Trial for Ethan Hauschultz great-uncle delayed again (MANITOWOC)
A trial that was supposed to start for Timothy Hauschultz, a man charged in the death of Manitowoc County child Ethan Hauschultz, has been delayed again. The trial was delayed after multiple breaks were taken by Manitowoc County Judge Jerilyn Dietz (DEETS) to look over case law to decide if the trial should be stayed because of new motions from prosecutors and defense. Both parties first asked the judge to reconsider a plea agreement she did not accept saying it’s not in the public’s best interest. Defense attorneys then asked Dietz to recuse herself during Monday’s hearing citing bias. She denied that motion. After prosecutors talked the issues over with one of the victims, they said they would be okay with delaying the trial. Timothy Hauschultz will be back in court next Wednesday for a scheduling conference. His trial has been pending for six years after Damian Hauschultz, the man convicted in Ethan’s death, had to have his cases move through an appeals court. Ethan died due to blunt force trauma and hypothermia after being forced to carry a heavy log in the winter in 2018.
Pfaff bill would give Wisconsin farmers “right to repair” equipment (MADISON)
In Madison, a Democratic lawmaker proposes legislation giving farmers the “right to repair” their equipment. State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) says farmers are currently prohibited from making repairs or having local shops do the work on tractors and combines they purchase. He’s seeking bipartisan sponsors for the bill. Pfaff says it allows the owner of that farm equipment to be able to repair that farm equipment while also protecting the intellectual property of manufacturers. Attorney General Josh Kaul recently added the state of Wisconsin to a lawsuit against Deere & Company related to the right to repair.
hat social media post won’t help you beat your taxes, says IRS (UNDATED)
You might be seeing some advice or tricks online on how to beat your taxes, but don’t believe everything you see. I R S spokesman Christopher Miller says there are no magic steps around not paying your taxes and that filling out strange tax forms or signing documents and sending them to random places is a good way to get yourself scammed or to have your tax refund stolen. You can find out about filing your taxes and then file for free online at I R S dot Gov.
Two dead in Monroe County home gas leak (OAKDALE)
Two people are dead in an apparent gas leak in southwest Wisconsin. Monroe County deputies say that was after someone called 911 to report a strong smell of natural gas when they checked on people inside the home in the Town of Oakdale on Sunday. Emergency crews shut off the gas to the house and attempted to rescue a child found inside, but were unsuccessful. A man and two pets were also found dead. It’s unclear how the leak started, but foul play is not suspected. The names of the victims have not been released.
WisDOT warns of online vehicle sale fraud (UNDATED)
WisDOT says the scheme starts online as a fake website or social media profile claiming to be a Wisconsin dealership. The fake online storefront will include stock images or even photos of real Wisconsin dealerships to make it seem legitimate. It’s a method of fraud is known as dealer cloning, and to avoid it you can look for spelling or grammatical errors, research the dealership ahead of time, and review WisDOT’s active dealer list to verify licensed dealers. More information, including what to do if you fall victim to one of these scams, can be found on WisDOT’s website.
Superintendent candidate Kinser looking ahead to April election (UNDATED)
Education consultant Brittany Kinser is moving on to April’s general election following last week’s second place primary finish for state Superintendent of Public Instruction. On a call with reporters, Kinser said standards have been lowered under incumbent Jill Underly. Underly has defended the changes made to DPI test standards. Incumbent Jill Underly says she remains committed to advocating for better local public schools so every kid can get the best education. The two will be on the April 1st ballot.