Suspected serial killer was person of interest in Iowa news anchor murder (MARSHFIELD)
An accused killer who was a person of interest in the 1995 death of Iowa news anchor Jodi Huisentruit (HOO-zin-troot) is now linked to the murders of women in Wisconsin and Missouri. Wood County District Attorney Jonathan Barnett announced that D-N-A positively linked suspect Chris Revak to the slaying of 21-year-old Diedre Harm after a night out at a Wisconsin Rapids bar in 2006. D-N-A also links Revak to the murder of 36-year-old Rene Williams of Ava, Missouri in 2007. Revak, who was originally from the Wisconsin Rapids area, was arrested for the Williams murder and killed himself in a Missouri jail cell while awaiting trial. He was considered a possible suspect in several other unsolved cases, including the 1995 disappearance of Mason City TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit. The Wisconsin sheriff says the new D-N-A findings won’t bring back the victims, but it may bring some closure to the families.
Bill would prohibit ownership of ag and forestry land by foreign adversaries (MADISON)
Legislation to prohibit foreign adversaries from acquiring Wisconsin agricultural or forestry land had a hearing at the Capitol this week. Assembly Agriculture Committee chair Representative Travis Tranel, himself a farmer, questioned the bill’s authors. Tranel said he’s often asked how many acres in Wisconsin are currently owned by foreign entities. Representative William Penterman said according to USDA, 2.6% or roughly 600,000 acres of Wisconsin farmland is owned by foreign persons, but that it’s difficult to tell how much is owned by foreign adversaries as would be defined in the bill. Current state law already places restrictions on foreign ownership of ag and forestry land, but the bill adds the language on foreign adversaries. While it doesn’t specify countries, Penterman and Senator Andre Jaque named communist China as their main concern.
Supermarket merger finalized (UNDATED)
A regional supermarket merger is finalized. Missouri based Schnuck Markets’ holding company, the 1939 Group, has completed acquisition of Wisconsin-based Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers. The deal increases the total store network to 164 locations and expands the group’s employee count by 8,000. The 51 Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers in Wisconsin join 113 Schnuck Markets in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. The deal announced in September includes purchase of shares held by Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers CEO Mark Skogen, along with those held by employees through a stock ownership plan.
DOJ update: man killed in standoff likely died from deputy’s gunfire (TOWN OF WAUTOMA)
The Wisconsin Department of Justice reports new information shows a man killed in a standoff in Waushara County likely died from officer gunfire. Investigators initially said 51-year-old Timothy Lehman died from a self-inflicted gunshot, but new information shows the fatal wound likely came from an exchange of gunfire with Sheriff’s Deputy Alex Midthun, now on administrative leave. The incident started with a domestic disturbance call earlier this month, officers confronted Lehman outside the home, he then retreated inside and fired at them, prompting the brief exchange. Officers found Lehman’s body inside the home after hearing a single gunshot as crisis negotiators were attempting to calm the situation, which led to the initial report of possible suicide.
Bill would allow online sports gambling statewide (UNDATED)
A new bill could bring online sports betting to Wisconsinites statewide. Wisconsin is one of 39 states that allows some sort of sports betting, but under the state constitution it can only happen on tribal lands. The bipartisan bill would use what legislators call a “hub and spoke” model where the gambling servers are located on tribal lands, but users with online devices could be located anywhere else in the state. Under the legislation, tribal casinos would have to launch their own gambling apps or website for people to use. The Oneida Nation was the first to offer sports betting in Wisconsin at its main casino near Green Bay in 2022, and Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee opened its onsite sportsbook back in May 2024.
Evers signs two EMS focused bills into law (MADISON)
Governor Tony Evers signs two bills into law to bolster EMS services in Wisconsin. The bills were authored by Republican state Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Tony Kurz. Evers’ office says one bill reduces financial barriers for people seeking a career in emergency medical services by making training and licensure more affordable. The second measure will reduce the cost for local governments and EMS providers by increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate for calls when a patient isn’t transported to a care facility. A 2022 study found that two out of five ambulance services in the state are not continuously staffed.