A suspect in a Brown County drug investigation is on Mississippi's list of top 10 most wanted fugitives. Sheriff's Department Lt. Scott Semb says drug task force members arrested 28-year-old Aqui Rhodes Wednesday. Rhodes was allegedly involved in a crack cocaine deal at a fast food restaurant on Green Bay's west side. According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Rhodes and another man are accused of luring three people to a church parking lot in Jefferson Davis County last year in which the victims were ambushed. Two people were killed, a third wounded. Rhodes is being held in the Brown County jail, and police are investigating whether he was involved in violent crimes in Green Bay and the surrounding area.
Mississippi bad guy nabbed here
August 24, 2007 By
FEMA promises quick action in Wisconsin
August 24, 2007 By
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency says Wisconsin residents should know quickly if they qualify for disaster assistance.
FEMA teams will be on the ground in Wisconsin this weekend, in order to determine if residents can receive federal assistance to help in the recovery. FEMA Director R. David Paulison says their goal is to work as quickly as possible, making aid available hopefully within days.
Paulison toured flooded regions by air on Friday afternoon. The Director says he wanted to get a first-hand look at the flood damaged areas, much like he's done in two other states impacted by heavy rains over the past week.
The director expects a quick decision on Wisconsin's federal disaster status. If areas qualify, residents can receive up to $28,200 aid.
DNR, Ag Department caution manure handlers
August 24, 2007 By
Rain and manure don't mix. Tom Bowman with the Wisconsin DNR's Agricultural Runoff Program says there are concerns that all the rain in southern Wisconsin could cause problems: manure storage facilities could overflow, or farmers worried about that might try to spread manure on fields that are too saturated to absorb it. Either way, the result would be bad. Bowman says producers need to know what to do. Larger livestock operators with permits from the DNR should contact that agency. Smaller livestock producers can contact their county Land Conservation Department, the state Ag Department or the DNR.
PSC asked to investigate Madison electrocution
August 24, 2007 By
This week's power line tragedy in Madison is leading to a request of state regulators.
State Representative Dave Travis (D-Waunakee) says all steps possible should be taken to prevent future electrocutions from downed power lines. He's sent a letter to the Public Service Commission asking for an investigation into technology that may have prevented a fatal incident in Madison this week where three people were electrocuted. Travis wants to know if technology exists that would turn downed power lines off automatically.
Travis represents the area of Madison where lightning knocked a power line into standing water, killing three people.
Government Accountability Board meets
August 24, 2007 By
Wisconsin's new Government Accountability Board has held its first meeting. And the question is, whether or not the panel of six retired judges will get a better handle on elections and ethics violations than the current boards charged with overseeing those issues. That will depend on the members, says Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, who notes that the board has been set up to be none partisan and politically independent. The retired judges "don't have to look for another appointment or please politicians to advance their careers." McCabe says the Ethics and Elections Boards which the new board will replace were "lamely reactive." Retired Appeals Court Chief Judge Tom Cane heads up the six judge GAB , which is unique in the nation: no other state has a board of this type whose members are all judges.
