Three more Wisconsin cities drop Flock contracts (UNDATED)
Three more Wisconsin cities end Flock camera contracts. The Oconomowoc (o-CAHNA-mo-WOCK) Common Council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to end the city’s contract for six cameras, due to concerns over data sharing by the company. Police Chief Jim Pfister told council members that at this time he has no information that they Flock shared the city’s data with with anybody outside. The Racine Common Council voted 8-6 Tuesday to terminate the city’s contract. Flock cameras there will be covered but remain operational for 30 more days so police can access data in ongoing investigations. In Waukesha, council members voted not to provide funding for Flock beyond 2026. Police Chief Dan Thompson noted that technology remains a critical component of modern policing but stated that community trust is equally important.
Diesel reaches record high (UNDATED)
The price of diesel fuel in Wisconsin is as high as it’s ever been. The Triple-A Fuel Prices page shows the average price for diesel just shy of $6.13 a gallon as of Wednesday, up two cents from Tuesday and an increase of $2.69 from a year ago. It’s the same story nationally, with diesel at a record high $6.31 a gallon according to Triple-A. The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline – just over $4.10 – is 26 cents below the national average, with higher prices in Northern and Central Wisconsin.
ACT and SAT could soon be optional or UW System admissions (UNDATED)
ACT and SAT scores could soon be optional for UW System college admissions. Testing requirements were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained optional ever since. Research conducted by UW-Madison found test scores were not strongly tied to student retention or graduation rates, while factors like high school coursework, grades, and extracurricular activities were better predictors of success. The proposal goes before the Board of Regents Thursday. If approved, campuses could still use test scores for scholarships, course placement, and other academic opportunities.
Watch out for reptiles and amphibians on the road this fall (UNDATED)
Keep an eye out for reptiles and amphibians on the road this fall. As temperatures cool, frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes and lizards are moving to overwintering areas, often crossing roadways along the way. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, many are killed by vehicles each year. The public can report sightings, including roadkill locations, to help identify trouble spots and guide future conservation efforts. More than half of Wisconsin’s reptile species are considered endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
Metallica to play Camp Randall (MADISON)
Metal heads will be packing Camp Randall Stadium next summer. Metallica will play Camp Randall on June 12th of next year. And they’re bringing with them Limp Bizkit and Avatar. Tickets will be available starting with fan club presales on Monday, Sept. 21st. Local presales will take place Thursday, September 24 and general ticket sales begin the following day, Friday, Sept. 25th at UWBadgers.com. After a nearly 30-year drought, Camp Randall began hosting concerts last year with Morgan Wallen and Coldplay. This year, ACDC took the stage.
Music teacher fired for 2018 relationship with student (VERONA)
The Verona school board fires a music teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. 34-year-old Halla Nelson had been placed on leave earlier this month after district officials were told of an affair Nelson had with a 17-year-old student in 2019. A criminial complaint says Nelson was the student’s teacher when he was in middle school and the two reconnected when he was in high school and started up a relationship. She is charged with felony sexual assault of a child.
American Red Cross looking for 2027 Heroes Awards nominees (UNDATED)
The Wisconsin Red Cross is looking for local heroes. Nominations are now open for the 2027 Wisconsin Red Cross Heroes Awards, recognizing people from southern and southeastern Wisconsin who make a difference in their communities. Spokesperson Laura McGuire says heroes can be anyone, from a neighbor or coworker to someone whose story inspired others. The Red Cross is encouraging the public to submit nominations now. For more information or to nominate a hero, visit redcross.org/Wisconsin.
State Supreme Court won’t suspend former judge Dugan’s law license (MADISON)
The State Supreme Court won’t prevent former judge Hannah Dugan from practicing law. The Court on Thursday ruled 5 – 2 against a recommendation from the Office of Lawyer Regulation to suspend Dugan’s license in connection with her conviction for helping an undocumented immigrant briefly evade arrest by ICE. Dugan resigned from the Milwaukee County Court following her conviction. Conservative Justice Annette Ziegler wrote in her dissent that she was “confounded by the Court’s inaction.”
State health officials ready to contain measles in central Wisconsin (UNDATED)
A new case of measles in Central Wisconsin means more work for the Department of Health Services. Dr. Ryan Westergaard says health officials have been able to focus on containing a series of community outbreaks in Southwestern Wisconsin. Westergaard says the new case in Marathon County will require D H S to mobilize in order to contain possible exposures in a new region of Wisconsin. The case in Marathon County is from out of state travel. Two new cases are also reported from Vernon County, in addition to previously confirmed cases in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties, bringing the total number this year to 164, of which 163 were unvaccinated individuals.