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Dairyland to close at year’s end

November 10, 2009 By

Kenosha’s Dairyland Greyhound Park confirmed Tuesday that the track will close at year’s end. Track officials announced that Dairyland will close the doors for good after the last race on New Year’ss Eve. Roy Berger, Dairyland Executive Vice President, called it a sad day for the Dairyland family and the Kenosha community.

AUDIO: Janet Hoff reports (:65 MP3)

Berger said the track will try to help the 174 employees affected by the decision, and that the big question is still whether the Menominee Nation will be able to resurrect the facility as a casino.

Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman says the closing will be a blow for the city, which will lose some revenue. Dairyland opened in June of 1990, one of five dog tracks that opened across the state, and for a time was one of Wisconsin’s top tourist attractions.

WRJN’s Janet Hoff submitted this report

Filed Under: Business

Milwaukee lands airline jobs

November 10, 2009 By

In a shot in the arm for Wisconsin’s economy, Republic Airways will establish a major airline hub in Milwaukee County, retaining 800 jobs and creating up to 800 in Milwaukee and Oak Creek. The job functions include flight crews, heavy aircraft maintenance and technical support, and reservations call center.

Republic Airways purchased Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines in August, and Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Republic will consolidate operations and maintenance functions in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Commerce’s EZ-10 Program creates a 12-year Enterprise Zone for the company, and Republic can earn $27 million in income and payroll tax credits by meeting these job and investment goals.

Milwaukee’s bid to Republic included free hangar space that Midwest Airlines now owns at General Mitchell International Airport. That may have been a deciding factor in attracting the jobs. The mayor of Denver, which was also in the running, said his city couldn’t compete with the free hanger space.

Filed Under: Business

TV weather guy’s sexual assault trial delayed

November 10, 2009 By

A hunting mishap causes a delay in a notable trial.

Former madison TV weatherman Jeff Smith was set to stand trial today on sexual assault charges in Sauk County, where he lives. Prosecutors say he “groped” a young girl in the fall of ’07. By the way, Smith’s attorney, Steve Eisenburg of Madison, strongly denies the allegations.

Well, the trial is now either going to take place next January or February as an investigator that interviewed Smith on the allegations is not able to take the stand. It’s because he fell out of a tree stand, causing substantial injuries. Smith was removed from the air shortly after the allegations surfaced a year ago.

(Robin Colbert, WIBA)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Supreme Court hears Jensen venue motion

November 10, 2009 By

The state Wisconsin Supreme Court will rule on where former state Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen’s retrial will take place. Should the second trail for the former Assembly Speaker be moved to Waukesha County? That argument was put forward by Jensen’s attorney Robert Friebert, who cited a state ethics law passed in 2007 – five years after the offenses for which his client was charged.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:65 MP3)

While Dane County D.A. Brian Blanchard concedes that law could apply, he doesn’t think it does in Jensen’s case. “One of the reasons that I personally disfavor the change in the law is that really ordinarily for all crimes, it’s in the county where it occurs,” said Blanchard. “Usually that means the evidence is going to be there, the witnesses are going to be there, people with familiarity are going to be close by. So yes, it adds to the cost, it adds to the burden” if the trial is moved.

Jensen was convicted in Dane County in 2006, but an appeals court overturned that conviction, ruling that part of his testimony had been wrongfully excluded. “None of the delay that’s occurred to date has been the result of actions by the state,” said Blanchard. “We work within a system. Everybody’s doing their jobs.” Since the appeals court decision Jensen was remained out of jail while fighting to have the case moved to Waukesha County, where he lives. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Politics & Government

Pro-choicers hope for second chance with Senate

November 10, 2009 By

After suffering major defeat in the US House, pro-choice advocates say the Senate is the next battleground. Nicole Safar, Legal and Policy Analyst for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, called the  House approved amendment by Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) “extreme.” The Stupak amendment prohibits insurance plans purchased with government subsidies from covering abortions.

However Safar says the language extends to some who would pay for the procedure themselves;”Right now in the private insurance market about 80-percent of plans cover abortion under this amendment. That number will be drastically, drastically reduced and women will lose coverage they already have.”

Wisconsin representatives voted amongst party lines with the GOP opposed and Democrats in favor of the legislation which included a public option.

Despite conservative and moderate Senators threatening to filibuster the public option, Safar says it’s quite possible a Stupak version in that chamber will not fly. The advocate says a similar amendment has been scrapped twice at Senate committee level.

Meanwhile those on the pro-life side are not getting comfortable. In press release from Wisconsin Right to Life:  Legislative Director Susan Armacost commented, “Every right-to-life American must remain vigilant because the White House and pro-abortion congressional Democratic leaders will try every trick in the book to put the objectionable pro-abortion components back into health care reform legislation.”

AUDIO: Brian Moon reports (MP3 :71)

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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