Soon, likely in the next few weeks, the U.S. toll from the coronavirus will surpass one million. Through wave after wave, the virus has compiled a merciless chronology of loss, one by one by one. Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says a little more than two years ago Fond du Lac County recorded it's first COVID-19 deaths. Meanwhile, federal data confirms that 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S […]
The Fond du Lac County District Attorney and Republican attorney general candidate is defending his office's handling of a case involving a man who shot and killed an Appleton firefighter after being released from the Fond du Lac County Jail. Ruben Houston III was released from the Fond du Lac County Jail on $500 bail in May 2019 and days later shot and killed Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard. District Atttorney Eric Toney is coming […]
An area lawmaker has been appointed to a new Wisconsin Agricultural Export Advisory Council. Republican state senator Joan Ballweg of Markesan has been named an ex-officio member of the council. The council will help guide initiatives through the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, a collaborative project between the state Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to promote the export of Wisconsin's dairy products. Wisconsin ag exports reached […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Department of Natural Resources has restarted efforts to set standards for bacteria in groundwater after conservatives on the agency's policy board killed the attempt in February. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the board on Wednesday authorized a public hearing and comment period on a new rule-making process to set groundwater standards for E. coli bacteria. DNR officials spent two-and-a-half years developing rules setting […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two more Democrats have decided to give up their seats in the state Assembly. Rep. Nick Milroy of South Range announced Thursday that he won't seek reelection in November. He said that he has spent too many days and nights in Madison away from his wife and he's looking forward to spending more time with her and their three children. Milroy was first elected to the […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new report shows that Wisconsin's crime labs' testing turnaround times dipped across a number of disciplines last year. The state Justice Department released its annual report on crime lab performance Thursday. It shows that the average turnaround times for results from drug, DNA and toxicology tests took days and weeks longer in 2021 than in 2020. Turnaround times for firearms testing improved by almost 100 […]
Fond du Lac School officials say a pilot program has accomplished its goal of providing student support and instructional leadership as the district transitions out of the pandemic. The Fond du Lac School Board received an update at their meeting this week on the Teachers on Special Assignment or TOSA positions that were hired at the District's elementary and middle schools. "The TOSAs through the first half of the school year played a very […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice leading a taxpayer-funded investigation into the 2020 election criticized how the leader of the bipartisan state elections commission dresses. Michael Gableman was hired by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to look into the 2020 election. He has released two widely panned preliminary reports and his contract runs through the end of April, but there are multiple ongoing lawsuits related to […]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Another Assembly Democrat is calling it quits. Rep. Gary Hebl of Sun Prairie announced Wednesday that he won't seek reelection this fall. He said he wants to focus on his personal life, travel with his wife and family and spend more time with his grandchildren. Hebl has served in the Assembly since 2004. Seven Assembly Democrats have now announced they won't run again in November. Thirteen […]