It's hardly the weather for motorcycles, but they're the topic of a conference in Madison this weekend. Motorcycle safety instructors from around the state meet in Madison this weekend to prepare for the upcoming riding season. Ron Thompson with the DOT says they hope to develop strategies to reduce fatalities: last year 111 motorcyclists were killed in the state.
Archives for February 2008
Pump failure sends kids to hospital
More than 40 students were hospitalized Friday after a circulation pump malfunctioned at an indoor pool in Wausau. The students were on a swimming field trip at the Mount View Care Center when the pump malfunctioned, causing higher-than-normal levels of chlorine. Center administrator Lori Koeppel says students started feeling nauseous after the malfunction.
Lifeguards and field trip supervisors noticed the exposure. Koeppel says they acted quickly to help the students. Koeppel says an inspection of the faulty pump will now begin. Thirty-four children were taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Most will be released in a few hours. St. Clare's Hospital reported one student there was in critical condition. Four others were in good condition.
Packers expected to trade Williams
The Green Bay Packers are expected to trade their franchise player, defensive tackle Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns for a second round pick in this years draft.
The Washington Post first reported the deal yesterday. The Packers would reportedly get Cleveland's pick, the 56th overall in the second round in compensation.
The Packers had just made Williams their franchise player, signing him to a 1-year contract worth just over $6.3-million.
Doyle says virtual school bill "not serious"
Governor Jim Doyle has no plans to support virtual school legislation passed by the Assembly.
The Assembly bill passed Thursday caps enrollment, but nearly doubles the 3,500 student limit the Governor asked for in the Senate version. Doyle says lawmakers are using the situation to push a "big expansion" of virtual school programs.
Lawmakers have been rushing to pass a virtual school bill after an Appeals Court ruled in December that the programs can't qualify for state aid. Some programs could shut down next fall if a bill is not passed this session.
Doyle says he's open to compromise, but not the cap of about 8,700 students in the Assembly bill. Doyle doesn't think the offer was even a "serious offer" from Republicans.
The Governor has said he'll veto any bill that does not include a cap. He says it's needed so there's time to see what impact the programs are having on bricks and mortar schools. The bill does include a financial impact study requested by the Governor.
Badgers move back atop the Big Ten
Brian Butch hit a career-high four 3-pointers to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to a 57-42 win over 19th ranked Michigan State at the Kohl Center on Thursday night.
The Badgers (24-4, 14-2 Big Ten) won their 5th in a row, including three straight road games. The Spartans (22-6, 10-5) have lost three of their last five games.
Butch finished with 16 points and the Badgers not only played their normal stellar defense, but they turned the ball over just one time in the win.
Michigan State's star, Drew Neitzel, scored just 3 points on 1 of 10 shooting from the field.
Listen / Download – Brian Butch says he just kept on shooting. :14
Cotton's 3 leads Green Bay to win
Troy Cotton's 3-point basket with just over 2-seconds left gave the Green Bay Phoenix a 76-73 men's Horizon League victory over Illinois-Chicago in Green Bay on Thursday night.
Ryan Tillema scored 32 points, including eight 3-pointers to lead the Phoenix
(14-4, 8-9 Horizon) and Green Bay snapped a 5-game losing streak.
In Milwaukee, the Panthers snapped a 3-game losing streak, knocking off Loyolla 68-53. Paige Paulsen and Ricky Franklin scored 16 points each for the Panthers.
Packers' website leads fans down the wrong path
Packers fans are waiting for official word on Brett Favre's future and they're still waiting.
For a short time on Thursday, fans visiting the teams official website, packers.com, saw a page that was reporting Brett Favre's retirement from football. That site was soon pulled and team officials said an error was made. The page was created just in case Favre announced his retirement.
But as of now, Favre's future is still unknown, and the Packers will try to make sure no more surprises take place like the one that turned their world upside down for a few hours on Thursday afternoon.
The news that turned out to be no news, provided material for talk shows around the country for the rest of the day and beyond.
Badger women make big comeback in win over Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines (16-11, 9-8 Big Ten) led by 18 points at half time and by as many as 20 points early in the second half, but couldn't hold it.
The Wisconsin Badgers won their 5th straight game, coming from behind to beat the Wolverines 69-67 in Ann Arbor.
The Badgers hit just one three pointer in the first half, but buried 9 long shots in the 2nd half to lead the comeback.
Jolene Anderson had 14 to lead the Badgers. Wisconsin improved to 16-11 overall and tied Michigan at 9-8 in Big Ten play.
Record numbers using the Quit line
The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit line has seen a record number of callers this year. Rob Adsit, U-W Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, says the quit line has received 20,000 calls in January and February. Compare that to 9,000 for an entire year typically. He attributes this unprecedented growth to several factors.
The quit line began offering nicotine replacement therapy sent directly to people's homes, a new program this year. Also, smoking become more costly in Wisconsin, as the tax on cigarettes went up a dollar per pack on January 1, 2008. Finally, January is the time for New Year's resolution often involving health. Adsit calls these reasons "a perfect storm".
The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit line runs 365 days a year. Counselors fluent in different languages are available at 1-800-quit-now.
Virtual schools bill clears Assembly
The Assembly approves virtual school legislation that increases the size of an enrollment cap.
The latest version of the legislation would set an enrollment cap at about 8,700 students. State Representative Brett Davis (R-Oregon) says it gives the Governor what he asked for, because it includes a cap and a study of the financial impacts of virtual schools.
However, State Representative Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) says Republicans were wasting their time with the bill. Speaking during an early morning floor debate on the bill, he "guaranteed" Republicans that the Governor would veto the bill if it makes it to his desk.
The Senate approved a version last week that sets the cap at about 3,500 students, which is the version supported by the Governor. State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) says that bill would lock out students. He says the version passed by the Assembly this time around set a more realistic cap on the programs.
The bill passed on a 53-44 vote.