Wisconsin News and Sports
The Black River Falls School District says allegations that school bullying led to the overdose suicide of a 16-year-old junior are unfounded. The district’s outside investigator determined Ta’Shika Tengler told school officials about being bullied but that staff handled the incidents according to policy.
AUDIO: Brian Brawner, WWIS [Read more...]
A first-term Congressman from northeast Wisconsin wants to impose term limits on federal lawmakers. Reid Ribble is trying to get support for a constitutional amendment that would limit those in the House of Representatives and Senate to 12 years in office.
The Sherwood Republican’s plan also changes the length of a House term from two-to-four years, to allow members to focus on their jobs instead of campaigning.
“Your member of Congress works full-time for the first year on behalf of the people. Then in the second year you move into campaign mode right away.”
Ribble’s plan also calls for grandfathering in current members of Congress so they wouldn’t be voting to end their own jobs. He says that would allow the term limits to be phased in and give the measure a better chance of passing.
To become law, the constitutional amendment has to pass the House and Senate by a two-third majority and pass referendums in at least three-quarters of the states.
Ribble says even if his amendment fails, he’ll live by his campaign promise of serving maximum of eight years.
Rick Schuh-WHBY
A statewide Amber Alert was issued overnight for a two-year-old Racine girl and a man believed to be her father. Racine Police said Iryana Vaughn’s mother was murdered – and officers will talk to 25-year-old Iryin Vaughn about the slaying.
Police said it appears that the man and the homicide victim lived together, and the girl is apparently their daughter.
Officers say Vaughn fled with the girl to his home area of Chicago, where the two were picked up. The alert was cancelled around daybreak.
Last night’s Sturtevant Village Board meeting went on without embattled President Steve Jansen, who was still in jail on a felony stalking charge reference an ex-girlfriend, and there almost no mention of the situation except for a Trustee candidate bringing it up during public comment.
Former Village President Allan Acker, after the meeting, told the horde of reporters the process has to play itself out, but this certainly has cast a shadow on the community.
AUDIO: Acker on negative attention the village is receiving (:24)
Jansen’s bond with a formal charge of Stalking was set at $1,000. The criminal complaint alleged he just couldn’t give up the fact his ex-girlfriend wanted nothing more to do with him.
Tom Karkow-WRJN
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that California’s ban on gay marriage violates the civil rights of gay people, and a Wisconsin group is encouraged by the news.
“This decision was absolutely historic for gay and lesbian couples in California and it really sends a message that it is not the right path for voters to decide the fate for caring and committed couples,” says Katie Belanger, executive director of Fair Wisconsin.
The ban known as Proposition 8 was approved by California voters in 2008.
The case is now likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and justices there could rule on all gay marriage bans in the country.
Belanger says her group is trying to convince lawmakers to repeal Wisconsin’s gay marriage ban, instead of going through the courts. Repealing the Badger State’s gay marriage ban would also require voters to approve a statewide referendum.
Rick Schuh-WHBY
WRN Blog