Dane County judge rules lawsuit over uncounted absentee ballots can continue (MADISON)
In arguing for dismissal, attorneys representing the city and former clerk Maribeth Witzel‑Behl said absentee voting is a privilege, not a right. On Monday, Judge David Conway ruled that voters submitting valid absentee ballots are exercising the same constitutional right as those voting in person. The ballots were missed in the 2024 presidential election after what state investigators called a confluence of errors and a lack of leadership by Witzel‑Behl, who subsequently resigned. The uncounted ballots would not have changed any election results. The lawsuit seeks class‑action status and monetary damages for the affected voters. A Madison spokesperson said in a statement that the city’s legal team is reviewing Conway’s decision. The city contends the suit (quote) “is solely about seeking millions of dollars of taxpayer money for a regrettable human error — an error the City has taken concrete steps to prevent in the future.”
Milwaukee Public Museum starts move to new home (MILWAUKEE)
Just how do you move a dinosaur skeleton? Very carefully. The Milwaukee Public Museum started closing exhibits Monday to prepare to move to its new location next year, and that includes its prized Torosaurus fossil. The Museum is working with Toronto-based Research Casting International, which is packing up the dinosaur, taking it to be cleaned, and then getting it ready for its new home. Over 4 million items in total will have to be moved a few blocks down the road to the new Nature and Culture Museum of Wisconsin which is set to open next spring.
Sales of new throwback license plates going well, says WI DMV (UNDATED)
Plenty of people are buying those new throwback Wisconsin license plates. The Wisconsin D M V reports over 94-hundred people have bought the new blackout license plate, and another 12-hundred have purchased the yellow plate. Both of those plates were released in January as part of an effort to raise money for road repairs. That’s a total of around 428-thousand dollars in revenue. State officials are hoping to raise a total of 25 million dollars with sales of the plates.
DATCP releases top consumer complaints for 2025 (UNDATED)
The Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection unveils the top consumer complaints of 2025. Housing disputes once again garnered the largest number of complaints. Landlord-tenant issues were the number one complaint of 2025 with 2,620. Problems including mold, infestations and security deposit returns have made landlord-tenant issues the top complaint category for Wisconsin consumers since 2022. Telemarketing complaints were the second most reported with 1,283, followed by 641 home improvement complaints. You can file a complaint by visiting DATCP’s website or calling the consumer hotline.
Driver convicted in 2023 road rage crash that killed Northwoods League umpire (WAUSHARA COUNTY)
A Stevens Point man is found guilty in a road rage crash that killed a Northwoods League umpire. A Waushara County jury on Friday convicted 70-year-old Michael W. Bartz of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving causing great bodily harm following a three-day trial. According to online court records, Bartz is due to be sentenced on April 13. 29-year-old Conor McKenzie was thrown from an SUV on Interstate 39 in July of 2023. The SUV driver, 34-year-old Andrew L. Thomas, is scheduled to go to trial on the same charges two days after Bartz is sentenced. Thomas, McKenzie and a surviving passenger in the SUV were on their way to Madison after umpiring a Northwoods League game in Wausau. That passenger told police that Bartz and McKenzie passed each other multiple times at speeds approaching 90 miles an hour before Bartz slammed on the brakes causing Thomas to lose control and crash.