From the daily archives:

Friday, September 25, 2009

Governor Jim Doyle says state Representative Jeff Wood’s second arrest for driving while intoxicated in less than a year is a troubling situation. “There’s a personal side of it for Representative Wood that he really has to deal with, but we also have to recognize that, as alleged, this kind of driving puts the public at very grave risk,” Doyle said during a meeting with reporters in his Capitol office on Friday. “I think he has very big decision to make, and if he doesn’t the people in his district have a big decision to make. ”

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Wood was arrested Wednesday in Marathon County and charged with operating while intoxicated. He reportedly said he had taking several anti-anxiety pills and cough medicine. He was arrested in Columbia County in December and charged with third-offense drunk driving and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The Marathon County 911 Center released nearly nine minutes worth of audio, during which a motorist described Wood’s erratic driving before he was pulled over by a State Patrol trooper.

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Also on Friday, state Representative Steve Nass circulated a letter in which he requests that Wood resign, or face expulsion proceedings in the Assembly.

Jason Fischer contributed to this report

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Doyle outlines DNA effort

by WRN Contributor 09/25/09 3:32 PM

A team of retired cops will attempt to locate and obtain DNA samples from convicted felons who are supposed to have submitted them to a state databank. Governor Doyle made that announcement Friday after meeting with Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch.
AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (:18 MP3)
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says he’ll work closely with the [...]

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People holding onto pets even in hard times

by WRN Contributor 09/25/09 11:59 AM

People are not abandoning their pets during hard times, at least in one Wisconsin community. Despite the economy or perhaps because of it the Rock County Humane Society reports the shelter’s dog intake was about 11 percent lower for the fiscal year ending in August compared to last year.
Director Angela Rhodes says people are willing [...]

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Putting the gubernatorial squeeze on Barrett

by WRN Contributor 09/25/09 11:41 AM

The political pressure grows on Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
A Democratic activist is quoted today as saying “Immense pressure will be brought to bear” on Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to run for Governor. UW political scientist Dave Canon says Barrett seems to be favored by many in the party. The only announced Democratic candidate so far [...]

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Push on for extenstion of unemployment benefits

by WRN Contributor 09/25/09 11:04 AM

Wisconsin’s unemployed workers may be getting an extension in benefits. The federal government is looking to pass emergency legislation to extend unemployment benefits or states with an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent or higher. Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman says Wisconsin, where the most recent seasonally adjusted unenmployment rate stands at 8.8 [...]

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