Month: January 2018

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state Senate committee has signed off on a Republican bill that would relax Wisconsin's air pollution regulations. The bill would repeal any state air pollution rules that go beyond federal regulations by the end of 2018. The state currently regulates hundreds more pollutants than the federal government. The Republican-controlled Senate Committee on Government Operations, Technology and Consumer Protection voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve the bill.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The chairman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission is accusing Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of being a coward and a bully. Elections Commission chairman Mark Thomsen on Tuesday called on senators to stand up to Fitzgerald and vote to confirm Michael Haas as administrator of the agency. Fitzgerald has refused to hold a hearing on the confirmation and his spokesman Dan Romportl says the Senate […]

A Watertown man is going to  prison for supplying the heroin that led to the overdose death of a Dodge County woman.  Dodge County judge Joseph Sciascia sentenced 50 year old Terence Jannke to 20 years in prison followed by ten years of extended supervision.  Investigators say Jannke gave the heroin to Gabriel Brandl, who injected Holly Nehls with the drug in July 2016. Brandl drove with Nehls' body in […]

A Randolph man is accused of filing false income tax returns.     The Dane County District attorney has filed four felony charges against Matthew Schraufnagel  following an investigation by the state Department of Revenue.  Schraufnagel is accused of filing false income tax returns over a four year period collecting over $4000 more in refunds than he was owed.  The charges carry a maximum penalty of  24 years in prison and […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — It's costing Wisconsin taxpayers $1 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the estate of a Milwaukee prisoner who died after a guard ignored a warning from the inmate's cellmate that he was having a seizure.  Paramedics found 34-year-old Jeremy Cunningham dead in his cell at the state-run Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility in 2011.  Cunningham's cellmate had pressed an emergency button to alert prison staff about […]

A Fond du Lac family has been displaced by fire.  Shortly before 7pm Monday Fond du Lac firefighters were  called to 392 Ledgeview Avenue and upon arrival found smoke and fire in the walls and attic of the residence.  Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire to prevent further damage.  The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical in nature.  The family was able to get out […]

Nobody was injured in a garage fire in St. Cloud.  Shortly after 4pm Monday firefighters were called to the Phyllis Hochrein residence at 237 East Railroad Avenue.  The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical and is not considered suspicious.   The fire was contained to the garage and caused significant damage.  Mt. Calvary, town of Calumet and Fond du Lac fire departments were on the scene.

Nobody was injured in a fire that destroyed a storage building in Campbellsport.   At 2:30 pm Monday firefighters were called to the scene at N2496 on Highway 45.  A pole shed, which was used as an office and for heavy equipment storage was destroyed.  The building is own by Valley Hydro Excavating LLC.  The only employee in the building was able to exit the building without any injuries.  The cause  […]

Two employees received minor injuries in an explosion and  fire at a Ripon business.  Ripon Fire Chief Tim Saul says firefighters were called to Signature Wafers  on Stanton Street Monday afternoon for a report of a fire in a compact dumpster.   Two employees received minor injuries by the force of the explosion.  The fire was quickly extinguished.