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Clean water bills headed to Capitol this week

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A package of bills focused on improving water quality will be introduced in Wisconsin Wednesday. 

Republican State Representative Scott Krug says one big part of the bill will be support for an already successful farm conservation program.

 “Giving folks a chance to locally collaborate on their own watersheds to fix their problems back home, I think is the best bang for our buck.”

Democrat Katrina Shankland says she’s pushing for a state cleanup fund to support best farming practices as well as septic and well remediation.  

“I think if we want for clean water for everyone in Wisconsin, we have to be willing to pay for prevention and enforcement, as well as best practices. And I think the Clean Water Fund is something that we should be able to get behind, but it might take some time.” 

The package of bills comes out of several months worth of public hearings with the state’s Water Quality task force. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos created the task force shortly after Governor Tony Evers declared 2019 as the Year of Clean Water.

No charges in case of possible funding issue at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison

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No charges will be filed in a case of possible mismanagement of funding at the Dane County zoo.

Dane County officials raised their concerns over that funding after they took over the Henry Vilas Zoo last year, and saw a discrepancy in the funding they were taking in versus what the Zoological Society had reported over the last several years.

Sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors say they saw no evidence of criminal activity on the part of the society, and say officials with the Society fully cooperated with the investigation.

Stevens Point Mayor Wiza on Fox Theater project update

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Deconstruction of the Fox Theater in Stevens Point is slowly moving along, and Mayor Mike Wiza says there’s no set timeline on when the process will be completed.

“The walls are actually very close in some parts and shared in some parts to the neighboring buildings. So we want to make sure that everything is done in a very safe manner as well.”

Wiza says the companies working on the demolition have been working to recycle as much of the materials as they can.

“They are going to be repurposing as much of the material as they can, which is what I call our best worst-case scenario.”

Wiza adds they are doing everything they can to save the front portion of the building but there’s still a chance that may not happen. 

WSAU

Two dead in Oneida County snowmobile accident

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An off-trail snowmobile incident in Oneida County has left two people dead.

Deputies were called out to Lake Nokomis early Sunday morning for a report that three sleds had gone through the ice. One person was able to escape and call 911 for rescue.

The other two drivers were not able to be saved. More information will be released on Monday.

 

WSAU

Be sure you don’t get ripped off looking for a gym this New Year’s

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New Year’s resolutions often include losing weight and getting in shape, but be sure you’re not about to get ripped off at the gym.

State consumer protection director Lara Sutherlin says there’s specific rules that gyms have to follow when they sell memberships. 

“And the membership cannot be sold for more than two years. So if anyone’s trying to get you to sign up for more than two years, that’s illegal, they’re not allowed to do that.” 

A gym also has to give you three days to back out of a membership contract. Sutherlin says the best thing to do is to ask for a trial and make sure the place is a good fit for you, before you commit. 

“You don’t obviously want to sign up for a membership and then not be able to do the kind of workout you were looking forward to doing.”

As always, make sure to read the fine print and be comfortable before you sign that contract.

Little pup making recovery in Madison after being thrown from car

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A lucky pup is recovering, after been tossed from a moving car in Madison.

The 2-month-old puppy, now named Kringle, is recovering with a foster family after having a leg amputated. The pup was rushed to UW Veterinary Care by a person who saw him thrown from the car in South Madison.

UW vets determined his right front leg was broken so severely that amputation was the best option.

Dane County Humane Society spokeswoman Marissa DeGroot says Kringle will be available for adoption after recovering.

Wisconsin’s chief warden retires after 30 years on the job

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Wisconsin’s Chief Warden is stepping down.

Todd Schaller spent more than 30 years in public service with the state, and says working as a warden was his dream. “I wanted to work with the Department of Natural Resources all my life, and I was fortunate to live that and carry it out with a great group of people within the department and also outside the department.”

Schaller says the worlds of hunting and fishing have changed dramatically over the years, and that it’s important to remember that they still remain integral to the nature of Wisconsin’s DNA. He’s also not sure what retirement will hold for him. 

“Gonna explore what that means, and I guess adjust as I learn over the next several months.”

DNR Secretary-designee Preston Cole has named Captain Casey Krueger as Schaller’s replacement. 

“He will step in without a hiccough or pause and move the agency and the Bureau of Law Enforcement forward,” says Schaller. 

Kreuger has been with the wardens for 22 years and currently heads up the wardens in Southern Wisconsin. 

No, Wausau, you’re not getting a new Trader Joe’s

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Hold your horses Trader Joe’s fans, there won’t be a Wausau location any time soon.

Some unknown pranksters hung a banner saying “Trader Joe’s, Coming Soon” outside a vacant ShopKo building over the weekend.

Bill Schofield, who owns the property, says he doesn’t know who started the rumor, but it wasn’t him. 

“We’d love to have them, but it’s not time for them. There’s only two, three Trader Joes in the State of Wisconsin. And we’re not high on the list for a while.”

Scholfield also had to reassure other grocery store that sits right next to ShopKo that, no, Trader Joe’s isn’t moving in right next door. “She stayed on top of it, and we arranged to make sure the sign got down. So not too much damage control, but it certainly got around quickly.”

While the prank may have been chuckle-worthy for some, it did bring Schofield some headaches and cause him to do some damage control.

“Just a reminder that pranks have both a laughing side, and a reaction side that we have to accommodate, so it’s not always the best thing to happen. We don’t encourage it!”

The sign was gone by Monday morning, but it was posted to a number of Facebook groups over the weekend, fueling rumors and speculation. 

 

WSAU

Two more major incidents involving teens stealing cars in Madison

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There were two more major stolen vehicle crashes over the weekend in Madison.

Police spokesman Joel DeSpain says in one case, a thirteen year old driver crashed into a light pole and bailed on a burning car, leaving his two friends inside to be arrested. 

“Lo and behold, while we were at the hospital with them, the driver shows up, though he’s claiming at this point that he was in a bicycle crash and he wasn’t driving a car. Which our police officers astutely believed was not the truth.”

In another case, a stolen car was stopped using stop sticks on John Nolen Drive on the way to the Capitol.

DeSpain says they see the same groups of youths all the time. 

“You know, we’ve been making a lot of arrests, but the problem is that there doesn’t seem to be something in the system right now that’s a deterrent that’s working to keeping these kids from repeating this criminal behavior.”

People need to stop making it easy for thieves, says DeSpain.

“Lock the car when it’s warming up at the very least, or just go to work in a cold car. Because these young people have shown that they’re not quitting at this point.”

Teen arrested for making threats to schools in Stevens Point

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Stevens Point police have arrested a teen for making repeated threats to schools.

The Point Metrowire reports that the unnamed 15-year-old boy was arrested on Monday.

The boy is accused of making four separate threats to district buildings last week. Assistant Chief Tom Zenner says they suspect more students have information and they’re asking them to come forward.

The boy is expected to face charges of making terroristic threats.