When someone in Wisconsin calls 9-1-1 with an emergency, they could get a dispatcher who is highly trained in providing detailed medical help over the phone – or someone who has virtually no such training. Wisconsin has no minimum training standards for dispatchers, and the American Heart Association thinks that should change. Bobbie Hicken is the Communications Operations manager in the Fond du Lac County Dispatch Center. Hicken says Fond […]
A UW Madison professor who signed a letter ripping the DNR for changing its website language on climate change says he hopes the agency isn’t backing away from science. Seven UW Madison climate, zoology and ecology professors say the new language incorrectly implies climate change is mysterious when its clearly caused by greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels. Professor Stephen Carpenter is the director of the UW Madison Limnology […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The chairman of the Wisconsin state Assembly's Health Committee says ensuring that the nearly quarter of a million Wisconsin residents who have purchased health insurance under the federal law don't lose coverage is a priority as the law is replaced. State Rep. Joe Sanfelippo made the comment Thursday during a panel discussion among state health care leaders about the future of the federal law. Wisconsin health […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A health care advocacy group wants Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers to devote more money into a program to screen high school students for drug abuse. Walker has called a special legislative session to pass 11 bills to curb opioid abuse. One would allocate $200,000 more to the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment program. The program screens students for substance abuse through conversations and […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A legislator plans to introduce a bill this session that would lift Wisconsin's mining moratorium. Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the moratorium into law in 1998. It requires companies to prove a sulfide mine can run for a decade without polluting state waters and a sulfide mine has been closed in the state for a decade without polluting the water. Republican Sen. Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A candidate for Wisconsin state superintendent wants to create a statewide school board. John Humphries on Thursday called for creating an Education Accountability Board, or a statewide school board. Wisconsin currently does not have such a board. The state superintendent position runs the state Department of Public Education without oversight of a board. Humphries is challenging incumbent state superintendent Tony Evers and former Beloit superintendent Lowell […]
Two Fond du lac High School students have been arrested in connection with a threatening note found at the school this week. Assistant police chief Steve Klein says a 17 year old boy is being held in the Fond du Lac County Jail on charges of making terrorist threats and a 16 year old boy has been referred to juvenile intake on the same charge. Klein says the note made […]
A Ripon man convicted of child pornography is going to prison. At a hearing Wednesday in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court, 43 year old Daniel Mattson pleaded no contest to three counts of possession of child pornography. Seventeen counts of possession of child porn and three counts of child sexual exploitation were dismissed and read into the record. Judge Richard Nuss sentenced Mattson to five years in prison […]
All three people arrested in connection with a Fond du lac gas station robbery have been convicted. As part of a plea agreement Barbara Abernathy pleaded no contest to an amended count of theft from a person. She was originally charged with armed robbery. Fond du Lac judge Richard Nuss placed Abernathy on probation for three years. Shawn Eubanks earlier pleaded no contest to robbery and a felon in possession […]