Month: February 2018

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly passed a sweeping bipartisan overhaul of Wisconsin's juvenile justice system Wednesday, approving a bill that would close the troubled Lincoln Hills youth prison by 2021 and authorize $80 million in borrowing for new state and county youth facilities.  Gov. Scott Walker supports the measure but it's unclear whether it can clear the Senate. Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has refused to commit to the […]

A package of anti-crime bills that would create stiffer penalties for repeat offenders and illegal firearm possession are on their way to Gov. Scott Walker.  The Assembly approved the bills Wednesday. The Senate passed them in November. They now go to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.  Repeat offenders convicted of serious crimes would face a mandatory five-year minimum sentence. Illegally possessing a gun while on probation, parole or extended […]

Fond du Lac Public Works crews are on the scene of a major water main break this morning.  The break is located on Martin Avenue at Maona Avenue near the Fairgrounds.  With temperatures in the teens, the water is freezing as it spreads across the road.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly has passed a Republican bill creating a grant program to help schools pay for armed guards. The vote comes six days after a mass shooting at a Florida high school left 17 dead. Under the bill, school districts could receive grants from the state Justice Department for three consecutive years to pay armed security officers in schools with grades 5-12.

An orthopedic physician and former Agnesian HealthCare employee accuses Agnesian of defrauding government funded health care programs by compensating doctors who bring in more business.  Dr. Clark Searle alleges in a federal  lawsuit that Agnesian violated the Stark Law which bans physician self-referral for services when a patient is covered by Medicare or Medicaid.   Agnesian and SSM Health denies the claim and says Governor Scott Walker recently repealed the Wisconsin […]

Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet have easily advanced in Wisconsin's Supreme Court primary.  Madison attorney Tim Burns was eliminated.  The outcome sets up an April 3 election between two justices with clearly different ideologies.  Screnock was appointeds a judge by Republican Gov. Scott Walker in 2015. He had the backing of the Wisconsin Republican Party and had previously worked as an attorney […]