Three killed in Burnett County UTV collision (SIREN)
Three people were killed when a pickup struck a UTV in Northwest Wisconsin on Saturday evening. Authorities said the UTV failed to stop at a stop sign while crossing a county highway northeast of the Village of Webster before it was struck by a Dodge pickup on the highway. The UTV driver, 69-year-old Gary Shreindl (SHRINE-dl), of Anoka, Minnesota, and passengers, 68-year-old Constance Klatt, of Anoka, and 69-year-old Debra Dye, of Lodi, Ohio, were killed. The pickup driver, 21-year-old Ashton Erickson, of Webster, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The DNR and Burnett County Sheriff’s Office were investigating the crash.
Family of shooting victim sues city (MADISON)
The family of a Madison shooting victim sues the city. That victim, 61-year-old Christine Jones, was shot to death in a downtown parking ramp as she arrived to work the morning of March 22. Alleged shooter 31-year-old Diamond Wallace has pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. The Capitol Times reports Jones’ family is seeking more than $4 million in damages from the city, alleging Madison Police Department officers failed to properly investigate an attempted shooting involving Wallace in January and that their failure led to Jones’ death by the same firearm. According to a criminal complaint, Wallace blamed Jones for her firing from a downtown hotel and expressed animosity towards her, in part because Jones was a Donald Trump supporter.
Childcare bridge payments expire this week (UNDATED)
The state’s Child Care Bridge Payments program for providers expires this week, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Executive Director Ruth Schmidt says families and policy makers will need to make decisions, with families have a more difficult time finding care for their pre-K children. Schmidt says the end of the bridge payment will exacerbate a shortage of qualified early childhood educators in Wisconsin. She believes state lawmakers ought to consider some sort of a public investment and acknowledge that the entire state relies on there being a healthy system of child care. The Bridge Payments program was established when the earlier Child Care Counts pandemic-era stabilization program was set to expire about a year ago but is now ending with nothing to replace it.
Joint contractor bid accepted for Blatnik Bridge replacement (DULUTH)
A contractor is chosen to replace a vital bridge linking Duluth and Superior. The Minnesota and Wisconsin transportation departments last week announced a joint $930 million bid by Ames Construction and Kraemer North America was the apparent best-value to replace the Blatnik Bridge. Built in 1961, the Blatnick carries an average of 33,000 vehicles a day on I-535 and US Highway 53 across the St. Louis River. The states and Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II now have up to 60 days before the contract is awarded. The project is estimated to be completed in six years with full closure of the bridge expected to begin early next year. A $1.06 billion federal grant is helping pay for the project. Wisconsin and Minnesota both have also earmarked $400 million.
Watch out for repeat scams if you’ve been a victim, says BBB (UNDATED)
If you’ve been tricked by a scammer, you have probably gone on a list. Lisa Schiller with Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin says scammers share lists of their victims in order to see if someone who’s been defrauded once will take the bait a second time. Schiller says scammers know that sometimes people are too proud to report a fraud or think they can fix things on their own, and that they shouldn’t feel ashamed asking for help. If you’ve been a victim, call the police or someone else to report it and get assistance.
MMSD cancels some summer classes, communities open cooling sites in response to heat wave (UNDATED)
The high heat in the forecast is prompting some schools to cancel summer classes. Madison Metropolitan School District is calling off elementary school classes and all outdoor programs on Tuesday due to the heat. Middle School and High School indoor courses are still operating, but parents are reminded to make sure their kids are prepared for the heat. An extreme heat warning issued by the National Weather Service is in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday. Heat indexes are projected to be in the triple digit, and communities around Wisconsin have activated cooling sites to offer residents a respite from the heat.