As Governor Jim Doyle prepares to deliver what will be his final state of the state address, some Republican state legislators say the Democratic governor has failed to follow through on a promise made to 8th graders. In his state of the state address four years ago, Doyle said 8th graders who signed the Wisconsin Covenant Pledge, and lived up to its conditions, would be eligible for financial aid packages for college. [Read more...]
Opening statements in trial of man accused in family’s slaughter
January 26, 2010 By
A jury has heard opening statements in the Rock County murder trial of James Koepp. District Attorney David O’Leary said the evidence would show that Koepp committed the murders, although the only witnesses to the crime other than Koepp are dead. O’Leary told the jury they’ll hear a taped message Koepp made when calling his brother shortly after the murders.
AUDIO: D.A. David O’Leary (:40 MP3) AUDIO: D.A. David O’Leary (:40 MP3)
Defense attorney Walter Isaacson said Koepp was in the Lentz home the evening of January 11, 2007, but that he left, and someone intent on robbery entered the trailer later that night. Isaacson told the jurors that Keopp was a neighbor who had a friendly relationship with the victims, that Keopp did some repairs to the Lentz mobile home, and that Koepp admitted to having an affair with Danyetta Lentz.
AUDIO: Attorney Walter Isaacson (:40 MP3) AUDIO: Attorney Walter Isaacson (:40 MP3) [Read more...]
Hoping for Haiti
January 26, 2010 By
A Wisconsin man evacuated from Haiti is still trying to contact friends in that earthquake-stricken nation. Pat O’Malley owns the Kilkarney Hills golf course in River Falls. For nearly 20 years, O’Malley has worked with a charitable group which has built homes and schools in a remote part of Haiti. O’Malley had just landed at the Port au Prince airport with truck parts and other supplies when the earthquake hit. He says he was lucky to be outside, but that the truck he was riding in jumped and slid during the tremors. From a distance, he could see the smoke and dust from collapsing buildings and thought at first there was a big fire or maybe even a riot. [Read more...]
Doyle’s swan song
January 26, 2010 By
Governor Jim Doyle gives his eighth and final state-of-the-state address tonight.
Senate Republican Rob Cowles of Green Bay says the state has some very significant financial problems, and that needs to be addressed in the governor’s speech.
“Now, do we have some good things going on? Yes. I think that we’re turning the corner. But the positive and the negative need to be mixed together. We cannot just put our head in the sand and say everything is hunky-dory, because whoever the next governor is … is gonna have one heck of a challenge dealing with this.” [Read more...]
Haiti donations can be written off this tax season
January 26, 2010 By
Wisconsinites can write off donations to Haiti, sooner rather than later. The IRS is allowing donations, made between January 11th and before March 1st, to be claimed on the 2009 tax filing. Only cash contributions, rather than property donations are eligible.
