madison.com rss 2.0

Clintons launch campaign swing for Obama

Beth FouhyAssociated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:10:00 CDT

WASHINGTON -- When Bill and Hillary Clinton take the stage Sunday at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, it will be the launch of an active campaign for their former nemesis Barack Obama in the home stretch of the 2008 presidential race. The nation's best known and most powerful Democrats for nearly two decades, the former first couple is getting used to a new role: cheerleaders for Obama, who vanquished Hillary Clinton last spring in a Democratic primary contest for the ages. Whatever recriminations ...

State leaders comment on report of GM plant closing

Associated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:10:00 CDT

Comments from Wisconsin political leaders amid reports that General Motors is planning to close its Janesville operations: Gov. Jim Doyle: "On June 3rd, General Motors announced they were closing the Janesville plant because soaring gas prices deflated demand for the sport utility vehicles produced there. Since that time, we joined forces with the local union, businesses, community leaders and our Congressional Delegation to convince General Motors to rethink their decision and continue production at the Janesville ...

Update: Chrysler, GM discuss merger, acquisition

Associated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:04:00 CDT

DETROIT -- For General Motors Corp. to acquire Chrysler LLC and all of its warts, GM would have to get desperately needed cash as part of the deal. Lots of it, according to industry analysts. With both automakers struggling to survive amid slumping sales, a slowing global economy and an unprecedented credit crunch, it's unclear whether Chrysler's majority owner, Cerberus Capital Management LP, would be willing to pay up, or whether the federal government might even get involved to save one or both struggling ...

Photo exhibit at church honors same-sex relationships

The Capital Times — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:13:00 CDT

A photo exhibit featuring partners in same-sex relationships will be on display beginning Sunday at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. An open house will be held Sunday from 1-3 p.m., and the exhibit will be on display at the church for one week. The exhibit, titled "Shall Not Be Recognized," was created by Jeff Pearcy and Will Fellows in response to the passage of the 2006 marriage amendment in Wisconsin that does ...

Cops looking for 4 who beat teen

The Capital Times — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:14:00 CDT

Madison police are searching for four Hispanic teenagers who used pepper spray to attack a 16-year-old Madison boy the night of Sept. 28. The victim was walking along Post Road near Coho Street at 8 p.m. when he was approached by one of the suspects, who was armed with pepper spray. The victim was sprayed in the eyes, fell to the ground and was kicked several times. The boy, who is not sure why he was targeted, ...

Man drives into building, charged with 7th OWI

The Capital Times — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:14:00 CDT

A 40-year-old man struck a building with his car early Saturday morning and was eventually arrested for his seventh operating-while-intoxicated offense. Madison police arrested Jason T. Lynch at the scene after Lynch hit a private property south of the Beltline at 1502 Greenway Cross at 2:20 a.m. Besides the OWI, Lynch was also charged with a probation violation and operating after revocation. ...

Deputy shoots, wounds inmate who was AWOL

Associated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:18:00 CDT

A Dane County Sheriff's deputy shot and wounded an inmate who had been missing from jail for about a week, the Sheriff's Office announced today. The department says a deputy was dispatched at about 2 a.m. Saturday to Cambridge for a suicidal man. The deputy found 28-year-old Jacob Prochnow sitting in a park, but Prochnow ran and the deputy followed him into an alley. The office says Prochnow ignored commands and told the deputy he had a ...

Election matters: McCain's 'Angry Waukesha Man' is a superstar

John Nichols — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:33:00 CDT

CALENDAR: The Nov. 4 election is 24 days from today. THE BIG QUESTION: How famous is "angry Waukesha man" going to become? Cable television shows keep running the clip of him ranting about creeping "socialism." The Washington Post highlights him in its "Anger Is Crowd's Overarching Emotion at McCain Rally" story. Bloggers are writing about him, talk radio is talking about him, and he's a genuine YouTube star. We speak, of course, of ...

Youth deer hunt under way this weekend

Associated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:46:00 CDT

Wisconsin's youth deer hunt is under way. Children between the ages of 12 and 15 who have completed a hunter's safety course and have a gun deer license are eligible for the hunt that runs through Sunday. They must be accompanied by a mentor who isn't hunting with a gun. The annual youth hunt was established seven years ago to introduce children to deer hunting when there are fewer hunters in the woods. Wisconsin's traditional gun deer ...

Suspect sought in Park St. Walgreens robbery

The Capital Times — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:31:00 CDT

Madison police are searching for a man who reached over a counter and stole money from a cash register Friday night from a Walgreens drugstore at 2121 S. Park St. The strong-armed robbery occurred at 9:33 p.m. The suspect is a black male of medium build, approximately 5-foot-8 and 25 to 30 years old, with a short Afro hair style. He was wearing a green and gold jacket and dark blue jeans, and left the scene in ...

Alaska inquiry's findings may bite Palin at polls

Associated Press — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:42:00 CDT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The politically charged investigation into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is over, and its conclusions are stinging. But the fallout, if any, might not come until Election Day. A legislative investigator found that Palin violated state ethics laws and abused her power by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper. The next move may be at the ballot box. The legislative committee that released the report Friday recommends no criminal investigation and has no authority to sanction the governor, ...

4 arrested for growing marijuana

The Capital Times — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:25:00 CDT

After an extensive investigation, two Madison men and a Waterloo man were arrested Wednesday night by the Columbia County Sheriff's Department for allegedly manufacturing marijuana in Deerfield. A rural Deerfield property owner contacted authorities when he noticed marijuana plants being grown on his land. Deputies arrested Madison residents Peter D. Fortlage, 48, and Sean K. Barry, 41, and James M. Laing, 48, of Waterloo after they cut five marijuana plants on the land. The three men ...

Meerkats Stan and Groucho arrive at Vilas Zoo

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:59:00 CDT

The latest additions to the Vilas Park Zoo animal gang are a pair of Meerkats, furry little burrowing creatures which are part of the mongoose family. The two male animals, Stan and Groucho, came to the Henry Vilas Zoo from the Louisville Zoo, said Henry Vilas Zoo director Jim Hubing. Stan and Groucho are the latest inhabitants of the Children's Zoo that opened a new play area earlier this year and now has an electric ...

Mobile video led to Stoughton man's arrest for sex with minor

Mike Miller — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:04:00 CDT

A Stoughton man was named in an arrest warrant issued Friday for having sex with a 17-year-old girl last New Year's Eve, an event that was apparently recorded on the cell phone of another partygoer, saved as a video file and shown to students at Stoughton High School. Shayne M. Hosli, 29, is charged in the warrant and complaint with a misdemeanor count of having sexual intercourse with a child. It is illegal in Wisconsin ...

Wisconsin report: Great Lakes wind farms feasible

Associated Press — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:43:00 CDT

A draft report says offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes are feasible but need more research. The Public Service Commission's study found Great Lakes wind farms have the potential to create power on a larger scale than land farms because winds over the lakes are stronger and more consistent. They also may present fewer concerns about interfering with other land uses. But energy from offshore wind likely would be more expensive than energy from land-based farms. ...

Madison school district maintains enrollment count

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:05:00 CDT

Public school enrollment in Madison is virtually the same as last year, with the official count on the third Friday of September showing three fewer students than a year ago. State law dictates that schools take an official count on the third Friday of each new school year and this year's count in Madison shows a total enrollment of 24,540. While that figure represents a slight decrease from last year, it is slightly higher than ...

Alleged teenage burglars caught

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:32:00 CDT

Quick action by a resident whose west side home near Elver Park was being burgled led to the arrest Friday morning of two Madison teenagers. Police said the resident was in his basement at about 9:15 a.m. when he heard the front door of his Falmouth Court home open. After he went upstairs to check, he saw the front door was open and also spotted a young man trying to enter his home through a patio ...

City hopes stats project will ID, prevent neighborhood trouble

Kristin Czubkowski — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:51:00 CDT

From statistics on voter turnout to kindergarten readiness to pavement condition, every number tells part of a neighborhood's story -- where it has been, where it is now and where it's going. Now, the city of Madison will have the chance to put those pieces together in one location as part the Neighborhood Indicators Project, which will track more than 40 variables about each city neighborhood. City officials announced Friday the official launch of the project's ...

Deer with CWD found on hunting preserve

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:37:00 CDT

The first chronic wasting disease-infected deer on a Wisconsin hunting preserve in almost four years has been discovered on a preserve in Portage County. State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt announced Friday that a white-tailed deer from the Alligator Creek Whitetails LLC hunting preserve near Junction City tested positive for CWD, so the 150-head herd was put under immediate quarantine. This is the first new CWD-infected herd on a Wisconsin farm since January 2005. The quarantine stops movement of ...

WCO wants 'complete' proposal from musicians' union

Bill Novak — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:21:00 CDT

Contract talks between striking Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra musicians and management are continuing, but a new wrinkle in the talks could delay any agreement on a new pact until mid-week next week. Todd Jelen, first bassoonist with the orchestra and a member of the negotiating committee, told The Capital Times that management gave a counter-proposal to the union earlier this week on three key points, including firing procedure, attendance requirements and how to distribute proceeds from the ...

U.S. students steered away from math, UW-led study says

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:43:00 CDT

A "culture of neglect and social ostracism" is derailing American students, especially girls, who are gifted in mathematics but don't end up in the field, according to a new study. The report, published Friday in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society, said students with a profound ability at math get into a culturally restricted pipeline that puts American leadership in the mathematical sciences and related fields at risk. Since American culture holds math in low esteem, ...

Connecticut high court rules same-sex couples can wed

Associated Press — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:02:00 CDT

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making that state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions. The court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples. Justices overturned a lower court ruling and found in favor of the ...

Doyle unveils research triangle for gene research

Associated Press — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:20:00 CDT

Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled an initiative Friday to make Wisconsin a worldwide leader in a fledgling science that would treat patients based on their DNA. But the ambitious proposal faces stiff competition from states such as California, which have already made similar investments. The Wisconsin Medical Research Triangle will include scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's school of medicine and public health, UW-Milwaukee, the Milwaukee-based Medical College of Wisconsin and the Marshfield Clinic, Doyle said. "We have a ...

DMV center at Westgate closed Saturday

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:39:00 CDT

The Department of Motor Vehicles customer service center at the Westgate shopping center on Madison's west side will be closed Saturday because of a temporary computer system shutdown. The office will also be closed Monday, Columbus Day, for staff training. The office will reopen Tuesday with regular hours from 11:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., but will be closed 2:15-3 p.m. ...

Part of American Parkway closed for month

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:47:00 CDT

Commuters heading into the American Family Insurance complex on the northeast side might need to take alternate streets starting Tuesday if normally entering from the north due to road construction at the north end of American Parkway. The road will be closed to all traffic from Hoepker Road to Village Park Drive from Oct. 14 to mid-November. Portage Road, which feeds into Hoepker Road on the west side of the complex and has been under construction this ...

Drug crime enforcement gets funding boost

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:01:00 CDT

Drug investigation units in Wisconsin got an $848,600 boost from the state Thursday to help fund 18 multi-jurisdictional enforcement groups and three assistant district attorney positions to work specifically on prosecuting drug crimes. "Drug and criminal gang-related crime is a serious problem in Wisconsin," said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen in announcing the funding. "By combining the resources of multiple law enforcement jurisdictions, these groups are able to develop multi-faceted, cooperative drug investigations." The state funding comes ...

Gas price has fallen 40 cents in month

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:15:00 CDT

If you need some good news in the bleak economic story today, stop at your neighborhood gas station. Gasoline prices continued to tumble Friday with regular unleaded down 6.2 cents to an average $3.331 a gallon in Wisconsin, according to the daily fuel gauge report from AAA. That's 40 cents lower than the average price a month ago and 78 cents below the record $4.11 a gallon set in mid-July. In Wisconsin, the lowest average price for ...

It'll be a great weekend to get outside

The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:15:00 CDT

Weather conditions should be great this weekend for practically any type of outdoor activity as temperatures will stay mild through Sunday under sunny skies. Friday will be the coolest of the three days as temperatures only reach 70, but highs on Saturday and Sunday could be pushing the 80-degree mark, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Clouds will start rolling in late in the day on Sunday, said Weather Central meteorologist Brian Olson, setting the stage ...

Election Matters: Wisconsin GOP to McCain: Get meaner!

John Nichols — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:06:00 CDT

CALENDAR: The Nov. 4 election is 25 days from today. POLL DATA: Real Clear Politics, a campaign-watching Web site generally seen as leaning a bit to the Republican side, has moved Wisconsin to "Leans Obama" status, along with Minnesota and Michigan, neighboring states where Republican John McCain has cut back on campaigning (dialing things down in Minnesota, quitting Michigan altogether). The other "Leans Obama" states are New Mexico, Virginia and ...

Lawsuit filed over 4 deaths in Wis. horse trailer

Associated Press — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:17:00 CDT

A woman whose parents and two daughters died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in a horse trailer before last year's World Clydesdale Show has sued the maker of a portable heater the victims were using to keep warm. The lawsuit filed in Dane County Circuit Court Thursday by Karina D. Clay claims the company knew the heater was dangerous but sold it without safety warnings. Found dead the morning of Oct. 11, 2007, were DeVere Clay, ...

Inmate missing from Dane County jail

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:11:00 CDT

A Dane County Ferris Center Jail inmate serving a term for theft failed to return to the jail and was declared absent without leave at 2:30 p.m. after being allowed out for an appointment Thursday morning. Byron C. Shaw, 18, was serving a 160-day sentence and was under the Huber work release program, Sheriff's officials said. He was released at 9:53 a.m. for his appointment, did not return as scheduled at 12:30 p.m., and was ...

Waunakee cell phone pornographer, 16, could face 25 years

Mike Miller — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:37:00 CDT

Waunakee police have seized the cell phone of a local teenager in an attempt to find out if he showed others a video he took with the phone of two other teens having sex in his van. According to search warrant documents filed in Dane County Circuit Court Thursday, the 16-year-old boy who owns the cell phone admitted to police that he used his cell phone to make video of a nude couple having sex ...

Trio accused of using credit card stolen from hospital room

Mike Miller — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:03:00 CDT

Two men and a woman were charged with burglary and three counts of identity theft Thursday for allegedly sneaking into the hospital room of new parents and stealing the father's backpack, then using the credit cards they found to charge items at various places in Madison. Scheduled to appear in court later this month are Jawan L. Clash, 26, of Fitchburg, Arlena R. Lee, 19, of Madison, and Davarius L. McDonald, 23, of Madison. Because ...

Fugitive pleads guilty to manslaughter after 19 years

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:18:00 CDT

A former Beloit man who was on the run from a murder charge for 19 years before a minor traffic violation led his arrest in the state of Washington has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in Rock County Circuit Court. Ezequiel Lopez-Savala, 43, was originally charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the Sept. 19, 1988 killing of David Landwehr, 22, during a fight in the driveway of a home on the west ...

Bail set for second Tempe Drive murder suspect

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:21:00 CDT

Although the second man wanted in the murder of Marcus T. Hamilton at his Tempe Road home in June has confessed to the crime, there was still no word Thursday on when others may be charged in the case. Assistant District Attorney Michael Verveer said at an initial appearance for Promethius Brown, 19, arrested in Chicago on Sept. 24, that Brown has confessed to his role in the killing. Brown is charged along with Amir ...

East student faces felony charge for battering cop

Mike Miller — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:05:00 CDT

A Madison East High School student who fought with a police officer after being told to leave the school Tuesday was released on a signature bond Thursday but was charged with a felony and two misdemeanors for the fight. Gregory L. Robinson, 17, a 10th-grader at East, was arguing with Assistant Principal Rick Rogness Tuesday when Madison Police Officer Jesse Harman was sent to the scene to try to assist Rogness in getting Robinson out of ...

Madison could have Amtrak within 3 years, DOT says

Steven Elbow — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:21:00 CDT

High gas prices, global warming and increasing traffic congestion, though nightmares for motorists, are good times for rail advocates. With bipartisan, veto-proof support, Congress last week passed legislation that could finally put a Chicago-Madison-Milwaukee high-speed passenger Amtrak rail in place. The bill authorizes $3.4 billion in grants to fund rail corridors across the country. White House officials say President George W. Bush, never a big supporter of Amtrak, will sign the legislation. "This is a huge victory ...

UW band suspension lifted, but 'culture needs to change'

Todd Finkelmeyer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:32:00 CDT

And the band will play on. The culture that has allowed demeaning and inappropriate conduct within the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, however, must change. That was the message University of Wisconsin-Madison officials sent Thursday when they held a news conference to announce the band would be allowed to play at Saturday night's UW football game against Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. "This has been a trying and stressful week for myself, the members of the Marching ...

McCain in Waukesha: 'We will win the state of Wisconsin'

John Nichols — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:19:00 CDT

WAUKESHA -- On a day when the Milwaukee media were abuzz with talk about how John McCain had dissed the state's largest city, and when new polls suggested he was trailing Democratic Barack Obama by 10 points, the Republican nominee for president announced that he still plans to win Wisconsin. "We can, we must and we will win the state of Wisconsin," shouted McCain, as he began a town hall meeting with running mate Sarah ...

Retiree Roadrunner bus to rally for election knowledge

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:34:00 CDT

The Retiree Roadrunner bus is coming to Madison, rallying retired Americans to come together to learn more about the election topics that should mean the most to seniors. The Alliance for Retired Americans Voter Education rally starts at 1 p.m. Friday at the Madison Labor Temple, 1602 S. Park St. The failing economy and its effect on retirees will be a hot topic at the rally, according to Leon Burzynski, Wisconsin president of the alliance. "The whole Bush/McCain ...

Pumpkin paddler to raise money for charity

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:41:00 CDT

Most people wouldn't think of a dream cruise as paddling a giant pumpkin down the Wisconsin River, but Rich Hildebrandt isn't most people. The pumpkin paddler is raising money for the Tri-City Children's Dream Foundation, a Nekoosa-based organization that grants dreams such as trips to Disney World for children with special needs. The foundation wants to build a "Children's Dream Retreat" where kids and their families can go to get away from the everyday, at no cost ...

Cases against couple accused of abusing 14-year-old moves forward

Jessica VanEgeren — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:00 CDT

The parents accused of repeatedly beating their teenage daughter for a five-month span earlier this year waived their rights to preliminary hearings Thursday and stood mute on the 27 collective charges against them. As a result, the court entered pleas of not guilty on their behalf and their cases will proceed toward trial. Additional charges may be filed against Minerva Lopez, 32, and Porfirio Olivas-Lopez, 38, by the Dane County District Attorney's Office within the next 30 ...

Man mugged on bike path

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:54:00 CDT

A man walking along a bike path in the Allied Drive neighborhood was mugged around midnight Tuesday, with the mugger taking $5, all the money the victim had, and his cell phone. Madison police said the 53-year-old victim suffered a small bump to his head and a scraped knee in the incident that happened on the bike path between Allied and Carling Drives. The suspect said he had a gun but none was seen by the victim, ...

Cable station WYOU will keep city funding -- for now

Samara Kalk Derby — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:49:00 CDT

WYOU will live for at least another year. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has reversed his decision to scrap funding for community access TV station WYOU, which has been on the air for more than three decades. "WYOU is one of those creative, quirky things that makes Madison Madison," Cieslewicz said Wednesday. "It's weird -- in the kind of way that makes you smile and often makes you think." Unfortunately, the mayor continued, "we're in for a period of fiscal ...

Gas prices dropping around country

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:33:00 CDT

For the first time in recent memory, gas is under $3 a gallon in parts of the United States, continuing the pricing nose dive that started a little more than a month ago. The closest area where regular unleaded is under $3 is right across the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa, but if you drive down into Missouri, you'll find the lowest prices in the nation in Springfield, where regular unleaded has fallen to an average ...

Former State Sen. Burke gets law license reinstated

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:31:00 CDT

Former State Sen. Brian Burke, a primary figure in the state caucus scandal seven years ago, had his law license reinstated Thursday by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Burke, a powerful Democratic senator from Milwaukee, had his law license suspended Jan. 3, 2006, after pleading guilty to felony misconduct in public office stemming from charges that he used state employees and state resources in his campaign for attorney general between December 2000 and April 2002. He was sentenced ...

For the birds: Couple devote lives to nurturing avian exotics (with video)

Maisie RamsayCorrespondent for The Capital Times — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:34:00 CDT

Down a long, quiet country road southeast of Stoughton sits a small, unassuming building with a sign tacked to it reading "Fine Feathered Friends Sanctuary." A few cars are parked there, one with a bumper sticker reading "My parrot is smarter than your honor student." Muffled shrieks can be heard coming through the door, and once it opens, the calls of 100 avian exotics shatter the silence of the rural surroundings. The raucous flock at ...

Charter, Salvation Army work to restock food pantries

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:51:00 CDT

Charter Communications is working with the Salvation Army of Dane County to restock the shelves at its food pantry and other food pantries in the Madison area. Charter's "Because We Care" food drive will run through Dec. 31, with donations of non-perishable food items accepted at all Charter Wisconsin offices including the Madison office at 2701 Daniels St. northeast of the Beltline/Stoughton Rd. interchange, and the Fitchburg office at 2935 S. Fish Hatchery Road. Food pantries are ...

Safety enhancements at dangerous intersection moving forward slowly

Kristin Czubkowski — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:47:00 CDT

Dawn Kloppedal received a letter on Sept. 20 that her 18-year-old daughter Tiffany Dutcher had been accepted into a certified nursing assistant program after graduating from high school in June. It was a day too late. At 7:45 p.m. the night before, Kloppedal received another message, this time from a police detective knocking on her front door. Her daughter had died in a car crash at the intersection of Highway 51 and Hoepker Road in northeast ...

Election Matters: Obama leads by 10 points in state; by 44 in Madison

John Nichols — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:44:00 CDT

CALENDAR: The Nov. 4 election is 26 days from today. NEW PRESIDENTIAL POLL NUMBERS: Things are going from bad to worse for the John McCain-Sarah Palin campaign in Wisconsin. A week after the Republicans pulled out of the neighboring battleground state of Michigan because the campaign's poll deficit was extending to double digits, the GOP poll deficit in Wisconsin is extending to, er, double digits. Three new polls of Wisconsin voters put the Democratic ticket ...

Interstate traffic near Lodi to be slowed

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:26:00 CDT

Southbound traffic on Interstate 39/90/94 near Lodi will be slowed Thursday due to lane paving in the left lane. The traffic delays Thursday should be milder than the backups that happened Wednesday when paving work was done on the right and center lanes, forcing traffic to be funneled down to one lane near mile marker 118 in Columbia County. There is no designated alternate route, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol. Motorists should expect delays and are ...

Warm weather, clear skies rest of week

The Capital Times — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:26:00 CDT

Clear skies and warm temperatures should round out the rest of the week in southern Wisconsin, with the next chance for showers coming Sunday night. Highs Thursday and Friday are expected to be near 70 but the temperature should climb to 78 on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday's high is expected to be in the mid-70s before temperatures start coming down Monday as showers and thunderstorms move in Sunday night and continue into Monday ...

12 communities join Doyle's plan for energy independence

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:57:00 CDT

Another dozen communities have signed up for Gov. Jim Doyle's Energy Independent Community Partnership, which seeks energy independence in Wisconsin by working towards generating 25 percent of the state's electricity and transportation fuels by 2025. Those joining Doyle's ambitious program include Columbus, Evansville, Kaukauna, Lodi, Muscoda, New Richmond, Plymouth, River Falls, Stoughton, Waunakee, Waupun and Westby. Communities joining the program may receive additional access to state and federal funds, as well as technical assistance from ...

Accused bank thief caught on tape

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:06:00 CDT

It probably seemed like an easy way to make a cool $2,000, but Douglas C. Morgan was foiled when he allegedly swiped that amount from a teller's counter at the Chase bank at 802 W. Broadway in September. According to a criminal complaint filed in court this week, Morgan went into the bank on Sept. 4 to make a small withdrawal from his account. Even though Morgan was only going to take out $15, the ...

Dog sought in east side biting

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:57:00 CDT

The Public Health Department of Madison and Dane County is seeking information on a dog who bit a child who was walking to school Wednesday morning on the east side. The child was bitten on railroad tracks behind the Citgo station at 1010 N. Sherman Ave., the health department said. GOOGLEMAP2[300|maps.google.com/maps?f=q:hl=en:q=1010+N+Sherman+Ave,+Madison,+Dane,+Wisconsin+53704,+United+States:sll=37.0625,-95.677068:sspn=44.928295,79.101563:ie=UTF8:cd=1:geocode=FR_RkQIdfGqs-g:s=AARTsJojJnR3zS0LKfrmdQjqjEp36FHKug:ll=43.120157,-89.359617:spn=0.018795,0.034332:z=14:iwloc=addr:output=embed] The dog that bit the child is described as a small, black, schnauzer-type dog. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Police ...

'Suspicious car' call leads police to Cottage Grove burglary suspects

Mike Miller — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:47:00 CDT

Three men arrested after alert citizens in the village of Cottage Grove reported a suspicious car in a residential area were charged with two burglaries in the village, while two of them were also charged with obstructing officers for lying to police who questioned them a couple hours before the burglaries. In a complaint filed Wednesday, Meco Johnson, 22, Antonio Rowe, 19, and Michael Rowe, 27, were charged with the Oct. 1 burglaries in Cottage ...

UW band remains in limbo

Todd Finkelmeyer — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:25:00 CDT

The University of Wisconsin Marching Band practiced again Wednesday afternoon and continues to fine-tune its routine in advance of Saturday night's UW football game against No. 6 Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. Whether or not the band will be allowed to perform or not remains in limbo. Prior to Wednesday's practice, band director Mike Leckrone said it is not yet clear whether the band's suspension will be lifted before Saturday. "We're going to continue to work ...

Sheriff seeks info in town of Burke truck stop beating

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:09:00 CDT

Dane County Sheriff's detectives are looking for anyone who might have information about a fight between two truck drivers Tuesday night at the TA Travel Center in the town of Burke. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer said an employee of the center, at 5901 Highway 51 just north of Madison, discovered an unconscious man lying in the parking lot at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday and called the Dane County Communications Center for help. GOOGLEMAP2[300|maps.google.com/maps?f=q:hl=en:geocode=:q=5901+Highway+51,+burke,+wi:sll=37.0625,-95.677068:sspn=44.928295,79.101563:ie=UTF8:s=AARTsJqEHTHy-hj08jKKiLVHDqH81rUruA:ll=43.182962,-89.32168:spn=0.018776,0.034332:z=14:iwloc=addr:output=embed] Deputies who ...

Domestic scuffle interloper allegedly shoots husband

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:57:00 CDT

A Roxbury man shot several times by a neighbor who broke up a fight he was having with his wife faces multiple charges, with charges possibly pending against the shooter. Douglas D. Deviney, 30, has tentatively been charged with one count of battery, one count of domestic battery and one count of strangulation following the incident that happened early Sunday morning at Ray's Riverside Resort trailer park along U.S. 12 in the town of Roxbury. The ...

Updated: Police release sketch of bike path robbery suspect

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:44:00 CDT

Two people walking on the bicycle path near North Charter and Spring streets on the UW-Madison campus were robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday morning. Neither of the victims were injured. Madison police said the suspect confronted the two at about 1:40 a.m. displayed a handgun and took money from one of the victims. Police released a sketch of the suspect, who is said to be a black male, 6'1" tall, 200-240 lbs. wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, ...

Judge eyes high court run vs. Abrahamson

Associated Press — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:31:00 CDT

A circuit court judge says he's leaning toward running against Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson in next spring's Supreme Court election. Randy Koschnick of Jefferson County says he's been getting advice from political consultant Darrin Schmitz and making calls to potential supporters. He says he'll make a final decision in the next 30 days and announce it sometime after the presidential election. Schmitz helped Michael Gableman defeat Louis Butler to win a seat on the court in an expensive ...

Absentee ballots are now available

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:03:00 CDT

Voters who don't want to wait in long lines on Election Day on Nov. 4 can now vote by absentee ballot. The kickoff to absentee voting was scheduled for Monday, but ballots weren't ready, but a staff worker at the Madison city clerk's office said ballots are now in stock at the office in Room 103 of the City-County Building downtown, so voters are starting to queue up to cast their votes. "It's been steady, but there's ...

Obama has 10-point lead in Wisconsin, poll shows

Associated Press — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:14:00 CDT

A new poll shows Barack Obama with his biggest lead in Wisconsin since July. The WISC-TV poll of likely voters shows Obama with a 10-point lead over John McCain. The poll done by Research 2000 on Sunday and Monday showed Obama with 51 percent and McCain with 41 percent. The last time Obama had a lead that large was in July when he was up by 11 percentage points. The newest poll was done in the wake of ...

Accident shuts down part of U.S. 151

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:19:00 CDT

A three-car collision on U.S. 151 Wednesday shut down a main conduit right at morning rush hour, causing a long backup on the highway while forcing motorists to take alternate routes. The accident happened shortly before 7 a.m. in the southbound lanes of 151 just south of County VV in the town of Bristol. The four-lane highway is under construction in that stretch, so the two southbound lanes narrow to one lane. A car slowed down heading ...

Proposed east side ski trail goes back to parks commission

Kristin Czubkowski — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:16:00 CDT

The Madison City Council voted to send debate on a planned east side cross-country ski trail back to the city's parks commission, but not before sparking a debate on whether the location of the trail -- with part of it essentially in the back yard of residents -- was the real motivation for complaints rather than the trail's effect on trees. "This is an issue about some residents wanting to protect their privacy from their ...

Middleton OKs TIF funds for Tribeca Village

Karyn SaemannCorrespondent for The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:29:00 CDT

MIDDLETON -- With a major pledge of city financing, the massive Tribeca Village is one step closer to being built. After more than an hour of debate, the Middleton City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday night to give $18 million in tax incremental financing to the 31-acre mixed-use development, proposed to lie north of Airport Road between the new U.S. 12 bypass and Parmenter Street. Over 27 years, the city would additionally incur an estimated $8 ...

Museum cuts mustard with Middleton council

Karyn SaemannCorrespondent for The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:32:00 CDT

MIDDLETON -- With a promise of tax incremental financing, Middleton opened its arms Tuesday night to Mount Horeb's Mustard Museum. The Middleton City Council voted 6-2 to give High Pointe Properties LLC $1.4 million in TIF aid to redevelop the former Middleton Antiques Mall building at Hubbard Avenue and Parmenter Street into 19,000 square feet of modern space that would house the museum and other tenants. About half of the space would be taken up ...

School referendum dialogue is 'fairly quiet'

Tamira Madsen — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:21:00 CDT

Residents who attended a forum on the Madison Metropolitan School District's upcoming referendum tend to favor the district's initiative to seek financial assistance for its budget, but questions still remain. About a dozen residents, along with a group of district officials, teachers and administrators, attended the session Tuesday night at Sherman Middle School on Madison's north side. Voters will be asked Nov. 4 if they want to allow the school district to exceed its revenue limits by ...

Analysis: Debate showcases fundamental differences

John Nichols — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:22:00 CDT

NASHVILLE -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama offered radically different responses to what was arguably the best question asked so far in any of this year's debates. Addressing Obama, a woman in the studio audience at the second presidential debate on the Nashville campus of Belmont University said, "Senator, selling health care coverage in America as the marketable commodity has become a very profitable industry." Then, she asked, "Do you believe health care ...

Gas prices take another tumble

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:03:00 CDT

The cost of gasoline is quickly becoming the least of our economic worries, as the price at the pump continues its mid-fall free fall. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Wisconsin dropped 3.6 cents Wednesday to $3.444 a gallon, with some metro areas in the state selling gas for under $3.40 a gallon. The AAA daily fuel gauge report shows Milwaukee stations are selling regular unleaded at an average $3.383 a gallon, ...

Drizzle will end, sunny Wednesday coming

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:09:00 CDT

Early morning drizzle and fog will give way to increasing sunshine and pleasant temperatures Wednesday, setting the stage for mild temperatures and sunny skies through the rest of the week. The last remnants of Tuesday's heavy rain should be ending by sunrise Wednesday as clouds move out and the temperature warms to the upper-60s, according to the National Weather Service forecast. A little over an inch of rain fell Tuesday and Tuesday night at Dane County Regional ...

Election Matters: More McCain visits, Kagen opens a big lead over Gard, Nader opens a headquarters

John Nichols — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:25:00 CDT

Wednesday, Oct. 8 CALENDAR: The Nov. 4 election is 27 days from today. NEW PRESIDENTIAL POLL NUMBERS: The latest a new TIME/CNN poll put Barack Obama ahead of Republican John McCain by five points in Wisconsin. The poll was taken before Tuesday night's uninspiring debate. Here are some details. NEXT BIG CAMPAIGN EVENTS IN WISCONSIN: The Republican campaign ...

Trapped: Oregon farmer is one of lucky few to survive a silo fall

Shawn Doherty — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:56:00 CDT

Wayne Ace likes to talk about his rescue from a 60-foot silo about as much as his cows like to be herded into the truck headed for the Monroe meat market. For days after his dramatic ordeal last August, television vans parked outside the family farm on County D in Oregon. When reporters knocked on the door, one of his five children told them their dad wasn't home. But anyone with 32 dairy cows to milk ...

Feeling the economy's squeeze

The Capital Times — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:36:00 CDT

Let's see. First there was the housing slowdown. Wannabe home buyers no longer found themselves jostling shoulders with competitors at open houses and making offers that exceeded the asking price. Then the "For Sale" signs started popping up on lawns around town and staying up, for a long time. Then people began losing their homes to foreclosure. Then banks started to fail and credit began to tighten. Oh yes, somewhere in there gas went through ...

Hilldale stakeholders remain confident

Kristin Czubkowski — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:45:00 CDT

Even though the piles of dirt along University Avenue and Segoe Road won't be a new, larger Whole Foods grocery store as planned, residents of the neighborhood near the Hilldale Shopping Center aren't worried that the site will stay barren for long -- at least not yet. Ald. Tim Gruber, who represents the area on the City Council, said calling off the project early could actually end up as a blessing for the Austin, Texas-based grocery ...

In the trenches

Mike Ivey — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

With some 35 years of experience in the investment world, Gary Palmer has lived through plenty of major market downturns, from Black Monday in 1987 to the bursting of the dot.com bubble in 2000. But Palmer says the crisis gripping today's financial markets is costing him plenty of sleep. "This is much, much worse and frankly I just don't see much light at the end of the tunnel," said Palmer, 65, a partner at Retirement ...

Optimism tested

Todd Finkelmeyer — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:16:00 CDT

Emily Sobiek was thrilled to attend President George Bush's inauguration ceremony nearly eight years ago in Washington. "I was so excited to get rid of Bill Clinton," said Sobiek, a Madison native and current Fitchburg resident who has spent the past 20 years selling cars at Thorstad Chevrolet. "I just remember having such great hopes for our country." The exuberant Sobiek calls herself a "hopeless optimist." But she admits the current economic downtown and historically ...

Downtime for movers

Jessica VanEgeren — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

When Brenda Bishop, the office manager with Mad City Moving, books jobs into the company's appointment book, she has gotten into the habit of comparing that day's business to what was scheduled the previous year. The trend isn't encouraging. "Based on scheduling, we have noticed a decline," said Bishop, who has worked for the company for six years. "I'm hoping our profits won't be down (at the end of the year), but I don't see ...

Shopping for bargains

Anita Weier — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

For Genevieve Morgan, grocery shopping is a carefully planned expedition aimed at securing the very best deals. "I have to shop for bargains, not for what I want," said Morgan, a transit driver for the YWCA who lives in Madison. Sometimes Morgan and friend and co-worker Tamika Cooper, also of Madison, hit two or three grocery stores at a time during one of their shopping excursions. And they load up big-time to save on gas, as ...

Busy times at the food pantry

Kristin Czubkowski — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

In Andy Czerkas' line of work, there's one thing he hates to see: new customers. Czerkas is one of the directors of The River Food Pantry, 2201 Darwin Road, a non-denominational, faith-based service that offers non-perishable food, clothing items and twice-weekly meals to families in need. Czerkas said the pantry has seen "many, many new first-time families" in recent months. "It's a real spike," he said. "It's been going on all year actually, so it's ...

Long live the latte

Samara Kalk Derby — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

In this turbulent economy, is the $3 latte one of the first casualties? Not according to Lindsey Lee, the owner of Cargo Coffee on Park Street and Ground Zero on Williamson Street. The troubled economy has been a topic of conversation, he says, but it hasn't really affected his business. "To be honest with you, so far I haven't seen a dip in sales," Lee said. But he says he expects to see more of ...

'Brother, can you spare 15%?'

Pat Schneider — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:00 CDT

"Pfft." With a turned-down thumb, that's how one waitress described the tips during her cocktail hour shifts at a downtown restaurant over the past couple of weeks. And Megan Nicholson, owner with her husband of two local Glass Nickel Pizza Co. restaurants, says that tip income for delivery drivers had dipped enough that some are asking for extra shifts. Wait staff have also begun the grousing that ordinarily crops up in January when post-holiday diners keep a ...

Absentee ballots available at Madison City Clerk's Office

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:01:00 CDT

Absentee ballots are now available in the Madison City Clerk's Office, Room 103, in the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. GOOGLEMAP2[300|maps.google.com/maps?f=q:hl=en:geocode=:q=210+Martin+Luther+King+Jr.+Blvd,+madison:sll=37.0625,-95.677068:sspn=44.928295,79.101563:ie=UTF8:s=AARTsJprg5L3Gvynmm12l_omqFj8gssluA:ll=43.082555,-89.377899:spn=0.018806,0.034332:z=14:iwloc=addr:output=embed] Eligible voters may register and vote by absentee ballot in the Clerk's Office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this week, said City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl. Those hours will be extended beginning Monday, Oct. 13 until Nov. 3, when the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 ...

Hunters asked to shoot destructive feral pigs

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:23:00 CDT

State wildlife officials are encouraging hunters to help eliminate a growing population of feral pigs by reporting sightings or shooting them if they see them in the field while pursuing other game. "Free roaming pigs can be found across a wide variety of habitats and are highly destructive because of the rooting they do in search of food," said Brad Koele, a Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist. The pigs also prey on white-tailed deer fawns and ...

State added to White Rabbit candy recall

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:07:00 CDT

Candy which could be contaminated with melamine has been found in grocery stores in three Wisconsin communities, but none of them close to Madison. White Rabbit candy, made in China and the subject of a recall by a distributor earlier his month, has been found in stores in Eau Claire, Sheboygan and Wausau, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said Tuesday. Donna Gilson of DATCP said the candy has also been found ...

Past-due bills put heat connection at risk, state groups say

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:49:00 CDT

Energy customers whose heat has been disconnected for failure to pay bills should contact their local energy provider, two state agencies are warning. Wisconsin has a moratorium from Nov. 1 to April 15 when consumers cannot be disconnected from services for heating, but those who are disconnected after April 15 for lack of payment must make arrangements for paying the past-due bills before the onset of the new moratorium season. "If a consumer has not made ...

Eli Lilly settles multistate suit for $62M; Wis. to get $1.5M

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:31:00 CDT

Eli Lilly and Company agreed Tuesday to pay $62 million to settle lawsuits involved its marketing of the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa, the company and various attorneys general said. Wisconsin, one of the 32 states plus the District of Columbia, to file suit over the marketing and promotions of the drug expects to receive $1.5 million from the settlement, said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. The settlement is the largest ever multistate settlement for a consumer ...

Man raped girlfriend after inflicting severe injuries, police say

Mike Miller — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:20:00 CDT

Despite the reluctance of a battered woman who suffered numerous injuries at the hands of her boyfriend in August to talk about the abuse, police and prosecutors were able to put together a criminal complaint against James L. Dean, 30, of Madison, showing he abused his 32-year-old girlfriend for the past several months. The culmination was Aug. 14 and 15 when Dean became upset during the woman's birthday celebration and beat her to the point ...

Cieslewicz's budget plan raises property taxes nearly 3%

Kristin Czubkowski — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:35:00 CDT

Despite facing what he has called the toughest budget year yet, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz rolled out an operating budget plan Tuesday afternoon that would result in his lowest property tax increase on the average home since taking office. The plan will raise taxes on the average home by 2.95 percent, or $53 on a home worth about $248,000, which is well below the 4.4 percent rate of inflation that was Cieslewicz's goal. "The challenges we face this ...

Health groups step up efforts to identify domestic abuse

Shawn Doherty — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:52:00 CDT

Bonnie Hill went to clinics, emergency rooms and hospitals for years with all the signs of domestic abuse. She had mysterious bruises, broken bones, anxiety and depression. But hardly any of the doctors and nurses she visited asked how she got them. When she finally summoned up the courage to tell one nurse that her husband, the town pastor, was beating her, the nurse never followed up. It took years of suffering before Hill found ...

Chancellor backs up decision to suspend UW band

Todd Finkelmeyer — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:33:00 CDT

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Carolyn "Biddy" Martin said Monday that she agrees with Mike Leckrone's decision to suspend the UW Marching Band indefinitely after hazing allegations were leveled against some of its members late last week. Martin, speaking with The Capital Times after the UW-Madison Faculty Senate's monthly meeting at Bascom Hall, also said it's too early in the investigation to know when the inquiry might be complete or whether or not the band will be ...

Accused hit-and-run driver already suspect in similar crime

Mike Miller — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:57:00 CDT

The Fond du Lac woman accused of nearly killing a Madison man and injuring his 2-year-old grandson in a hit-and-run accident Sunday was being sought by police for her possible role in another hit-and-run case in Madison two weeks ago, a prosecutor said Tuesday. In asking for high cash bail for Rachel F. Kozlowski, 35, Assistant District Attorney Michael Verveer said police considered Kozlowski a suspect in an earlier hit-and-run, which occurred in Madison two ...

Justice Gableman accused of judicial misconduct

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:14:00 CDT

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Gableman is being accused of judicial misconduct when he was a Burnett County circuit court judge, according to a formal complaint filed Tuesday by the Wisconsin Judicial Commission in the Supreme Court. The commission found probable cause to believe Justice Gableman willfully violated the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct because of a TV ad that ran in March 2008 in support of Gableman's campaign to unseat incumbent Supreme Court Justice ...

Police interviews admissible in trial of real estate agent's alleged killer

Associated Press — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:33:00 CDT

JEFFERSON -- An Illinois suspect's statements to police will be admissible in court when he is tried next month on charges of killing a Cambridge real estate agent. The ruling by a Jefferson County judge Tuesday means prosecutors can use at least three police interviews with the 35-year-old defendant, James Hole of Brookfield, Ill. He's accused of killing 71-year-old Ann Nelson when she showed him a house in March. The criminal complaint says he admitted strangling and beating her ...

Stimulus check filing deadline Oct. 15

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:59:00 CDT

Veterans with disabilities and seniors who don't normally file income tax returns have eight days left to get their federal returns filed in order to be eligible to get up to $600 under the Economic Stimulus Act. The deadline for filing is Oct. 15. The Internal Revenue Service estimated there are about 62,000 retirees and disabled veterans who haven't filed but could get stimulus payments if they do so. Oct. 15 is also the deadline for about 10 ...

Richland Center episode of 'Extreme Makeover' to air Sunday

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:30:00 CDT

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" could be one of the most-watched television shows in Wisconsin on Sunday with the big unveiling of the new home for Rochelle Anders-Beatty and her family in Richland Center. The new home was built in just seven days in July, replacing a dilapidated, crumbling house that Rochelle tried to maintain as best as possible after her husband Gary Beatty died of a heart attack four years ago. The five-bedroom farmhouse was given to ...

County park fee hearing Wednesday

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:50:00 CDT

Most Dane County park fees are not expected to increase next year -- if there are more users of the county parks in 2009. That's the goal of parks officials and the park commission heading into a public hearing Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Lussier Family Heritage Center in Lake Farm Park. The parks division is not proposing any fee hikes for shelter rentals, camping, lake access, cross country skiing, mountain biking and equestrian trails, disc ...

Update: Burmaster won't seek third term as state superintendent

Tamira Madsen — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:51:00 CDT

Elizabeth Burmaster will not run for re-election as state superintendent of public instruction next year, but plans on continuing her work in Wisconsin as an education leader. Burmaster said she has decided to focus all of her attention on ensuring quality education for children in public schools over the next seven months instead of seeking a third term as the state's top kindergarten-to-12th grade education official. That election will take place in the spring, and Deputy State Superintendent Tony Evers says he will be ...

Minister preaches 'Gospel of Evolution'

Samara Kalk Derby — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:13:00 CDT

Michael Dowd, an ordained Christian minister and author of the recent book "Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World," told a Madison crowd Monday night that nothing matters more than what we think about evolution. "Humans have always had to have a sacred story that honors objective truth and subjective meaning," the former anti-evolution fundamentalist told a crowd of about 350 in the auditorium ...

Election Matters: Will McCain pull out of Wisconsin?

John Nichols — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:16:00 CDT

Tuesday, Oct. 7 Calendar: Election Day is four weeks from today Next big presidential campaign event Tuesday night's second presidential debate Time: 8 p.m. Central Moderator: Tom Brokaw Location: Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn. Format: Two-minute answers, followed by one-minute discussion for each question The Line: Obama's ahead in the polls. McCain needs a "game changer." The ...

Most crops OK after weekend frost

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:24:00 CDT

Frost hit parts of Wisconsin last weekend, but not enough to affect most crops, according to the latest crop progress report from the U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service. Some temperatures dropped into the low 20s in northwestern parts of the state Friday night, but most farmers reported it wasn't a killing frost, when temperatures drop low enough to kill all but the hardiest crops. However, one farmer in Langlade County in northern Wisconsin said "the growing ...

Decision on Olbrich Park master plan won't be rushed

Kristin Czubkowski — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:07:00 CDT

After more than two hours of public testimony, Madison's Board of Park Commissioners voted Monday night to delay making any final decisions on revising the master plan for a popular east side park. "I'm going to urge we don't make any rush-to-judgment decisions tonight. I think for many of us this is a very new subject, it had a lot of components, and we have a lot of work to do," said commissioner David Wallner. The ...

Rainy Tuesday on tap, with chance for thunderstorms

The Capital Times — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:58:00 CDT

A rainy Tuesday is in the works for south central Wisconsin, with showers and thunderstorms expected to move into the area by late morning or early afternoon. The National Weather Service forecast said rain amounts could total up to three quarters of an inch before the rain subsides after midnight. Any thunderstorms that develop are not expected to be severe. Weather Central meteorologist Brian Olson said once the rain moves out, the balance of the week will ...

Climate change to increase chances of flooding, disease, researchers say

Anita Weier — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:32:00 CDT

Extreme rainfall events in southern Wisconsin will become 10 to 40 percent stronger as the climate continues to change toward the end of the century, resulting in greater potential for flooding and waterborne diseases that often accompany high sewage diversion into Lake Michigan, University of Wisconsin researchers predict. Moreover, the frequency of heavy rainfalls -- those with at least 2.5 inches of daily rain -- is expected to rise by 50 percent to 120 percent in ...

Local officials plead for help in combating domestic violence

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:37:00 CDT

Advocates for victims joined with Dane County public officials Monday in calling on the public to renounce domestic violence at a rally and memorial service on the Capitol Square. Their plea was energized by a domestic murder-suicide this weekend in which officials say Salvador Tellez-Giron, 66, bludgeoned to death his wife, Viviana Tellez-Giron, 33, and then hanged himself. "It's frustrating to me that the community isn't more outraged," said Shannon Barr, executive director of Domestic Abuse Intervention ...

Market woes cause developer to pare down Bassett Neighborhood plans

Mike Ivey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:42:00 CDT

A downturn in the housing market has Urban Land Interests shifting gears on a key parcel in the Bassett Neighborhood, a block from Monona Bay. The Madison developer had initially envisioned a nine-story residential tower for the 1.6 acre site overlooking the lake and five blocks from the Capitol Square. Instead, it is now looking at a pair of lower-rise office buildings. Monday night, the Madison Plan Commission approved a zoning change to allow ...

UW chancellor says she won't meddle in Athletic Board despite allegations

Todd Finkelmeyer — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:00:00 CDT

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Carolyn "Biddy" Martin said she has no immediate plans to address allegations by Jeremi Suri that the UW Athletic Board has become nothing more than a rubber stamp of sorts for the desires of the athletic department. "I'm going to let the Athletic Board report its findings from its self study and let the process play out as opposed to stepping in," Martin said Monday after the UW Faculty Senate's monthly meeting ...

Fire Prevention Week events include school visits

Mike Miller — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:17:00 CDT

The Madison Fire Department is holding several events this week to mark Fire Prevention Week, including a special class for students in elementary schools on fire safety. Using a baseball-themed presentation, the Fire Department's Community Education Unit will visit the city's elementary schools this month with a show that includes a baseball diamond and "coaches" at each base to share information on key safety concepts. "The ultimate goal, just as in baseball," said Fire Department spokeswoman ...

Doyle to mark signing of Great Lakes Compact

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:58:00 CDT

Gov. Jim Doyle will join with several political and environmental leaders Tuesday morning to mark the signing of the Great Lakes Compact. Doyle will host the group at 10:30 a.m. in the Executive Residence in Maple Bluff, and will give recognition to lawmakers and environmentalists for their work to get the legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. The governor will also discuss the next steps to preserve and ...

UW custodians to picket campus Tuesday

Mike Miller — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:50:00 CDT

University of Wisconsin-Madison custodians, angered by a unilaterally imposed change in third-shift work schedules, plan to hold an informational picket Tuesday at 5 p.m. in front of the UW Service Building at 1217 University Ave. GOOGLEMAP2[300|maps.google.com/maps?f=q:hl=en:geocode=:q=1217+University+Ave,+madison:sll=36.315125,-95.712891:sspn=45.338161,79.101563:ie=UTF8:s=AARTsJoXZ-iyM2VyRYiMEHvYeA_uiTAj0A:ll=43.082743,-89.402018:spn=0.018806,0.034332:z=14:iwloc=addr:output=embed] The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 171, which represents the workers, said the change in starting time from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. makes little sense, but can be a serious problem for workers. "An hour ...

Alzheimer's patient from Iowa found here

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:25:00 CDT

Having received a report of a man weaving in his pickup truck and driving the wrong way on Highway 51, Dane County Sheriff's deputies thought they had another drunken driver when they were sent to the Trucker's Inn in the town of Burke Sunday at 8:40 p.m. But when deputies got to the truck stop just north of Madison near Token Creek County Park, they discovered they were dealing not with a drunk, but with ...

Wis. elections agency seeks to toss voter lawsuit

Associated Press — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:09:00 CDT

Wisconsin's elections agency is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit that seeks to force it to confirm the identities of thousands of registered voters before the Nov. 4 election. Lester Pines, a lawyer for the Government Accountability Board, argued in a motion filed Monday that Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen lacks the authority to bring the lawsuit. Van Hollen's suit argues the board must check information from voters who registered after Jan. 1, 2006 against ...

Van Hollen hinted at voter lawsuit at GOP convention (with audio)

Steven Elbow — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:44:00 CDT

Promising to fight for "one person, one vote," state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen promised a group of delegates at last month's Republican National Convention that the Department of Justice would act to eliminate voter fraud just days before filing a lawsuit to get the state Government Accountability Board to cross-check voter IDs. "You'll be hearing much more from the Department of Justice in the coming months about doing what we can to make sure that ...

Suburban communities press Dane County to buy new emergency radios

Kristin Czubkowski — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:14:00 CDT

Dozens of police, fire and emergency service officers from throughout the county gathered Monday afternoon to press Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to add $6.3 million more to her budget for emergency service radios. The radios are part of a communications system that would be put in place by 2013, but representatives from the county's local governments say it's something that needs to be planned for now. Falk had included funding for the "mechanicals" -- the radio ...

Mom accused of killing baby ruled incompetent to stand trial

Mike Miller — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:11:00 CDT

A Madison mother accused of first-degree intentional homicide, whose mental competency has been the subject of several hearings, was committed to the Mendota Mental Health Institute Monday under an emergency order. Ee Lee, 24, will become the subject of involuntary mental commitment proceedings rather than criminal proceedings on the murder charge. She was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and related child abuse counts after her 6-week-old daughter, Anastasia Vang, died in July of 2007. ...

Obama backers blast McCain's health care plan

Steven Elbow — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:07:00 CDT

After watching Sen. John McCain's polling numbers sink after the Republican presidential nominee's failed attempt to show leadership in the nation's ongoing financial crisis, Barack Obama's campaign in recent days has sought to further its advantage by going after McCain on another front: health care. Obama over the weekend blasted McCain's health care proposal as "radical," and the Obama campaign has used surrogates to hammer on the Republican's proposal, which they say will kick 20 million ...

Dow finishes below 10,000 for first time since '04

Joe Bel Bruno and Tim ParadisAssociated Press — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:49:00 CDT

NEW YORK -- Wall Street joined in a worldwide cascade of despair Monday over the financial crisis, driving the Dow Jones industrials to their biggest loss ever during a trading day. Even a big afternoon rally failed to keep the Dow from its first close below 10,000 since 2004. The sell-off came despite the $700 billion U.S. government bailout package, which was signed into law Friday after two weeks in which traders had appeared to count ...

Public meeting on hunger set

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:31:00 CDT

With one in 10 Wisconsin households not having enough food, the Dane County Food Council will get together with the public Oct. 27 at Second Harvest food bank to try to address the hunger issue head-on locally. The public meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the food bank, 2802 Dairy Drive, Madison. It is a follow-up to a meeting in Richland Center on "setting the table for action" to combat hunger in Wisconsin. "With growing economic ...

Update: Murdered wife worked for domestic violence nonprofit

Pat Schneider — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:03:00 CDT

The woman police say was murdered this weekend by her estranged husband, who then killed himself, worked at a local nonprofit agency that assists Latino victims of domestic violence. Viviana Tellez-Giron worked part-time providing child care for clients of UNIDOS (United) Against Domestic Violence, Julie Andersen, program director and acting executive director, said Monday. The bodies of Viviana Tellez-Giron, 33, and her husband, Salvador Tellez-Giron, 66, were discovered by family members Saturday evening at his condominium at 747 Kottke Drive, just south of Watts Road, ...

Oscar Mayer to lay off 19 here

Bill Novak — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:13:00 CDT

A Kraft Foods layoff being announced Monday will result in 19 employees losing their jobs at Madison-based Oscar Mayer, according to plant officials. Sydney Lindner, associate director of corporate affairs for Kraft Foods at Oscar Mayer, told The Capital Times that the workforce reduction at Oscar Mayer will be in the office and that hourly plant employees will not be affected. The reduction is scheduled to take place in November. With 1,600 employees at the Madison plant, about ...

Foreclosures still at record levels in state

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:46:00 CDT

Foreclosures continued to be filed at a record pace in September in Wisconsin, according to the latest figures released Monday by ForeclosuresWi.com. September foreclosure filings totaled 2,021, bringing the year-to-date filings in Wisconsin to 18,160, 23 percent higher than the first three quarters of 2007. "Wisconsin foreclosures have been building up to the current levels for the past three years," said ForeclosuresWI.com President Robert Jansen. "While new foreclosure filings appear to be leveling off, ...

McCain, Palin to hold Waukesha town hall meeting

Associated Press — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:26:00 CDT

Republican Sen. John McCain and his running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have scheduled a town hall meeting in Waukesha on Thursday morning. The event will be the third time McCain and his running mate have held public events in Wisconsin. They also have appeared in Cedarburg and Green Bay. But neither has been in the state since Sept. 19. Since then, McCain's Democratic opponent Barack Obama has been in Wisconsin ...

Mercury emissions rule will go into effect

Anita Weier — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:11:00 CDT

A state regulation proposed by the Natural Resources Board to reduce mercury emissions will go into effect after a key legislative committee failed to block the rule. The Assembly Natural Resources Committee had opposed the regulation, but the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules did not uphold that objection within a required 30-day period. The official end of that time is 5 p.m. Monday, but the committee chairman has not called a meeting, which ...

Man gets 151 months for pot dealing

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:36:00 CDT

A 26-year-old Minneapolis man was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without the chance for parole for being "the main source" of a large amount of marijuana distributed in Wisconsin. Robert Michener was sentenced Friday in federal court in Madison by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb. He pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana in July. Others involved in the drug trafficking ring received lesser sentences after cooperating ...

Feds offer state $15M to change seat belt law

Associated Press — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:21:00 CDT

MILWAUKEE -- The federal government is offering Wisconsin a multimillion-dollar incentive to change its seat belt enforcement law. The state now allows police to ticket drivers for not wearing seat belts only if they've been pulled over for another offense. The federal government wants the state to change the law by July 1 to allow police to pull over drivers just for failing to wear seat belts. If the state complies, the federal government will give it a one-time ...

Higher Education Day set for Tuesday

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:34:00 CDT

Higher education is becoming essential for many careers, but is it out of reach for a lot of students? State government and education officials want to convince high schoolers and their families that going to college or taking post-secondary coursework is realistic for practically everybody in Wisconsin during a one-day push touting the possibilities. Higher Education Day in Wisconsin is slated for Tuesday, with more than 20 events planned statewide to make the public aware ...

Thoreau School makes drop-off area safer

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:56:00 CDT

Parents, staff and kids will be in a safer "drop-off" environment starting Monday at Thoreau Elementary School on Madison's west side. A new concrete designated drop-off area with a marked crosswalk has been set up with hopes of lessening a hazardous condition at the school where unsafe driver behavior put pedestrians at risk. At Thoreau Elementary School, 3870 Nakoma Road, crossing the street can be dangerous since school buses parked on Nakoma at drop-off and ...

Woodman's gas station evacuated

Mike Ivey — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:07:00 CDT

East siders got a scare Sunday evening when a grenade was found near Woodman's grocery store on the 3800 block of Milwaukee Street. The Dane County Bomb Squad was dispatched to the scene around 7 p.m., forcing the closing of the gas station in the Woodman's parking lot and the rerouting of Madison Metro buses. "A Metro bus driver reported someone telling him there was a grenade in ...

A little rain will give way to sunshine

The Capital Times — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:18:00 CDT

Early morning Monday rain in the northern part of south central Wisconsin will give way to partly sunny and warmer conditions as temperatures climb close to 70 Monday afternoon. Rain could revisit the area Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, but new rainfall amounts should only total between a quarter- and a half-inch before ending Tuesday night. The middle of the week should be the best weather conditions of the week, according to Weather ...

Police say deaths may be murder-suicide

Susan Troller — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:00:00 CDT

The deaths of two people found in a residence on the west side of Madison appear to be a domestic homicide and suicide, according to information that's part of an on-going investigation by the Madison Police Department. The bodies of the man and woman, who have not been identified pending notification of family members, were discovered Saturday evening about 6:30 p.m. in a residence in the 700 block of Kottke Drive. Kottke Drive intersects Watts ...

Couple found dead on west side

The Capital Times — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:52:00 CDT

Madison police Sunday were investigating the deaths of a man and a woman whose bodies were found Saturday evening in a residence on the west side. The residence is in the 700 block of Kottke Drive near Sam's Club, off of Watts Road. There was no further information available on the investigation Sunday morning, although Sgt. Pete Schmidt of the Madison Department said this morning that the preliminary investigation suggests there is no danger to the ...

John Birch Society celebrates 50th anniversary

Associated Press — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:48:00 CDT

APPLETON -- Texas Congressman Ron Paul was scheduled to speak at the John Birch Society's 50th anniversary celebration this weekend in Neenah. The anti-communist political group was founded in Indiana in 1958 but now is headquartered in Appleton. Paul is a libertarian-leaning Texas lawmaker who attracted a devoted following in the Republican primary race for president. His Saturday speech was billed as the highlight of the ...

Japanese marketing experts to tour cranberry bogs

Associated Press — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:38:00 CDT

Japanese marketing experts will be in central Wisconsin next week with one goal in mind -- increasing cranberries consumption in Japan. The team will visit cranberry bogs and manufacturing plants near Wisconsin Rapids and Tomah on Monday and Tuesday to learn about different varieties of cranberries and how the harvest is done. Research showing the health benefits of the red fruit also be presented.

Lieutenant governors make economic trip to China

Associated Press — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:18:00 CDT

The lieutenant governors of five states, including Wisconsin, are in China this week on a mission to bring jobs and economic development to the U.S. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton says her goal is to give Chinese officials a clear vision of Wisconsin's business climate, hardworking employees and environmental expertise. The eight-day trip started Saturday and goes to Oct. 12. It will include visits to earthquake-affected ...

Missing UW-Milwaukee student may have been killed

Associated Press — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:48:00 CDT

MILWAUKEE -- A missing University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student may have been the victim of foul play, the Dodge County Sheriff's Department said Saturday. Acting on a tip, authorities in the Watertown area found the vehicle of Haroon Khan in a storage unit in southern Dodge County and, on Saturday afternoon, worked to remove a body from a shallow grave about 220 yards away, Sheriff Todd Nehls said.

Motorcycle crash injures 2

Susan Troller — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:00:00 CDT

A motorcyclist and his passenger were both seriously injured when they crashed into another cyclist Saturday morning on a rural road in southern Dane County. Ruth Roper, the passenger, was transported by helicopter to a local hospital with what were described as significant head injuries from the crash. Michael Roper was also hospitalized with serious injuries. The collision took place shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Judd Road between Belleville and Oregon, and was apparently a ...

Victim shot multiple times

Susan Troller — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:53:00 CDT

Douglas D. Deviney, who was shot multiple times during a violent domestic incident early Sunday morning, is expected to recover from his injuries, according to information released by the Dane County Sheriff's Office around 10 a.m. Sunday. Dane County deputies and officers from Sauk Prairie were called to a residence at 7554 U.S. Highway 12 in the Town of Roxbury at about 3:40 a.m. Sunday. Deviney was transported by ambulance to Sauk ...

Farmers get help selling food to grocers

The Capital Times — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:47:00 CDT

A workshop next month in Viroqua will help local farmers who are interested in selling their products directly to grocery stores. The day-long workshop, which costs $20 and includes materials and lunch, is called Food Marketing Essentials: Accessing Local Markets. It will take place Nov. 14 at Western Technical College in Viroqua and is sponsored by the UW Extension, the Wisconsin Grocers Association and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer protection with a grant ...

Fire truck parade rained out

Susan Troller — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:49:00 CDT

The popular Dane County Fire Chiefs Association big Fire Truck Parade on State Street scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled due to a rainy mid-day forecast. Meteorologist Tom Carlson of Weather Central said that a line of mild storms ahead of a warm front would push into the Madison area by mid-morning with showers likely through most of the day. Temperatures on Sunday will top out at about 60 degrees. Carlson said rainfall amounts ...

Middleton pool hall site sells for $2.5M

Mike Ivey — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:21:00 CDT

A $3.25 million pool hall built in Middleton in part over opposition to Madison smoking ban has been sold for $2.5 million. Lee & Associates announced Friday it had brokered the sale of the former Blue Chalk Club in Middleton to a group called Garr Gantuann Ventures LLC. No details were available on the new owner's plans for the property. The Blue Chalk Club closed in August 2007 after operating for just over a ...

Law firm closing its Madison office

Mike Ivey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:37:00 CDT

A national law firm specializing in biotechnology and life sciences issues is closing its Madison office but the 25 affected employees are expected to land with another firm. San Francisco-based Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe opened here in 2000 because of the city's burgeoning biotech sector. It had hired local attorneys John Skilton and David Harth from the Madison office of Foley & Lardner to help launch the practice. But Heller ...

Marshfield teen wins best grocery bagger contest

Associated Press — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:17:00 CDT

Jared Seidel has it in the bag. The 18-year-old grocery store employee won the Great Wisconsin Bag-off in Madison this week, earning $500 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to compete in January's national championship. Seidel took top honors by placing 40 items cleanly in two paper bags in 45 seconds. The self-described perfectionist says he laughs about his bagging skills but takes ...

Kenosha woman convicted of prostituting daughter

Associated Press — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:43:00 CDT

A Kenosha woman has been convicted of prostituting her then-15-year-old daughter. A jury convicted the woman Friday on 21 charges including soliciting a child for prostitution, failure to protect a child and child enticement, all as a repeat offender. The woman is not being named to protect her daughters. Authorities say the woman charged men $25 to $45 for sex with her 15-year-old daughter and tried ...

2 Wisconsin cities face fines for radium in water

Associated Press — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:37:00 CDT

The cities of Waukesha and Fond du Lac could be fined for failing to reduce the amount of radium in their drinking water. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has asked the attorney general's office to fine the cities. The fines could be up to $5,000 per day, but a state official has said it won't seek that much. Forty-two Wisconsin water utilities had until December ...