Wisconsin

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AWOL Wisconsin Lawmakers Found ... in Illinois

Democrats demanding changes to anti-union bill

(Newser) - Wisconsin's political theater is now a two-state show: Democrats who fled the capital today to stall the governor's anti-union bill are holed up in a Best Western in Rockford, Illinois, reports WTMJ of Milwaukee . It's not clear whether all 14 senators are there or when they'll return. Republicans need at...

Wisconsin Cops Look for Lawmakers Boycotting Vote

Democrats hold out in face of union-destroying vote

(Newser) - Police have been dispatched to track down 14 Wisconsin state senators who are boycotting a vote to strip government workers of their collective bargaining rights. Republicans have a 19-14 majority in the chamber, but can’t pass the controversial bill without at least one Democrat present, and all of them...

Protests Close Wisconsin's Schools for a Second Day

But Gov. Scott Walker's proposal will likely pass

(Newser) - Madison's schools were forced to close for a second day as a momentous bill that would strip Wisconsin's government workers of nearly all collective bargaining rights sped through the Legislature and appeared poised to pass. Protesters clogged the hallways of the state Capitol ahead of today's planned vote; thousands are...

Thousands Protest Anti-Union Bill in Wisconsin

Teachers angry at governor's proposal

(Newser) - Thousands of teachers, prison guards, and students descended on the Wisconsin Capitol for a second day today to fight a move to take union rights away from government workers. The Statehouse filled with as many as 10,000 demonstrators, and Madison teachers joined the protest by calling in sick in...

6 Dead as Snow, Big Chill Shut Down Midwest

Highways closed, flights canceled amid sub-zero weather

(Newser) - Temperatures have plummeted across the upper Midwest after a storm pounded the region with snow and strong winds this weekend, the AP reports. Six weather-related deaths were reported as the storm closed major highways in some states, canceled some 1,600 flights in Chicago, and collapsed the inflatable roof of...

Ohio, Wisconsin Spurn $1.2B to Build Train Lines

Stimulus funds will go to other states

(Newser) - The US is redistributing $1.2 billion in federal stimulus money that had been headed to Ohio and Wisconsin, after both states' Republican governors-elect called for an end to proposed train projects, arguing they were unnecessary and would cost millions to operate. “Wisconsin taxpayers were victorious today in defeating...

And the State With the Booziest Drivers Is...

...Wisconsin, followed closely by North Dakota

(Newser) - America's drivers are a boozy bunch: Some 30 million admitted to driving drunk within the last year and more than 10 million drove while high on drugs, according to a new report. But those numbers actually show progress, notes MSNBC . The survey of the years 2006 through 2009 found an...

Teen Hostage-Taker Dies in Wisconsin

Motive still a mystery; teacher hailed as hero

(Newser) - The 15-year-old who held classmates and a teacher hostage in Wisconsin yesterday died today of his self-inflicted gunshot wound. Samuel Hengel had nothing in his history to explain what happened, say police and those who knew him. “Not one hint that anything like this would happen,” a teacher...

Hostage: Teen Gunman Didn't Want to Hurt Us

Students kept him calm with talk of hunting, fishing, says witness

(Newser) - A teenage gunman who held 23 Wisconsin high school classmates and their female teacher hostage before shooting himself didn't seem to want to hurt anyone, said a witness. The 15-year-old shooter appeared depressed, and classmates tried to keep him calm by talking to him about hunting and fishing, hostage Zach...

Student Gunman Releases Hostages, Shoots Self

Teacher, 23 students were held for 5 hours

(Newser) - Twenty-three students and a teacher held hostage in a Wisconsin high school for more than 5 hours have all made it out safely. The 15-year-old gunman who burst into a classroom at the end of the day shot himself after police stormed the classroom, authorities say. Five of the 23...

Armed Student Holding 23 Kids, Teacher Hostage

No injuries reported; unsure how many in classroom

(Newser) - An armed student has taken 23 students and a teacher hostage inside a high school classroom in Marinette, Wis., according to an emergency management official. Marinette County emergency management director Eric Burmeister says a high school administrator called authorities after 3pm today to say an armed student had burst into...

Woman Who Embezzled $34M Gets 11 Years

Compulsive shopper had to cover her bills

(Newser) - A woman with a compulsive shopping problem who cooked the books of the company she worked for to pay her bills is going to prison for 11 years. Sujata "Sue" Sachdeva admitted stealing $34 million over 12 years from stereo headphone manufacturer Koss Corp. of Wisconsin while she worked...

College Trio Fined $86K for Kegger

University of Wisconsin party hosts slapped with 130 citations

(Newser) - Three University of Wisconsin students are facing more than $86,000 in fines for what could be one of the most expensive beer parties in history. Police showed up at the Madison students' house party last month and found a couple hundred guests paying $5 per cup. The students were...

Wisconsin Levee Crumbles
 Wisconsin Levee Crumbles 
UPDATED

Wisconsin Levee Crumbles

Total failure of 120-year-old system threatens 100 homes

(Newser) - A 120-year-old levee along the Wisconsin River has failed, officials confirmed for CNN , following record flooding. Hundreds of Wisconsin residents fled their homes yesterday after Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources predicted "imminent" total failure of the 14-mile system. An emergency worker said late yesterday that flooding in a particularly...

Prominent DA Sexted Abuse Victim

But Kenneth Kratz will not step down

(Newser) - Despite accusations of "sexting" a 26-year-old domestic abuse victim whose ex-boyfriend he was prosecuting, a prominent Wisconsin district attorney will remain in his post. Then-married Kenneth Kratz, 50, sent his first—polite—message to Stephanie Van Groll after interviewing her about the case in October 2009. His texts quickly...

Wisc. Harley Union OKs Stark Contract

Bikemaker had threatened to leave town without steep concessions

(Newser) - A Harley-Davidson union narrowly voted today to take a pay freeze, hundreds of job cuts, and delegate substantial work to part-timers, but the motorcycle icon will stay in Milwaukee—at least for now, reports the AP. The seven-year contract passed 55%-45%, and largely because it included a one-time payment of...

Candidate Runs 'Fighting' Ad Against Assault Victim Rival

Boxing gloves odd choice in Wisconsin

(Newser) - Scott Walker has taken the gloves off—by putting them on—in his push to be Wisconsin's governor. The Republican county executive of Milwaukee has a new ad attacking his presumptive Democratic rival, Mayor Tom Barrett, that shows him wearing boxing gloves. Walker claims he's "ready to go the...

Obama: GOP Slogan Is 'No, We Can't'
 Obama: 
 GOP Slogan 
 Is 'No, We Can't' 

BEGINS 3-DAY FUNDRAISING SWING

Obama: GOP Slogan Is 'No, We Can't'

President embarks on 3-day fundraising trip

(Newser) - President Obama began three days of campaigning for his fellow Democrats today ahead of the midterm elections, promising that homegrown clean-energy industry would replace lost manufacturing jobs, the AP reports. Speaking to a group of workers at ZBB Energy in Milwaukee, Obama excoriated Republicans for their near-constant opposition: "These...

Feds Bust Major Pot Network in Wisconsin National Forest

Single group behind sophisticated farms

(Newser) - Some 200 federal agents and police swarmed a national forest in northern Wisconsin to bust a massive pot-growing network on public land. The illegal operations involved clear-cutting forests to establish fields, drying barns and shelters so growers could live and process pot on-site, reports the Green Bay Press Gazette . The...

Krispy Kreme Burger Sweeps the Nation

Wisconsin State Fair adds chocolate-covered bacon

(Newser) - Have you ever thought to yourself, “Self, you are not doing enough to ensure you die of a heart attack before you have to deal with that nasty growing old nonsense”? Then maybe you should see if your local state fair is selling the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger. It’...

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