, said self-described "tree junkie" Virginia Mayo Black at the state Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry. Urban areas can make for good leaf spotting too, she said."
"We agreed that a major reason is that with some notable exceptions -- like college kids hoping to get some help with their enormous education costs -- most of the state's citizens have yet to feel any real sting. That's coming in a few weeks, big time. School district, county and local municipal officials will have to fashion their own budgets by guessing. There will be additional taxes to pay and some crucial services will need to be sacrificed."
DataMine:
Public salaries, tax comparisons, test scores, more"Here is where we give you the tools to find those answers, in a mix of searchable databases created by the newspaper and links to other material. We regularly update this section, so visit frequently to find new items. "
"With all of the interactivity available on the Internet, savvy marketers are challenging themselves to find innovative ways to put viral marketing to work. Blogs, social networking sites, online communities, YouTube, e-mail, even corporate Web sites are being used to draw in users with the intent that they will share what they find with others."
Sen
R. Feingold
Feingold
Calls President’s Statements on CIA Program Misleading"On October 5, 2007, you spoke publicly about the CIA's detention and interrogation program, which I strongly oppose. In defending the program, you stated that "the techniques that we use have been fully disclosed to appropriate members of the United States Congress." This statement was misleading in at least three respects."
Bipartisan
Coalition Pushes for State-Based Health Care“Many states have already begun to implement reforms on their own, and we believe that encouraging these innovative experiments could ultimately lead to a model or models for nation-wide change,”
Gov.
Doyle
EXECUTIVE
ORDER #220"WHEREAS, the people of Wisconsin mourn the death of Corporal Rachael Hugo ... the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin shall be flown at half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations of the State of Wisconsin equipped with such flags beginning at sunrise on October 17, 2007, and ending at sunset on that date."
Pancake
breakfast"The Religious Education and Youth Ministry of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley will hold a pancake breakfast fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the church hall."
"Patti Kubacki of Beltone Hearing Solutions attended the International Hearing Society's 56th Annual Convention and Exposition Sept. 26 through 30 in Reno, Nev."
"The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has planned a series of nine public meetings to discuss the recent Treaty of 1836 agreement on hunting, fishing and gathering rights that pertains to five Michigan Indian tribes."
21
reported ill; pot pies recalled"The number of people in Wisconsin who got sick from salmonella associated with frozen pot pies has increased to 21, state health officials said Friday... There have been three hospitalizations but no deaths. Eleven of the people are 19 or younger."
"Kromer started a cap company in 1919 and moved the operation to Milwaukee. His family sold the company to Richard Grossman in 1965, and in 2001, Grossman decided to stop making the Kromer caps. That's when Bob Jacquart, in Ironwood, Mich., stepped in and picked up the product, which is now made at his Jacquart Fabric Products plant just across the Wisconsin border from Hurley."
Bishop
Daniels drives like an oil sheik"But there they are: A 1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph, one of only about 1,500 such cars ever produced. A 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom, another limited-edition automobile with a base price of $338,000. A 2004 Maybach 62, a 20-foot-long German import that can cost more than $500,000. All of these are registered, according to state records, to a ministry of Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ, the city's largest Pentecostal congregation."
Student
veterans combat different stresses"John Osborne, a senior at UW-Madison, doesn't tell many people that he spent five years of his life with the U.S. Army. Why? Mostly because it's just easier. Then he doesn't have to answer the questions. The inane "So, was it hot over there?," or the question vets dread, but always, always know is coming, whether they'd ever killed someone."
As
cranes depart, Operation Migration works to prevent losses"For a seventh year, young whooping cranes took off Saturday morning from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin, led by ultralight aircraft on a 1,250-mile journey to a refuge on Florida's Gulf Coast."
Colleges
offer support as soldiers transition back to classroom"Our message to veterans is clear," said Mark Bradley, president of the UW Board of Regents. "We value your service and we encourage you to take full advantage of the educational benefits to which you are entitled." That includes making sure veterans have access to counselors and emotional support."
Sen
R. Feingold"Once again the president is trying to use fear and exaggeration to intimidate Congress into granting the executive branch unchecked power that will put the rights of Americans at risk," said Senator Russ Feingold.
Rep
D. Obey
Task
force addresses General Mills Poplar plant closing -
BusinessNorth.com - Duluth,MN"“We had no idea it was coming. It’s a stunner for us,” said task force member and Douglas County Board of Supervisors chair Doug Finn. Currently with 18 members, the task force includes state senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar), and representatives of the village of Poplar, Congressman David Obey, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, and regional employment programs."
Murals
may see update "The wildlife-themed scenery on the walls of the orange bridge was painted several years ago. The walls were then repainted about five years ago as part of an eighth grade citizenship project. Now would be a good time to refresh the faded mural, council members agreed."
Hurley
American Legion Post to remain open for at least one more year"In June, Dary wasn't sure if the building would remain open this year. The post was never in jeopardy. It just wouldn't have had a home. "It would be kind of a hollow organization," Dary said. "I don't want to see that."
Montreal
council OKs water diversion request"Ginger Nasi, from Ero Nasi Construction of Hurley, the company that built the speculation home, appeared before the council in August and September to ask that the culvert across Washington Avenue on the property line of two spec homes be moved."
"Store Director Chuck Miller said there will be prizes, games for kids, and food demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Through out the day, 14 $30 Copps gift cards will be given away. In addition there will be drawings for other prizes along with the demonstrations in the store."
Callers
express concern about E. coli illness in state"Ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees, which kills any E. coli bacteria that might be present in the meat, according to Patritto, who is the family development agent and nutrition education program coordinator for the extension."
"On Tuesday, the Montreal City Council earmarked streets in both Gile and Montreal to be used by both snowmobilers and all-terrain vehicle riders as routes, "for access to trails only." Riding on streets will not be allowed, said Montreal Mayor Robert Morzenti."
Doyle
budget headed to vote"In a surprise move Thursday, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) announced the vote by his house on Doyle's new budget - a spending plan Huebsch and many of his fellow Republicans plan to kill."
New
military plates peeve some veterans"Military plates are only one of more than 20 types of specialty plates in Wisconsin, for everyone from firefighters to Packers fans. Among military plates there are more than 50 varieties, including plates for military service academies, military branches, campaigns and medals ranging from the Bronze Star to Pearl Harbor survivors."
"The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation's market-basket survey of stores in 26 communities shows the average total cost of 20 food items in the three months ending in September was $52.58, or $2.25 higher compared to the three months ending in June."
Muslims
will break fast with the hungry""We feel what it is to be hungry, what it is to be poor," said Sadat Abiri, a member of the Islamic Center of Madison who is organizing the meal. Lamb with rice, pizza and fruit head up a menu designed to appeal to everyone."
Stevens
Point student arrested for bringing hunting gun to school"Police Capt. Kevin Ruder said the student stated he had accidentally brought the gun to school Thursday after hunting that morning. Devine said the gun was found in a locked case, and never left the car."
Jacks,
Midgettes run to victories "Hurley's Channel Youngs placed third in 15:33.7 to lead the Midgettes. Hurley held down places 6-8 as Stephanie Tijan, Tommi Schmitke and Jessica Mackey finished in 16:38.4, 16:40.4 and 16:42.1, respectively. Erin Worzalla completed the Hurley scoring by placing 10th in 16:52.4."
Sen
R. Feingold"I am troubled by the New York Times story indicating that the CIA’s leadership may be interfering with the oversight work of its own inspector general."
Gov.
DoyleContractor
assessed damages as project stays 'bogged down'"Scott Martin, of MSA Professional Services, Rhinelander, the city's engineering firm for the project, said liquidated damages of $600 per day are being assessed against A-1 Excavating, of Bloomer, until the project is "substantially complete." That means all the work must be finished, tested and put into service."
Food
pantry growing monthly "In 2007, the pantry has served 76 new households, including 114 adults and 57 children. In the past month, the pantry has given away more than 100 items of donated clothing."
Pastor:
Scene of shooting to be demolished and replaced with memorial"It is a symbol of the violence and a lot of pain and so we want to remove that from the area that it stands," Farr said. "We want to replace it with something that would honor those students and the parents and become a place where we can remember them."
Notre
Dame football star Gipp's body exhumed for DNA testing "Gipp was a prolific runner, passer and kicker who was Notre Dame's first All-America selection. He scored 83 touchdowns and held the school career rushing record for more than 50 years. But he's best known for the deathbed exhortation attributed to him years later by coach Knute Rockne. During a pregame pep talk, Rockne inspired his underdog Fighting Irish with the story of a dying Gipp urging the team to "win one for the Gipper."
Doyle
calls his budget plan less harsh for UW"Across the state, students are doing exactly what we want them to do . . . and yet the state Legislature now has blocked their ability to get a state budget . . . that could help them along the way,"
New
course vowed on deer malady"The DNR has admitted that its effort to control the disease, by trying to kill most of the deer in affected areas, is not working even though the agency has been at it since 2002 and spent about $30 million. Instead of wiping out most of the herd in chronic wasting disease areas, surveys have shown that the number of deer per square mile has actually increased."
"This northwoods city of around 2,000 people is known in Wisconsin as a vacation destination, for its hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. It's a place where a siren sounds for lunch and curfew, and the local cafe offers bottomless cups of coffee for 25 cents. Since Sunday, it has been in the national spotlight for something no town should have to endure."
"The Department of Environment, Health and Safety took the lead examining the effects of mold in the building, and is currently analyzing how to fix the problem."
"The family said Neitzel was shot once in the right leg, once in the right upper arm and once in the shoulder. Authorities have said the only reason he survived Sunday’s shooting was because he played dead when 20-year-old Tyler Peterson stormed into his ex-girlfriend’s home during a pizza and movie party."
Gov.
Doyle
Blackwater
Is Soaked"The colonel, who was involved in a follow-up investigation and spoke on the condition he not be named, said the Blackwater guards disarmed the U.S. Army soldiers and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint until they could disentangle the SUV. His account was confirmed by the head of another private security company."
Iron
County taxpayers may pay price for budget delays in Madison"Noting that the state has been operating for the past three months without a budget, Kanninen said, "We are spending at the 2006-07 level." Iron County, the Hurley School District, and other counties and schools throughout the state are currently drafting their 2008 budgets. Without state figures, they must make "educated guesses," Kanninen said."
Kallas
resigns council seat "Cossi said statutes don't spell out exactly how soon the seat has to be filled, but said 30 days seems like a reasonable period to fill the vacancy. Before agreeing to advertise for candidates, council members indicated they don't think there will be a great amount of people interested in filling the seat."
Montreal:
City adopts new ordinance on municipal sewer ownership "The ordinance was drafted by city attorney John Carter, of Greenfield, to "clarify the section that specifies the city's ownership of the municipal sewer and the authority of the city to use, maintain and construct the municipal sewer.""
"Tyler James Peterson, who killed six people at a Crandon party, was hired as a police officer at 19 without a psychological screening, a combination that, though legal in Wisconsin, falls short of national norms and might allow unfit candidates to enter law enforcement, experts said."
""I like it a lot because I have my own money and I know how much I have," Lauren said. "Mostly I've been spending it, but I'm saving a little bit." She said her biggest expenditures are for clothes and lunch."
Budget
battle's a values fight"This budget impasse has gone on long enough," says Pocan. "The people of Wisconsin want a budget, not more gimmicks, coordinated television ads and rallies run by fringe front groups. It is time for the Legislature to get its act together. I look forward to a productive special session and the passage of a state budget that reflects Wisconsin's values."
Board
rooms in state lack women"The results of the study, Canter said, show the dire need for women to become more involved in upper level positions. While a few companies in Wisconsin have several women in upper level executive positions, the study found the ratio of women to men in executive positions remains 52 to 423."
Rep.
Suder accuses ex-girlfriend of theft, burglary"State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, has obtained a restraining order against a former live-in girlfriend he accused of stealing money and credit cards from him and later breaking into his home."
Odd:
Six-year-old boy crashes into transformer"A hungry 6-year-old grabbed his grandmother’s car keys, positioned his child seat behind the steering wheel and tried to drive himself to an Applebee’s restaurant."
"Follis said he was concerned that a statewide requirement for psychological testing would translate into an unfunded mandate for counties, noting that the costs of testing were upwards of $300. However, he said the Crandon shootings were a shock for all law enforcement agencies that would force them to reexamine their hiring procedures."
Sen
R. Feingold"As it works to fix the hastily passed Protect America Act, Congress should stand up to the administration’s fear-mongering and correct that legislation’s fundamental flaws, such as the utter failure to protect the privacy of Americans at home and abroad, and the complete lack of meaningful oversight."
Sen
H. Kohl"Kohl debated with students over his proposed legislation to help students stay out of credit card debt. Under his bill, credit card companies would have verify that any student under 21 has a source of income, or a guardian who would cover the expenses, before issuing a credit card."
Gov.
DoyleFamily
under fire: Rush and Co. hit on healthcare - Baltimore Sun"If federal funds were required [they] could die for all I care. Let the parents get second jobs, let their state foot the bill or let them seek help from private charities. ... I would hire a team of PIs and find out exactly how much their parents made and where they spent every nickel. Then I'd do everything possible to destroy their lives with that info."
"Xcel Energy spokeswoman Chris Ouellette said the company is petitioning the Wisconsin Public Service Commission for a 4.5 increase in the rate it charges residential customers for natural gas, not 30 percent, as was reported in the Daily Globe story."
Mercer:
Credit union branches out"Iron County Community Credit Union will celebrate the grand opening of its Mercer branch on Friday. The festivities include brats, hot dogs, chips and soft drinks from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. WIMI radio will have a live remote broadcast, with prize wheel, at the site."
Hurley
man claims false imprisonment"Court records show on Aug. 31, 2001, Kerr was sentenced to four years probation and assessed court costs stemming from an April 5, 2001, charge of possession with intent to deliver more than 2,500 grams of THC (marijuana.)"
Marquette:
Hunter attacked by bear"When Remsing tried to stop the fight between the bear and the dog, the bear attacked him, police said. Another hunter in the party, Shane Majors of Roscommon, jumped on the bear and stabbed it with a knife until it stopped attacking Remsing, police said."
""We also feel a tremendous amount of guilt and shame for the horrible acts Tyler committed," Farr read. They could offer no answer as to why the young man would take such a violent turn."
Doyle
says he will call special session to break budget stalemate"Doyle said his compromise bill, which was not made public Tuesday, reflects agreements made during budget negotiations. Doyle said a special session would not be needed if a deal was reached before Monday, but both sides called that unlikely."
The
trouble with capitalism"The current pope suggests that, while capitalism is not necessarily at odds with a fair distribution of resources, the sort of rapacious capitalism that has been on display in this robber baron era of free trade orthodoxy and race-to-the-bottom globalization must be checked if humanity is to prevail."
Sen
R. FeingoldEfforts
to Amend the Protect America Act"Congress must fix the fundamental flaws of that legislation - the utter failure to protect the privacy of Americans at home and abroad, and the complete lack of meaningful judicial, congressional and administrative oversight."
Gov.
Doyle
Governor
Doyle Calls Special Session of Legislature to Pass Budget"Governor Jim Doyle today announced he will call the full Legislature into Special Session on a compromise budget bill on Monday, October 15. The Wisconsin Legislature is the only Legislature in the country that has failed to pass a budget."
"National Fire Prevention Day was first recognized by the Fire Marshals' Association of North America on October 9, 1911 on the 40th anniversary of the great Chicago fire of 1871."
When putting away the archives for Sept (Do you realize that all archives are still available from a link at the bottom of this page?) I discovered that www.myhurley.net is now 3 years old. It started Se4pt 28th, 2004. The oldest available link is Oct 7th from Tim Michaels campaign against Rus Feingold for the Senate. Most of the links to newspaper articles have long gone to archives, but the titles and teasers are still there. - Bob
Rain
doesn't deter riders in annual ATV rally "Just more than 300 drivers registered for the countywide events, according to Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Susan Moore. ATV enthusiasts came to Hurley, Mercer, Saxon and points in between, with about 100 "walk-in" registering, she added."
County
spending requests under review"Saari cautioned that although some taxpayers will see a decrease in the county's share of property taxes, the overall tax bill could be higher this year because there are four other entities sharing those taxes -- school district, town or city, Vo-Tech, and the state."
"The insurance company representing Iron County and its officials in a lawsuit filed by Jodie Bednar-Clemens says the former corporation counsel "fails to state a claim upon which relief (punitive damages) can be granted.""
AP
Scholars "Tyler Harrington and Shawn Zani, 2007 graduates of Hurley K-12 School, were designated AP Scholars in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college level Advance Placement Exams. They each completed three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher."
STARS
to host public celebrations"During the week of Oct. 15 through 19, after-school programs in more than 7,500 communities and 1 million Americans will celebrate Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance to rally support for after-school programs."
"From Oct. 1 to Jan. 31, 2008, simply clip and save Box Tops for Education from participating brands and bring them to your classroom. The Hurley elementary classroom that collects the most will win a prize."
"A small child was pulled from a van just moments before it sank into the Turtle Flambeau Flowage Saturday. No one was injured in the incident, an Iron County Sheriff's Department report said."
"A policy Milwaukee police officials adopted recently prohibits officers from asking immigration questions or alerting federal authorities to suspected illegal immigrants, with some exceptions."
"Tyler Peterson went to his ex-girlfriend's house in Crandon Saturday with the hope of patching up their relationship, but instead got in a fight with her. And when other people at the house started calling him a "worthless pig" he lost control."
Jewish
immigrants helped develop small-town Wisconsin"Jews were similarly successful in congregation-building in Antigo, Appleton, Arpin, Ashland, Beloit, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Hurley, Kenosha, La Crosse, Manitowoc, Marinette, Monroe, Oshkosh, Racine, Stevens Point and Wausau. From 1900-'60, Jews also lived in small pockets of eight to 10 families in communities as far-flung as Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Beaver Dam and Jefferson."
[See also Jewish family in early Hurley. - Bob]
Church
becomes refuge after murderous shooting spree"Only about 3 1/2 hours after a 20-year-old sheriff's deputy opened fire on his former girlfriend and six other friends, leaving all but one dead, another deputy called Bill Farr, pastor of Praise Chapel Community Church, who is also the county's deputy coroner. There's been a horrible accident, get down to the church and open the doors, Farr was told."
Bill
would give DNR secretary decision to board"This could be the year, after more than 10 years of similar but failed efforts, that the state Legislature removes the post of DNR secretary from the governor 's cabinet and makes it a position appointed by the Natural Resources Board, supporters of the proposal say."
"Wisconsin Reps. Baldwin, Petri, Ron Kind, Gwen Moore, Steve Kagen and Dave Obey have occupied the moral high ground. Ryan and Sensenbrenner have stood the low ground with their president."
"The structure boasts new materials inside and out; the building was essentially gutted and modern wiring, plumbing, and air handling systems installed. However, painstaking care, from the choice of moldings and construction details, to the selection of lighting fixtures, ensures that the building retains its late 19th Century feel."
Sen
H. Kohl"Because the deal would combine Google’s position as the leading seller of text ads with DoubleClick’s dominance of graphic display ads, Sen. Herb Kohl, DWis., asked Thursday whether “advertisers and Internet publishers [will ] have no choice but to deal with Google, giving Google a stranglehold over Internet advertising and the power to raise ad rates.”"
Rep
D. Obey"Obey, who leads the House Appropriations Committee, voted for it. But he underscored Democratic impatience with his threat Tuesday to hold up an approximately $190-billion supplemental funding bill the Bush administration is expected to seek this fall."
Gov.
Doyle“Wisconsin and the entire Midwest have the opportunity to lead the nation in the fight against global warming. We look forward to welcoming Governors and delegates from across the Midwest to take the next steps to achieve energy independence.”
- "BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS -_5:45 P.M.
- POLICE, FIRE & LICENSE COMMITTEE
- FINANCE COMMITTEE
- CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 6:30 P.M."
Church
relay center for gift collection"Range Community Bible Church in Hurley will be a relay center for collecting shoebox gifts for children in need as part of Operation Christmas Child, a campaign of Samaritan's Purse."
Women's
group to sponsor event on World Community Day "Church Women United will sponsor "Embracing Justice Under God's Tent," in honor of World Community Day on Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hurley. Diverse women of faith will gather to share thoughts and prayers focused on the theme which concerns homelessness, immigration and responses to disaster based on familiar scriptures and Psalms 23, 82 and 85."
Manitowish
Waters, Wis.: Men's retreat "The Christian Men of the Northland will hold a retreat Friday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Oct. 28 at Camp Jorn in Manitowish Waters. Speaker Herb Rohman is an educator, pastor, missionary, author and kingdom worker."
2nd
latest budget and counting"Wisconsin is now the only state whose Legislature has not passed a budget. And the budget is on track to be one of the latest in state history, behind only the 1971 budget. That budget passed the Legislature on Oct. 27. The second-latest budget in state history passed the Legislature on Oct. 6, 1999 - exactly eight years ago Saturday."
A
water query from out West"I believe that Western states and Eastern states have not been talking to each other when it comes to proper use of our water resources," Richardson told the Las Vegas Sun for a story published Thursday. "I want a national water policy. We need a dialogue between states to deal with issues like water conservation, water reuse technology, water delivery and water production. States like Wisconsin are awash in water."
"Extremely popular and increasingly elaborate, they often involve the use of Global Positioning Systems, professional designers and computers on specialized mowing contraptions."
Hunter
guilty; spared life term"Nichols, 29, of Peshtigo, had been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, but the judge gave jurors an alternative of the lesser charge that carries a 60-year prison term instead of life. Nichols also was convicted on charges of hiding a corpse and being a felon in possession of a firearm."
Joel
McNally: Will test scores finally get plug pulled on vouchers?"That's in a state that claims to value education. How could a state that likes to consider itself way above average tolerate an educational system that produces the very worst reading scores in the nation at both the fourth-grade and eighth-grade levels?"
Unused
715 numbers held by telecommunications companies"... hundreds of thousands of unused telephone numbers are being held by telecommunications companies. If these numbers were made available to customers, it would delay the need for a new area code, PSC officials say, enabling both consumers and the telecommunications industry to better prepare for the eventual change."
Mercer:
Action Floor Systems celebrates safety"Seven employees received a jacket in recognition of 15-plus years of accident-free service. Twenty employees received a polar fleece sweatshirt for 10-plus years of accident free service. Twenty-five employees received a denim shirt for 5-plus years of accident free service."
Ottawa
issues reminder to hunters about emerald ash borer "Working hard to contain and halt the spread of this pest, the Ottawa National Forest recently issued a closure order restricting the movement of firewood from outside of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on National Forest System lands."
"Suzy Foster of Presque Isle took top Best Overall honors with Decadent Cranberry Chocolate Delight dessert at the Manitowish Waters Chamber of Commerce's Ninth Annual Cranberry Cooking Contest at Cranberry Colorama, Sept. 29."
"The ninth annual Spookwalk, organized by the North Lakeland Discovery Center and held at Camp Jorn YMCA, will be Saturday, Oct. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m."
Hunter
calls Hmong 'mean'"Prosecutors have portrayed Nichols as prejudiced against Hmong and a liar. His defense has claimed he acted in self-defense after Vang fired at him. In the seven-minute taped interview, Nichols told Marinette County sheriff's Detective Tony O'Neill that Hmong are "mean, they kill everything, they don't care what it is.""
AP
NEWSBREAK: Democrats put hospital tax back in play"Robson said after taking out the cigarette tax increase, a $175 million patients' compensation transfer and the hospital tax, the two sides were just $200 million apart. While Huebsch has said he would accept a cigarette tax increase and a patients' compensation fund transfer, the two sides still needed to negotiate on the hospital tax, she said."
Protect
Wisconsin's farmlands, report urges"Wisconsin needs to protect its farmland and improve health care for people in rural areas, according to a report released this week by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters."
"If the cute fuzzy crawler has a big brown stripe in the middle and smaller black stripes on each end, winter will be mild. A small brown stripe in the middle and bigger black stripes, winter will be harsh."
Legislator:
Cut pay for delays"Proposed by Rep. Louis Molepske, D-Stevens Point, the Budget Accountability Act was prompted by countless constituent complaints about how slowly the budget is progressing. The bill, if passed, will instill specific budget benchmarks for members of the budget conference committee."
"Federal drug agents last week raided Tainted Inc. in Oakland and arrested three of Martin's employees on drug charges for allegedly producing such marijuana-laced products as honey, soda and other snacks."
Heavy
law enforcement presence at ABC Raceway irks Red Clay racers"Ashland County Sheriff John Kovach said that about 20 officers, including Sheriff's Department deputies, officers from the Ashland and Bad River police departments, and troopers from the State Patrol's Drug Enforcement and Probation and Parole departments, handled about 370 interactions with drivers, all on Friday. Of those 370 "contacts," Kovach said, 284 were warnings; three people were cited for operating while intoxicated, five people were taken into custody; and four received speeding tickets, among other infractions."
Gov.
Doyle"Xcel Energy is anticipating a 30 percent increase from last year in natural gas prices during the winter heating months, November to March... Wisconsin is asking for a proposed 14.2 percent increase in electrical rates,
Energy
assistance available"The Iron County Department of Human Services will begin taking applications for the 2007-08 Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program on Monday. According to county officials at the courthouse in Hurley, applications will be taken this year by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 561-3636."
Great
conditions greet Pumpkin Run"The event allows outdoor enthusiasts to head out on Iron County's 250-mile trail system, with a full array of colors hanging overhead. Autumn colors are peaking in most areas on the Gogebic Range. With more than six inches of rain falling on Ironwood in September and rainfall continuing this month, riders will not experience a lot of dust on the trails,..."
Ehrhardt
wants to build on school's successes"Ehrhardt will serve as the liaison to Cooperative Education Service Agency 12, which provides a variety of shared services to the district. He will represent the district at regional and state meetings. He'll attend meetings of the Mercer School Board and its committees."
Restructured administration at school
"Vaughn recommended the board divide the duties, hiring a full-time principal and part-time superintendent. This summer, the board hired Jody Bognar of Manitowish Waters as principal, for an annual salary of $62,500."
"The first Northwoods Fall Art Tour runs Friday through Sunday in four Wisconsin counties, with most of the same galleries that participated in the summer tour."
State
sets low test standards"The bar for labeling a student proficient in reading and math is set lower in Wisconsin than in almost any other state among 26 in a study released Wednesday. The study found that "cut scores" - the line between proficient and not proficient - vary widely among the 26 states, casting doubt on the question of what it means when a state says a certain percentage of its students are doing well."
No
simple solution for Great Lakes muck, scientists say"But scientists acknowledge there are no simple solutions for a recent algae outbreak that is littering shorelines with stinky muck, and it may be responsible for die-offs of loons and other water birds."
Hospitals
drop opposition to Doyle's controversial tax"The Wisconsin Hospital Association said a compromise proposal would provide $284 million in new and much needed federal money to the state hospitals that provide government-funded health care to the poor, including $30.5 million to Madison's three hospitals, its top lobbyist said."
"Wisconsin, according to a conservative-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C., uses lower standards to measure whether students are proficient in reading and math than almost any other state among 26 included in a new study."
Downloading
on trial"Elizabeth received a surprise package on her birthday last July: A letter confirming the $4,000 settlement she reached with the Recording Industry Association of America had been successfully paid."
Sen
R. Feingold
"As a recess appointee to the FEC he has been a committed, ideological opponent of the campaign finance laws he is supposed to enforce. Putting him at the head of the FEC is just another example of this administration putting the fox in charge of the hen house."
Feingold
Responds to McConnell's Distortion of Feingold-Reid"It's unfortunate that the Senate Minority Leader is intentionally distorting what the Feingold-Reid legislation actually does. Our bill would remove our troops safely from the middle of the Iraqi civil war and then, once they are redeployed, end funding for the President’s disastrous Iraq policy."
"The Student Breakfast and Education Improvement Act of 2007 will provide grants, awarded on a competitive basis, to schools with at least 65 percent of students eligible for free and reduced price lunch."
Rep
D. Obey
"It's a confession that the President has not a clue about how to get us out of that civil war and instead plans to punt the problem to his successor - ruining two administrations rather than just one,"
"The surtax would be "a percentage of your tax bill," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wisconsin. "And if you don't like the cost, then shut down the war.""
Gov.
DoylePeak
Color hits the North WoodsNo, these pictures were not stolen from an upstate New Hampshire or Vermont Chamber of Commerce brochure. Jim Hantula of Larson Realty in Hurley sent some pictures of the changing colors in the north woods. It's got to be the prettiest season of the year.
Teachers
to accept Hurley School's awards "This is a great honor for our school and our teaching staff. We are very proud of this accomplishment and the work our staff has put in to give our kids a chance for this type of success," Patritto said.
Warrant
issued for Milwaukee woman who failed to appear "According to Hurley police, Hollingsworth is alleged to have taken about $1,000 from the wallet of a man she had accompanied to his motel room in Hurley. The criminal complaint said Hollingsworth fled the room while the man was in the bathroom."
Mercer:
Woman arrested, accused of assault"Two people were fighting in the vehicle. Deputies determined that the female driver, Gina Gillett, 25, of West Allis, Wis., had pulled the vehicle over on the side of the highway and was screaming for assistance. A man in the truck had blood on his face, according to the sheriff's department report."
"Birders, dozens at a time, gathered around a shed on the property and watched the bird at the feeder and on its perch in a nearby tree. When it moved to the yard of Salzberg's neighbor, the birders followed. They were drawn by the rarity, the first recorded sighting of a green-breasted mango in Wisconsin and anywhere north of North Carolina."
State
pressing for cleanup of river"We're very adamant about the need to do full-scale dredging in 2009, and right now if we don't get things moving in terms of equipment purchases and finding a disposal site, we're going to miss that year for dredging, and that is something that is unacceptable," said Bruce Baker, deputy administrator for the DNR's water division.
UW-Madison
researchers wage war on cancer stem cells"Like regular stem cells, lauded for their role in regulating the body and their potential to become cures for diseases, cancer stem cells can self-renew and morph into many types of cells, scientists say."
"The white hunter on trial for killing a Hmong immigrant lied about being shot at by an unknown gunman before telling a deputy sheriff he fired back in self-defense. "I had no choice. He shot me at point blank when I said he was messing with my squirrel hunt," James Nichols said in a tape recording played for jurors."
"Crops of houses where farms and forests used to be is nothing new in Wisconsin," the report said. "Still, agriculture and forestry are the principal land uses in the state. Is it too late to make a difference? No. But ... pushing the resource to its limits before acting is foolhardy."
Wildflower
Woods native plant service takes root in Washburn "To me, it has a lot to do with a sense of place," Brown said. "A lot of people live here in the northwoods because they love the northwoods environment, so it makes a lot of sense to have your landscape reflect that environment — rather than a landscape that could be Anywhere, U.S.A."
Sen
R. Feingold“By vetoing the Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization bill today, the president disregarded the nearly 67,000 Wisconsin families who receive health care through Wisconsin’s successful BadgerCare program."
Gov.
DoyleGovernor
Doyle Warns of Consequences if Legislature Fails to Pass Budget"As Governor, I have to plan for the real consequences that will hit this state if the Legislature continues to fail to pass a budget. Not passing a budget is not an option.”
CenturyTel
to offer high-speed Internet access to Montreal soon "CenturyTel technicians have been installing remotes to fiber-optic lines along Wisconsin 77 for the past couple of weeks. "These lines will provide high-speed Internet to more customers in that area," Valiquette said."
Schools
use virtual notices in times of real danger"University officials won kudos for their swift communication, while they also learned an important lesson about keeping another group of concerned folks in the loop during campus emergencies: parents nowhere near campus. After the school posted the campus crisis hotline number on the Web on Tuesday, the center got several calls from parents outside Madison, looking not for counseling but for a live update."
Attorneys
argue about self-defense as trial of Wis. hunter begins"He wasn't going to wait around to die. He protected himself by killing the shooter," the defense attorney said. But Latorraca told jurors that just because someone says he acted in self-defense doesn't mean what he did was reasonable under the circumstances."
Anti-religion
billboard sponsored by Gaylor group"The group unveiled its first message on an 18-foot billboard just off the west Beltline near the Todd Drive exit today. The billboard looks like a stained glass window with the message "Beware of Dogma" and the group's name and Web site."
Study:
State has largest reading gap"A study released one week ago found black Wisconsin fourth graders scored an average of 38 points less than white students, and black Wisconsin fifth graders scored 39 points less then their white counterparts. Behind Wisconsin in the fourth grade category was Nebraska with a 36-point gap, and Connecticut with a 35-point gap."
Obey
proposes income tax surcharge to pay for Iraq war"The plan, unveiled by Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., John Murtha, D-Pa., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., would require low- and middle-income taxpayers to add 2 percent to their tax bill. Wealthier people would add a 12 to 15 percent surcharge, Obey said."
Lake
Superior hits record low for the month of September "Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Superior broke by 1.6 inches the former low of 600 feet 9 inches, set in 1926. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came up with a slightly different average for September, but still had the lake's depth 4 inches below the record."
Sen
R. Feingold“NWSCDC has been committed to revitalizing Milwaukee’s central city neighborhoods, and has been successful in creating jobs that have assisted the city’s low-income residents,”
Rep
D. Obey“Now, let me make one additional point. The President is asking us to spend about $200 billion - every dollar of that borrowed - in order to finance the supplemental for the war in Iraq, and yet he's objecting to the fact that in the House passed bills we tried to take about one-tenth of that amount and use it for crucial investments in our country's future."
Nature's
color display peaking - Ironwood Globe"The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources late last week said Hurley colors were 50 to 75 percent complete, with the peak a week or two away. Colors at Manitowish Waters had already reached the peak stage and Winter, Wis., was past peak stage."
Manitowish
Waters, Wis.: Bates to guide hike"John Bates, author of the educational phenology guides A Northwoods Companion (fall/winter and spring/summer editions), will lead an autumn color natural history hike at the Raven Trail in Woodruff on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters will host the hike and provide transportation."
Test
may alter disabled schooling"A lot of the work with these students has been more about life skills, and it hasn't been as much about academic content," said Lynette Russell, director of educational accountability for the state Department of Public Instruction. "And this will help drive in that direction."
"It doesn't seem right that the (state Department of Natural Resources) should be giving a license to someone who can't speak English," one prospective juror said during questioning. "If you don't speak English, you shouldn't be out in the woods with a gun."
"When the reptile submerged again, Long fired and stunned it. He called to his cousin, who prodded the 25-pound animal with a stick and then ran when it moved. “We both thought nobody is going to believe us,” Long said. “We made a decision to bring it back dead or alive, and more likely dead.”"
"A master carver, Maulson introduced students in Rebecca Campbell's World Art class to the Ojibwe tradition of making fish decoys for use during the ice-fishing season. Maulson, who is a member of the Lac du Flambeau Band and the chief warden for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in Odanah, brought pieces of aged basswood for the students to use in carving and painting their own sucker-sized decoys."
Sen
R. Feingold"Now is not the time for half-measures or compromises that do nothing to end the President's disastrous Iraq policy. If senators are serious about safely redeploying our troops from Iraq, passing Feingold-Reid is the surest way to do it."
Gov.
Doyle
Governor
Doyle Warns of Consequences if Legislature Fails to Pass Budget"If the Legislature does not pass a budget, local schools will be forced to layoff teachers or raise property taxes. On October 15, the Department of Public Instruction must notify local school district how much state aid each schools will receive. Without a new budget, property taxes will rise over $600 million."
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