Month: December 2017

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former Democratic state Rep. Kelda Helen Roys is running for governor. Roys told The Associated Press on Thursday that she's hiring staff and will formally launch her campaign early next year.  Roys will be joining a crowded Democratic field seeking to run against Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Others already in the race include state Superintendent Tony Evers, state firefighter union leader Mahlon Mitchell, state Sen. Kathleen […]

Authorities have identified an elderly Mayville man who was killed in a collision with a farm combine in Fond du Lac County.  The crash happened shortly before 5pm Wednesday on Highway 151 near Towne Road.  The Sheriff’s Office says a preliminary investigation indicates that pick-up truck pulling a trailer with a combine on it, was attempting to cross USH 151 when a southbound vehicle  struck the rear of the farm […]

The Fond du lac County Parks director says its important to have a long term plan for arguably the county’s most popular park. Parks director Sam Tobias says increased useage combined with fewer dollars for maintenance have taken a toll over the years.  Tobias says the county needs to make a priority list for maintenance work at the park.  Tobias says work has been done  to address areas of the […]

The executive director of the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is ripping President Donald Trump’s decision to significantly shrink two national monuments in Utah.   Trump announced this week he was cutting the Bears Ears National Monument by 83 percent and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in half.  League of Conservation Voters director, Kerry Schumann, says millions of people filed public comments in support of the Monuments.   Schumann says Trump’s decision marks […]

A former Ripon High School teacher  accused of having sex with a student has been charged.   Samantha Fitzpatrick made her initial Fond du Lac Court appearance Wednesday on charges of child enticement, sexual assault of a student by school staff, exposing a child to harmful material and obstructing an officer.    Bail was set at $1000 cash.    Fitzpatrick is accused of sending sexually explicit text messages and a  photo of herself […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The lead investigator into a now-closed probe of Gov. Scott Walker says he was "completely surprised" by the recommendation that he be found in contempt.  Attorney General Brad Schimel calls for investigator Fran Schmitz and eight others to be disciplined, but not criminally charged, for their rolls in the probe. Schimel says there was "systemic and pervasive mishandling" of evidence during the investigation that led to […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross wants to tweak his plan to merge the system's two- and four-year schools to let a four-year institution issue online degrees.  The Board of Regents adopted a Cross proposal last month to make two-year schools regional branches of the four-years. The plan called for system administration to issue online associate degrees rather than UW Colleges Online and the Flex […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican leaders of the Wisconsin Legislature have created a bipartisan task force to study school funding in the state.  The panel announced Tuesday will hold its first meeting later this month with hearings across the state planned before issuing a report to the Legislature by the end of next year.  Lawmakers say it's the first review of the funding formula in 20 years.  The panel will […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents is poised to adopt a policy calling for tracking faculty teaching loads and rewarding staffers who spend more time in the classroom.  The state budget requires the regents to develop the policy. The budget ties state aid to UW schools based in part on how they stack up against each other in instructional time.  The regents are set […]