Wheeler News - Morning State News #3 - 12/15

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 15, 2011 - Morning State News #3

===Stations: We're having trouble sending this report on Learfield Data, so it's here for your use.===

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:Governor Walker will sign a bill today that makes it a felony for an unlicensed driver to hurt or kill somebody in a traffic crash...
Milwaukee Police identify two murder victims from Tuesday night...
A Door County woman is scheduled to enter pleas on January 19th to charges involving the death of her eight-month-old daughter.
A western Wisconsin fire-fighter who saved a teen's life three years ago was later rescued by that same youngster.

Here are the details:

Governor Scott walker will sign a bill this morning that makes it a felony for an unlicensed driver to hurt or kill somebody in a traffic accident. The governor will hold a ceremony at the Greendale Safety Center, where Rob Dams was the police chief before he retired. He asked lawmakers for tougher penalties after his son Nick was killed in 2006 by an unlicensed driver. Dams said the driver got off with a traffic ticket. And while special fines are allowed in such cases, he says they're rarely imposed or collected. The new bill calls for prison terms of up to six years for unlicensed drivers who kill someone in a crash, and lesser time for causing injuries. The bill would apply to those with revoked and suspended licenses, as well as those who were never licensed. Lawmakers gave final approval to the measure just three days before a pick-up truck driver with a revoked license allegedly killed a pedestrian and injured another on a street in Milwaukee. Police said that driver was speeding at up to 100-miles-an-hour before he crashed his truck in the Milwaukee Harbor, where he was saved and then arrested.
-12/15-
Milwaukee Police have identified two people killed in separate homicides on Tuesday night. 26-year-old Joseph McBeath of Milwaukee was shot-to-death while sitting in a car behind a north side coffee shop. Police said they're not sure about a possible motive, and no one is in custody. In the other incident, 35-year-old John Astemborski of Glendale was found dead in a car on Milwaukee's northwest side. Police are trying to determine if that case was drug-related. No one's in custody.
-12/15-
A Door County woman is scheduled to enter pleas on January 19th to charges involving the death of her eight-month-old daughter. 33-year-old Melissa Martinez of Brussels is charged with homicide by drunk driving, and fatal child neglect. Authorities said she left her daughter Elena in an S-U-V that was idling for several hours on October 19th. She later died from hypothermia. Martinez has been getting treatment the last few weeks at an inpatient rehab facility, and she's being released to a halfway house this week. A judge modified Martinez's bond to let her stay at the halfway house -- but she cannot be released for an overnight stay anywhere else.
-12/15-
A western Wisconsin fire-fighter who saved a teenager's life three years ago was later rescued by that same youngster. Tanner Franson of Mondovi was 13 when he had a stroke in 2008. Volunteer fire-fighter Jim Rud (rood) was among those who rushed Tanner to the hospital. Earlier this year, Rud was cutting grass at Mirror Lake when his mower tipped over and landed on top of him in the water. A woman screamed for help, and Tanner heard it -- and he and his friends raced to the water and pulled the mower off Rud. W-E-A-U T-V in Eau Claire said the two got together recently -- and Rud joked about how they're even.
(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #4 - 12/5

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State News #4

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Almost 19-hundred Wisconsin parents appear to have forgotten about their child support checks, and they're now considered unclaimed property...
Up to seven people want to replace Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan in a recall election early in the New Year...
Authorities say a seven-time drunk driver slammed his car into a float carrying young kids during a Christmas parade in Mondovi...
Grafton's Plan Commission has okayed an industrial expansion that will add at least 20 new jobs.

Here are the details:

Almost 19-hundred Wisconsin parents appear to have forgotten about their child support checks. The Appleton Post-Crescent said the intended recipients moved and never left forwarding addresses -- and those payments are now being held by the State Treasurer's office as unclaimed property. Mary Pitman, who's written a book about how to get unclaimed property, said it's a common problem throughout the nation. She says parents are owed millions in child support, and they have no idea they have it coming. The Appleton paper said some of Wisconsin's child support recipients are hard to find. Some are dead, and many have moved without leaving forwarding addresses with the post office. Sara Buschman of the state Children-and-Families' agency says her office occasionally sends lists of unclaimed child support payments to the treasurer's office -- and those names are put on-line along with other recipients of unclaimed property. She says parents must complete forms with the Child Support Bureau to get past-due payments back.

-12/5-

At least six people, and maybe seven want to replace Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan in a recall election early next year. The Common Council will be asked tonight to schedule a primary for January 21st. By law, a general election would be held February 14th if necessary. But City Clerk Sue Richards says she'll ask the state for permission to schedule the run-off on February 21st, when other state-and-local primaries are set. Ryan is being targeted for three alcohol-related incidents during his two-and-a-half years as Sheboygan's mayor. Recall organizers obtained almost 45-hundred valid petition signatures for a special election. That's 360 more signatures than they needed. Alderman Kevin Matichek, who helped organize the recall effort, is one of the six announced candidates against Ryan. Former state Representative Terry Van Akkeren, who lost to Ryan in 2009, is also running. The manager of the Harbor Centre's business improvement district is also considering a run.

-12/5-

Authorities in western Wisconsin said a drunk driver slammed his car into a float carrying young kids during a Christmas parade. It happened Saturday night in Mondovi. And Buffalo County authorities said it was the driver's seventh O-W-I offense. No one was hurt. Sheriff's deputies said the 52-year-old car driver ran away after the crash, but a witness grabbed the man about a block away and held him until officers got there. The case is being referred to prosecutors on possible charges of seven-time drunk driving and hit-and-run.

-12/5-

The plan commission in Grafton has approved an industrial expansion that will create at least 20 new jobs. Oetlinger Precision Manufacturing is a maker of industrial machine parts. It plans to add almost 21-thousand square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space -- almost a 50-percent expansion of its current facility. Village officials say the plant has around 40 employees now.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #3 - 12/5

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State News #3

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Wisconsin groups that help sexual assault victims will get 42-percent less in state aid next year...
A G-O-P lawmaker wants to give parents more time to give up their unwanted babies under the Safe Haven law...
U-W Superior and Minnesota-Duluth have received federal funds to study how a Lake Michigan ferry boat can run on natural gas instead of coal...
Milwaukee Police investigate a weekend traffic accident that killed a 56-year-old pedestrian.

Here are the details:

Wisconsin groups that help sexual assault victims will get 42-percent less in state aid next year. The Justice Department said the cuts were mainly due to a drop in revenues from criminal fines -- along with much lower funding ordered by the governor and Legislature in the new state budget. Pennie Meyers of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault calls the cuts "disastrous." She said it would "imperil" the efforts of local groups in meeting the needs of sexual assault survivors. But Assistant Attorney General Steve Means said it was nothing his agency wanted to do -- and it did not have much of a choice. Criminals help pay for the sex assault victim programs with surcharges on their fines. And that revenue has been reduced from one-and-three-quarter million dollars in 2008 to about one-point-four million this year. Also, the Justice Department said the new state budget required a 10-percent spending cut for all state agencies. And officials said they'd have to find an additional 174-million dollars. Attorney General J-B Van Hollen asked lawmakers to exempt from the Justice Department from the budget cuts -- but they said no.

-12/5-

A Republican lawmaker wants to give parents more time to give up their unwanted babies under Wisconsin's 10-year-old Safe Haven Law. Right now, they have 72 hours to leave an infant at a hospital, law enforcement agency, or rescue service with no questions asked. And Representative Dale Kooyenga of Brookfield wants to expand that time limit to 30 days. He also wants health care clinics to be able to take those unwanted babies. Kooyenga says some mothers are still in a hospital when the current 72-hour limit is up. But many such infants are born outside a medical setting. And there are a couple of major cases each year in Wisconsin in which mothers leave infants in the garbage or another hidden location -- and they tell police either they had no idea that a Safe Haven law existed, or they were afraid they'd get in legal trouble for it anyway.

-12/5-

U-W Superior and Minnesota-Duluth have received federal funding to see how a Lake Michigan ferry boat can run on natural gas instead of coal. The two schools are part of the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute -- and they hope to make the S-S Badger one of the most environmentally-friendly vessels on the Great Lakes. The federal money will pay for an engineering study to change the fuel source for the Badger -- which carries vehicles and passengers across Lake Michigan between Manitowoc and Ludington Michigan. The federal E-P-A wants the Badger to stop dumping coal ash into the lake by the end of next year. The company that runs the ferry has asked for a longer grace period. And a bill approved by the House would exempt from the Badger from coal ash emission limits altogether -- because the boat is being considered for national landmark status as the nation's last remaining coal-powered steamship. Senate opponents are trying to kill that exemption.

-12/5-

Milwaukee Police are investigating a weekend traffic mishap that killed a 56-year-old pedestrian. Police said the man hit near a south side intersection on Saturday. Other details, including the victim's name, were not immediately released.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #2 - 12/5

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State News #2

===Stations: In case you don't have Wisconsin categories on Learfield Data today, we're sending our reports here.===

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
We could find out today or tomorrow what caused a huge fire in downtown Pulaski...
A 30-year-old man is in jail, awaiting charges of defacing recall petitions in West Bend...
Milwaukee authorities investigate the death of a 10-year-old boy.

Winning lottery numbers:
Supercash: 5-6-8-24-33-34 - No Doubler
Pick-3: 4-6-7
Pick-4: 5-5-7-6
Badger-5: 5-9-10-17-26

Here are the details:

It could be today or tomorrow before we know what caused a fire that destroyed three buildings in downtown Pulaski and damaged two others. Fire Chief Randy Wichlacz said the blaze appears to have started in a bowling center late Friday night. The bowling facility was destroyed along with two other buildings. A fourth structure had heavy water-and-smoke damage. The fifth building had minor fire-and-smoke damage. Two fire-fighters from Howard and Pulaski were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation. The Green Bay area Red Cross is helping up to 40 people who lost their homes to the fire.

-12/5-

A 30-year-old man was sent to jail after he was caught defacing petitions seeking the recalls of Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. According to police, the suspect stood in line outside a teacher's house in West Bend yesterday, appearing as if he wanted to sign the petitions. When it was his turn, police said he scribbled out some of the signers' names. Recall organizers wrote down his license plate number as he drove away -- and police found him a short time later. The man is in the Washington County Jail awaiting charges. Officials say he could appear in court today. State officials have warned people that it's a felony to deface or destroy political petitions. Last week, the Government Accountability Board and the Justice Department set up a joint arrangement to handle petition-related complaints.

-12/5-

Milwaukee authorities are investigating the death of a 10-year-old boy. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office said it was called to a home on Saturday night, where the youngster was found dead. Police have not released details.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State Sports - 12/5

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State Sports

===Stations: In case you don't receive the Wisconsin categories in Learfield Data, we're sending today's material here.===

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
The Packers are the N-F-C North champions after the Lions lost at New Orleans
late last night...
Charles Woodson suffered a concussion, and two other Packers were injured in their hard-fought win over the Giants at the Meadowlands...

N-F-C North scores...
Green Bay 38, New York Giants 35
New Orleans 31, Detroit 17
Kansas City 10, Chicago 3
Denver 35, Minnesota 32

Also...
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says his Badgers will have a challenge against Oregon's fast-paced offense in the Rose Bowl...
The Brewers will look for relief pitching and infield help at Baseball's Winter Meetings which open today in Dallas...

In women's college basketball...
U-W Green Bay 75, Northern Iowa 67
Marquette 84, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 36

Here are the details:

The Green Bay Packers won the N-F-C North Division late last night, after the
second-place Detroit Lions lost at New Orleans 31-to-17. The Packers had
already clinched a playoff spot before their hard-fought 38-35 win over the
Giants at New York. The Chicago Bears punched Green Bay's ticket to the
post-season, by losing at home to Kansas City 10-to-3 before the Packers kicked
off in the Meadowlands. Mason Crosby booted a 30-yard field goal as time
expired. It broke a 35-all tie, and gave Green Bay its 18th straight victory
dating back to last season. But it might have been a costly victory for the
Packers with three notable injuries. The early word is that corner Charles
Woodson suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter, which means he'll have to
go through an N-F-L protocol and independent exams before he can return.
Running back James Starks re-injured his right ankle for the third straight
game, but he thinks he'll be okay for next Sunday's home game against Oakland.
And back-up tight end Andrew Quarless had his right knee bend awkwardly while
covering a kickoff. The Packers are now 12-and-0, but they still have not
clinched the N-F-C's best record and home field advantage throughout the
playoffs. San Francisco remains two games back in that department, after
blanking Saint Louis 26-to-nothing.

Former Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum put the Giants in front early with a
67-yard touchdown catch from Eli Manning. The Packers later went in front when
Clay Matthews returned an interception 38 yards for a score. It was a see-saw
battle the rest of the way. Hakeem Nicks had the second of his two touchdown
catches with 58 seconds left, and a two-point conversion tied it at 35. Aaron
Rodgers then threw four straight passes covering 68 yards to set up Crosby's
game-winning field goal.

Rodgers threw for 369 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. And he led
the Packers in rushing with 32 yards. His passer rating was 106-point-two, and
he's only the N-F-L quarterback to have a 100-plus rating in 12 straight games.
Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 94 yards and a score. Donald Driver had
a pair of touchdown catches, and Jermichael Finley caught Rodgers' other T-D
pass. Eli Manning threw for 347 yards, three T-D passes, and an interception.
Victor Cruz caught seven passes for 119 yards, as the Giants fell to 6-and-6.

-12/5-

The Packers wrapped up the N-F-C North Division with a five-game lead over their closest challengers with four weeks left. Green Bay is 12-and-0, and Detroit and Chicago are both 7-and-5. Minnesota fell to 2-and-10 after losing at home to Denver.Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 408 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. But Detroit racked up 11 penalties in their 31-17 loss at New Orleans. Saints' quarterback Drew Brees threw for 342 yards and three scores.
Kansas City beat the Bears 10-3 on a 38-yard Hail Mary pass caught by Dexter McCluster at the end of the first half. Chicago's Matt Forte left in the first quarter with a right knee injury. The Bears only had 181 total yards and went 0-for-11 on third downs.
The Vikings lost to Denver 35-32 at the Metrodome. Matt Prater kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired.

-12/5-

Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema says it will be a tremendous challenge to play Oregon's fast-paced offense in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks use a no-huddle spread offense that's just as explosive as Wisconsin, if not more. During a Rose Bowl tele-conference last night, Bielema said it would be a game of opposites. Bielema said Oregon likes to score at a rapid pace, while the Badgers try to hold the ball as long as they possibly can. But Wisconsin still gets in the end zone often enough to have the nation's fourth-highest scoring offense at almost 45 points a game. They scored 96-percent of the time in the red zone, second-best in the country. Oregon keeps the ball just 25 minutes a game, while Badgers have it for about 32 minutes. Both teams enter the Rose Bowl at 11-and-2. Wisconsin jumped five places to 10th in the final B-C-S Standings last night, after the Badgers edged Michigan State to win the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night. Oregon, champions of the Pac-12, is fifth in the B-C-S Standings. L-S-U and Alabama are one-and-two, and will play each other in the national championship game next month.

-12/5-

Baseball's Winter Meetings begin today in Dallas. And for the first time in several years, the Milwaukee Brewers will not be on the prowl for starting pitching. General manager Doug Melvin had wrapped up a deal on the eve of last year's Winter Meetings to get Shaun Marcum for Toronto. Melvin later crafted a deal with Kansas City to get Zack Greinke. Melvin says the Brewers will get all five starters back, and they're set in the closer's spot and the outfield. But he says he'd like to get some more depth in the bullpen, and improve at shortstop and third base. If Prince Fielder leaves as a free agent, manager Ron Roenicke says he'd most likely try Mat Gamel at first -- with Casey McGehee and Corey Hart as possibilities to fall back on. There's been talk about acquiring third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the Chicago Cubs. But money might be an issue, since he's reportedly seeking a 3-to-4-year deal at over 10-million dollars a season. Free agent shortstops Rafael Furcal and Alex Gonzalez have also been mentioned. One possibility was taken off the board yesterday, when the Miami Marlins reportedly reached a deal with shortstop Jose Reyes on a six-year package worth 106-million dollars.

-12/5-

The U-W Green Bay women's basketball team improved to 7-and-0 after a 75-to-67 home win over Northern Iowa. The 23rd-ranked Phoenix were held scoreless for almost the first six minutes of the game. But Green Bay then used an 18-3 run to get within two. Northern Iowa hit two free throws, and Green Bay then went on another big run to go up by 14 at the half. The Panthers got to within five with just under four minutes left -- but Green Bay then made it a 10-point game and hung on from there. Senior Julie Wojta had a career-high 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Phoenix. Katelin Oney had 25 points and Amber Kirschbaum had 11 rebounds for Northern Iowa, which dropped to 5-and-2. Green Bay will play at Toledo on Thursday night.

-12/5-

The Marquette women went above .500, after crushing Arkansas Pine-Bluff at home yesterday 84-to-36. The Golden Eagles led all the way. They were up by 19 at the break, and they had a 14-3 run in the opening five minutes of the second half. The Eagles led by as many as 51, and they shot 51-percent to 24-and-a-half percent for Pine Bluff. Arlesia Morse led Marquette with 19 points. Sarina Simmons had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The 36 points were the lowest an Eagles' opponent has scored all season. Chigozi Okwumabua had nine points and seven boards for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which fell to 0-and-6. Marquette is now 5-and-4, and will open its Big East Conference season on Wednesday night at Notre Dame. Tonight, the Wisconsin women are hosting Saint Louis. And the U-W Milwaukee men are at De Paul.

-12/5-

In golf, Steve Stricker of Madison finished 16th among 18 players at the Chevron World Challenge. Stricker shot a two-over-par 74 in his final round yesterday in Thousands Oaks California. And he finished at four-over-par 292. Tiger Woods hosts the event -- and he won it at 10-under-278.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State Sports - Partial

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State Sports

===Stations: In case Learfield Data does not have your Wisconsin categories this morning, our material is also being sent here.===

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com
Here are the headlines:

The Packers are the N-F-C North champions after the Lions lost at New Orleans
late last night...
Charles Woodson suffered a concussion, and two other Packers were injured in their hard-fought win over the Giants at the Meadowlands...

N-F-C North scores...
Green Bay 38, New York Giants 35
New Orleans 31, Detroit 17
Kansas City 10, Chicago 3
Denver 35, Minnesota 32

Here are the details:
The Green Bay Packers won the N-F-C North Division late last night, after the
second-place Detroit Lions lost at New Orleans 31-to-17. The Packers had
already clinched a playoff spot before their hard-fought 38-35 win over the
Giants at New York. The Chicago Bears punched Green Bay's ticket to the
post-season, by losing at home to Kansas City 10-to-3 before the Packers kicked
off in the Meadowlands. Mason Crosby booted a 30-yard field goal as time
expired. It broke a 35-all tie, and gave Green Bay its 18th straight victory
dating back to last season. But it might have been a costly victory for the
Packers with three notable injuries. The early word is that corner Charles
Woodson suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter, which means he'll have to
go through an N-F-L protocol and independent exams before he can return.
Running back James Starks re-injured his right ankle for the third straight
game, but he thinks he'll be okay for next Sunday's home game against Oakland.
And back-up tight end Andrew Quarless had his right knee bend awkwardly while
covering a kickoff. The Packers are now 12-and-0, but they still have not
clinched the N-F-C's best record and home field advantage throughout the
playoffs. San Francisco remains two games back in that department, after
blanking Saint Louis 26-to-nothing.

Former Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum put the Giants in front early with a
67-yard touchdown catch from Eli Manning. The Packers later went in front when
Clay Matthews returned an interception 38 yards for a score. It was a see-saw
battle the rest of the way. Hakeem Nicks had the second of his two touchdown
catches with 58 seconds left, and a two-point conversion tied it at 35. Aaron
Rodgers then threw four straight passes covering 68 yards to set up Crosby's
game-winning field goal.

Rodgers threw for 369 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. And he led
the Packers in rushing with 32 yards. His passer rating was 106-point-two, and
he's only the N-F-L quarterback to have a 100-plus rating in 12 straight games.
Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 94 yards and a score. Donald Driver had
a pair of touchdown catches, and Jermichael Finley caught Rodgers' other T-D
pass. Eli Manning threw for 347 yards, three T-D passes, and an interception.
Victor Cruz caught seven passes for 119 yards, as the Giants fell to 6-and-6.

-12/5-

The Packers wrapped up the N-F-C North Division with a five-game lead over their closest challengers with four weeks left. Green Bay is 12-and-0, and Detroit and Chicago are both 7-and-5. Minnesota fell to 2-and-10 after losing at home to Denver.Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 408 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. But Detroit racked up 11 penalties in their 31-17 loss at New Orleans. Saints' quarterback Drew Brees threw for 342 yards and three scores.Kansas City beat the Bears 10-3 on a 38-yard Hail Mary pass caught by Dexter McCluster at the end of the first half. Chicago's Matt Forte left in the first quarter with a right knee injury. The Bears only had 181 total yards and went 0-for-11 on third downs.The Vikings lost to Denver 35-32 at the Metrodome. Matt Prater kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired.

-12/5-

Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema says it will be a tremendous challenge to play Oregon's fast-paced offense in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks use a no-huddle spread offense that's just as explosive as Wisconsin, if not more. During a Rose Bowl tele-conference last night, Bielema said it would be a game of opposites. Bielema said Oregon likes to score at a rapid pace, while the Badgers try to hold the ball as long as they possibly can. But Wisconsin still gets in the end zone often enough to have the nation's fourth-highest scoring offense at almost 45 points a game. They scored 96-percent of the time in the red zone, second-best in the country. Oregon keeps the ball just 25 minutes a game, while Badgers have it for about 32 minutes. Both teams enter the Rose Bowl at 11-and-2. Wisconsin jumped five places to 10th in the final B-C-S Standings last night, after the Badgers edged Michigan State to win the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night. Oregon, champions of the Pac-12, is fifth in the B-C-S Standings. L-S-U and Alabama are one-and-two, and will play each other in the national championship game next month.

-12/5-

Baseball's Winter Meetings begin today in Dallas. And for the first time in several years, the Milwaukee Brewers will not be on the prowl for starting pitching. General manager Doug Melvin had wrapped up a deal on the eve of last year's Winter Meetings to get Shaun Marcum for Toronto. Melvin later crafted a deal with Kansas City to get Zack Greinke. Melvin says the Brewers will get all five starters back, and they're set in the closer's spot and the outfield. But he says he'd like to get some more depth in the bullpen, and improve at shortstop and third base. If Prince Fielder leaves as a free agent, manager Ron Roenicke says he'd most likely try Mat Gamel at first -- with Casey McGehee and Corey Hart as possibilities to fall back on. There's been talk about acquiring third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the Chicago Cubs. But money might be an issue, since he's reportedly seeking a 3-to-4-year deal at over 10-million dollars a season. Free agent shortstops Rafael Furcal and Alex Gonzalez have also been mentioned. One possibility was taken off the board yesterday, when the Miami Marlins reportedly reached a deal with shortstop Jose Reyes on a six-year package worth 106-million dollars.

-12/5-

Wheeler News - Morning State News #1 - 12/5

Wheeler News Service – Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning State News #1
Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

===Stations: In case you don't see the Wisconsin News category on Learfield Data, today's State news is being sent here.===

Here are the headlines:
Hundreds of Chinese students would attend U-W Milwaukee under a five-year recruiting agreement that's expected to be signed today...
Governor Walker apparently took a big gamble when he announced in July that Wisconsin had over half the nation's increase in total jobs in June...
Power has been restored in northern Wisconsin, where over 32-hundred customers were left in the dark by heavy, wet snow during the weekend...
A woman was killed in Superior yesterday, after she drove her S-U-V into Lake Superior.

Winning lottery numbers:
Supercash: 5-6-8-24-33-34 - No Doubler
Pick-3: 4-6-7
Pick-4: 5-5-7-6
Badger-5: 5-9-10-17-26

Here are the details:

Hundreds of students from China would attend U-W Milwaukee under a five-year recruiting agreement that's expected to be signed today in Beijing. U-W-M Chancellor Michael Lovell is scheduled to sign an agreement with an education network run by the Chinese government. The network would recruit students throughout China, and others could sign up on their own. Up to 50 Chinese students would attend U-W-M next fall, and the numbers would rise each year to around 250 by 2015. Officials said the arrangement would increase the school's international profile, bring in millions in out-of-state tuition dollars, and create new workers for Milwaukee businesses that now operate in China. About a-thousand international students attend U-W Milwaukee now, and a quarter of them are from China. The new arrangement is being signed on Mayor Tom Barrett's trade mission to China which began yesterday. The U-W Board of Regents must still act on the deal. It's up for approval at a meeting of the Regents later this week.
-12/5-
Governor Scott Walker apparently took a big gamble when he announced in July that Wisconsin had over half the nation's increase in total jobs in June. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said the Republican governor was warned by the Workforce Development department three days in advance that the June job figures were quote, "very questionable" and "suspect." But Walker announced them anyway, and he gave credit to a "rebirth in tourism." The figures showed that 95-hundred of the 18-thousand jobs gained nationally in June were from Wisconsin. Walker called it "incredibly good news," at a time when his policies were questioned and six of his party's senators were about to face recall elections in the following month. The announced monthly job numbers are based on a partial survey of Wisconsin's employers, and are adjusted later when the full surveys are complete. Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said his office never tried to hide the fact the governor used preliminary numbers in his announcement. And he said they quote, "qualified it appropriately." As it turned out, the June job numbers were actually understated. Workforce Development officials said the final job increase for June was actually revised upward by about two-thousand jobs. The next month, jobs fell by almost 11-thousand. And another agency memo quoted by the Journal Sentinel said the June spike was quote, "always suspect." Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca said he thought Walker's numbers were too rosy at the time.
-12/5-
Power has been restored in northern Wisconsin, where over 32-hundred customers were left in the dark by heavy, wet snow during the weekend. Wisconsin Public Service reported no outages as of 3:45 this morning. Most of the weekend power interruptions were in the Tomahawk, Rhinelander, and Wabeno areas. Winchester in Vilas County had the most snow, with seven inches. Medford almost had seven inches. Mondovi in Buffalo County and Alvin in Forest County had just over five-and-a-half. Lesser amounts fell in western and north central Wisconsin. More light snow is expected today in western and southern Wisconsin, plus the Lake Superior Snow Belt. Highs will be in the 20's-and-30's.
-12/5-
A woman was killed in Superior yesterday, after she drove her S-U-V into Lake Superior. According to police, the woman drove off the end of a street at a high rate of speed late yesterday morning. And her vehicle rolled down a hillside before it landed in the lake, just off a boat landing. Officers said they found the vehicle partially submerged, and the woman was wearing a seat belt in the driver's seat. Her name was not immediately released.
(End)

Wheeler News - Morning National Sports 12/5

Wheeler News Service - Monday, December 5, 2011 - Morning National Sports

===NFL===

Green Bay Packers 38, New York Giants 35
Tennessee Titans 23, Buffalo Bills 17
Kansas City Chiefs 10, Chicago Bears 3
Houston Texans 17, Atlanta Falcons 10
Miami Dolphins 34, Oakland Raiders 14
Denver Broncos 35, Minnesota Vikings 32
New England Patriots 31, Indianapolis Colts 24
Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Cincinnati Bengals 7
Carolina Panthers 38, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19
New York Jets 34, Washington Redskins 19
Baltimore Ravens 24, Cleveland Browns 10
Arizona Cardinals 19, Dallas Cowboys 13 (OT)
San Francisco 49ers 26, St. Louis Rams 0
New Orleans Saints 31, Detroit Lions 17

The NFC North-champion Packers were pushed to the brink and answered emphatically, as Mason Crosby booted the game-winning 30-yard field goal at the buzzer to keep Green Bay's perfect season alive with a 38-35 victory over the New York Giants. Hakeem Nicks' second touchdown grab brought the Giants within 35-33 with 58 seconds remaining in regulation, and D.J. Ware punched in the two-point conversion on a delayed draw to pull even. But Aaron Rodgers completed four straight passes to cover 68 yards and get in field goal range, allowing Crosby to come in and split the uprights to seal Green Bay's (12-0) franchise-record 18th straight win. The Packers clinched their division courtesy of Detroit's loss to the Saints on Sunday night.

Ben Roethlisberger threw a pair of touchdown passes while becoming the Steelers' all-time completions leader in a 35-7 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers remained tied atop the AFC North with the Ravens, who bested the Browns, 24-10. In another early contest of playoff hopefuls, rookie quarterback T.J. Yates and running back Arian Foster led the Texans to a 17-10 victory over the Falcons, extending their franchise-best winning streak to six games.
The 49ers clinched their division Sunday, winning the NFC West title for the first time in nine years by shutting out the St. Louis Rams, 26-0. Frank Gore became the franchise's all-time leading rusher in the blowout.

===

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte left Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs with a right knee injury. On a 2nd-and-7 in the first quarter, Forte ran off the left edge, but was undercut by Kansas City's Derrick Johnson around the knees. Forte stayed down on the field for a few minutes before walking off and into the locker room. Bears head coach Lovie Smith called the injury a "sprain" following the 10-3 loss.

An underwhelming Monday night contest is on the horizon, as the Chargers visit the Jaguars, who fired head coach Jack Del Rio last week following a 3-8 start. San Diego has been struggling as well, having lost six in a row for the first time since 2001.

===COLLEGE FOOTBALL===

In the end, it had always been about the SEC. College football's most powerful conference will officially send both teams to the BCS National Championship Game, as the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide will duel on January 9, 2012 at the Superdome with the title on the line. The Tigers (13-0) won the conference in convincing fashion on Saturday with a 42-10 drubbing of Georgia to complete a remarkable undefeated season, which included eight victories over ranked opponents. They predictably finished with a perfect 1.000 BCS average in Sunday's final standings, but their opponent was still open for debate. Alabama (11-1) was a firm No. 2 in last week's standings, but Oklahoma State's emphatic 44-10 victory over Oklahoma on Saturday cast the Cowboys (11-1) as a potential foil in an all-SEC title game. Nevertheless, the Big 12 champions were overlooked by the BCS system, as 'Bama eked out the No. 2 spot by just 0.009 points, setting up a rematch of an instant classic back on November 5.

Oklahoma State was denied a trip to the BCS title game, but the Cowboys still earned a bid to the Fiesta Bowl on January 5 opposite Stanford. In the other BCS bowls: Wisconsin and Oregon will battle in the Rose Bowl, Clemson and West Virginia square off in the Orange Bowl, and the Sugar Bowl pits Virginia Tech and Michigan as at-large selections.

===COLLEGE BASKETBALL===

Wichita State 89, (18) Nevada-Las Vegas 70

Joe Ragland hit eight three-pointers and finished with 31 points, leading Wichita State to an 89-70 rout of No. 18 UNLV in a Mountain West/Missouri Valle Challenge contest. Carl Hall netted 17 points for the Shockers (5-2), who shot 59 percent and won their third consecutive game. Chace Stanback had 16 points to lead the Rebels (8-1), who had given up at least 80 points in their previous two games, but won both -- including a 90-80 victory against then-Number-One North Carolina.

Elsewhere in the Top-25:
------------------------
(7) Baylor 69, Northwestern 41
San Diego State 64, (24) California 63

===NHL===

Colorado 4, Detroit 2

Ryan O'Reilly scored twice and Gabriel Landeskog had two assists as the Colorado Avalanche took a 4-2 decision over the Detroit Red Wings at Pepsi Center. Paul Stastny and T.J. Galiardi also scored for Colorado, which ended a season-long eight-game homestand with a 5-3 record. Semyon Varlamov made 27 saves in the Avs' third straight win. Johan Franzen and Danny Cleary each lit the lamp for the Red Wings, who had their season-high seven-game win streak snapped.

Elsewhere in the NHL:
---------------------
Minnesota Wild 5, Anaheim Ducks 3
Vancouver Canucks 5, Calgary Flames 1

===BASEBALL===

The Miami Marlins have reportedly signed prized free agent shortstop Jose Reyes to a lucrative contract. According to several sources, including the Sun-Sentinel, Reyes and the Marlins have agree to a six-year deal worth a minimum of $106 million. The 28-year-old Reyes broke into the majors in 2003 and quickly became the Mets' everyday shortstop. Injuries have sapped his production over the past few years, but he hit a career-high .337 in 126 games last season, adding 39 stolen bases and 101 runs scored.

===

Retired slugger Manny Ramirez has filed for reinstatement, Major League Baseball announced Sunday. Ramirez, 39, retired in April after a second violation of the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The violation came with a 100-game suspension, but the 11-time All Star instead chose to hang up his cleats. The Office of the Commissioner and the Players Association have decided that the suspension will be reduced to 50 games upon Ramirez's return. It will take effect when he signs with a team.

===TENNIS===

Spain captured its third Davis Cup title in the past four years on Sunday when Rafael Nadal topped Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the opening reverse singles match of the day. Nadal bounced back from a horrendous first set and earned a 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7-0) triumph to give the host Spaniards an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie. The 10-time Grand Slam champ improved to 20-1 all-time in Davis Cup singles and an incredible 16-0 on his beloved clay. Spain won its fifth Davis Cup crown, all coming in the last 12 years. while Argentina fell to 0-4 all-time in Davis Cup finals.

===GOLF===

Tiger Woods collected his first win of any kind since the 2009 car accident that triggered a personal scandal Sunday at the Chevron World Challenge. The drought lasted 749 days, 107 weeks and 27 starts, by far the longest span in between victories for Woods. He birdied the last two holes Sunday to shoot a three-under 69, besting overnight leader Zach Johnson by just one stroke at Sherwood Country Club. Woods finished at 10-under 278.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State Sports - 12/1

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Morning State Sports

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
The Badger men's basketball team shoots 13-percent below its season average in falling to Number-five North Carolina...
The Wisconsin women won their Big Ten-A-C-C Challenge game over Boston College...
Bucks' players can work out at their team training facility today, but official practices cannot begin yet...

In men's college basketball...
North Carolina 60, Wisconsin 57
U-W Whitewater 65, Illinois Wesleyan 53
U-W La Crosse 77, Bethany Lutheran 56
U-W Superior 67, Northwestern of Minnesota 56
Madison Edgewood 81, Marian 72

In women's college basketball...
Wisconsin 58, Boston College 50
U-W River Falls 72, Saint Scholastica 56
U-W Superior 75, Northwestern of Minnesota 56
Wisconsin Lutheran 81, Alverno 51
Milwaukee Engineering 62, Benedictine 53
Concordia-Mequon 56, Marian 52
Carthage 67, Clarke 32

In Wisconsin boys' high school basketball...
Shorewood 51, Milwaukee University School 50

In girls' high school basketball...
Brown Deer 55, Milwaukee Madison/Northwest 45
Whitefish Bay 77, Milwaukee Messmer 15

Also... Packers' left tackle Chad Clifton is being held out of practice with a back injury suffered while rehabbing his injured hamstring.

Here are the details:

The Wisconsin men's basketball team had a sub-par shooting night, as the ninth-ranked Badgers lost at Number-five North Carolina 60-to-57 in the Big Ten-A-C-C Challenge. Wisconsin was cold all night, shooting just 36-percent -- 13 points below its average. The Badgers only hit 8-of-28 from three-point range. And they only went to the free-throw line six times, making three. Wisconsin was down by one at the half. But North Carolina used an 18-5 run to lead by eight with five-and-a-minutes remaining. And the Tar Heels hung on from there to improve to 6-and-1. They won their 19th straight at home, and they recovered from a 10-point loss to Nevada-Las Vegas last Saturday night. Harrison Barnes, coming off a sprained ankle from Saturday, led North Carolina with 20 points. John Henson had 17 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who out-rebounded Wisconsin 42-29 and made 19-of-24 from the charity stripe. Jordan Taylor led the Badgers with 18 points. Jared Berggren added 14 points, five rebounds, three steals, and a blocked shot. Wisconsin fell to 6-and-1, and they broke a six-game winning streak against A-C-C teams including three in the annual Challenge. The Badgers will host Marquette on Saturday. Tonight, conference play begins for men's teams in the Horizon League. U-W Milwaukee hosts Loyola, and U-W Green Bay entertains Illinois-Chicago.

-12/1-

The Wisconsin women won their Big Ten-A-C-C Challenge game last night, 58-to-50 at home over Boston College. Wisconsin opened the game with a 9-2 run, and B-C only led once when it was 15-to-13. Wisconsin led by eight at the half. Taylor Wurtz hit a three with 15-minutes left to give the Badgers a nine-point advantage, and the teams stayed even the rest of the way. Three Wisconsin players scored in double figures, led by Wurtz with 19. Anya Covington scored 13 and Ashley Thomas had 10. Shayra Brown scored 11 for Boston College, which fell to 2-and-3. Wisconsin improved to 3-and-5, and they're now 3-and-2 in their annual series with the A-C-C. The Badgers will host Saint Louis on Monday night.

-12/1-

Milwaukee Bucks' players can start using their practice facility at the Cousins Center today. But the coaches cannot have contact with the players yet, because the N-B-A's new collective bargaining agreement is still in the process of being ratified. Training camps are scheduled to open a week from tomorrow, and the Bucks' first of 66 regular season games will be played sometime after Christmas. Coach Scott Skiles was allowed to talk about his team publicly yesterday for the first time since the owners' lockout in July. He said the staff has been quote, "quietly excited about our team, although we couldn't talk to anyone about it." And Skiles said he likes his mix of players -- even though he has no idea what kind of shape they're in. Skiles does not expect a flood of players today, but he says they'll trickle in. Many have worked out on their own, but Skiles says there's no substitute for 5-on-5 contact with regular N-B-A players. Skiles also said he expects to improve their shooting around the rim, and creating more scoring opportunities on defense. He says a healthier Andrew Bogut will help. And Skiles said the acquisition of Beno Udrih will give the Bucks more of a scoring presence in the paint.

-12/1-

Green Bay Packers' left tackle Chad Clifton is not practicing this week because he hurt his back while rehabilitating the hamstring he injured October ninth at Atlanta. There was talk that Clifton could be ready to return Sunday against the Giants at New York. But that's out, and coach Mike McCarthy has not said when the veteran might return. Linebackers A-J Hawk and Desmond Bishop won't return until tomorrow at the earliest, after they suffered calf injuries a week ago at Detroit. Linebacker Erik Walden will continue to practice and play while he awaits a decision on whether he'll be charged in an argument with his live-in girlfriend last Friday. Prosecutors say they're still trying to determine the aggressor in that incident. And Packers' corner Pat Lee says he'll appeal a 15-thousand-dollar fine from the N-F-L for his apparent punching of Detroit's Aaron Barry during a punt return play last week. Lee said he pushed Barry's head as he was trying to break free. Replays showed that Barry threw a punch first and Lee retaliated -- but it was Lee who got ejected.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #1 - 12/1

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Morning State News #1

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:

State regulators recommend a six-month law license suspension for former Calumet County D-A Ken Kratz...
The federal E-P-A proposes stricter rules for cleaning the ballast water on incoming ships that brought in almost 200 invasive species...
Opponents of Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan get enough signatures to force a recall election...
Bon Iver and its leader from Eau Claire receive four Grammy Award nominations.

Winning lottery numbers:
Powerball: 2-6-34-35-47, Powerball 22, Power Play 2
Megabucks: 6-11-31-35-39-42
Supercash: 13-21-26-28-31-33 - No Doubler
Pick-3: 9-4-9
Pick-4: 5-4-8-0
Badger-5: 2-6-7-24-29

Here are the details:

A former eastern Wisconsin prosecutor who resigned for making sexual remarks to women might have his law license suspended, and be temporarily forced out of his current private law practice. Ex-Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz had a complaint filed against him yesterday. The state's Office of Lawyer Regulation asked the Supreme Court to suspend his law license for six months for multiple violations of the attorney conduct code. Kratz resigned his D-A's post 14 months ago, after it was learned that he sent over 30 racy text messages to a domestic abuse victim in 2009. He was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend at the time. The new complaint also said Kratz made lewd comments to a female social worker who was worried about testifying in a parental rights case -- and to a woman who wanted him to help her get a pardon for a drug conviction. Regulators also said another woman accused Kratz of sexually assaulting her three years after he prosecuted her for theft in 2006. Kratz said the sex was consensual, but regulators still said it was offensive behavior. The incidents reportedly happened around the same time in '09. The text messages showed that Kratz called the domestic abuse victim a "hot nymph," and he claimed to be her "prize" with a 350-thousand-dollar house. Other women then came forward and said he made similar remarks to them. Former Governor Jim Doyle had started the process of removing Kratz from office when he stepped down in October of last year. Kratz and his attorney have not commented on the new complaint. He has 20 days to give the Lawyer Regulation office a response.

-12/1-

The federal E-P-A has proposed stricter rules for cleaning the ballast water on foreign cargo ships that dumped almost 200 invasive species into the Great Lakes, and caused billions in environmental damage. The new rules are similar to those endorsed by the International Maritime Organization seven years ago. Ballast water is a balancing agent that keeps ships from tipping over. And both the E-P-A and Congress have hesitated to adopt uniform standards until the House voted last month to impose the international rules. The E-P-A wants to make vessels install technology that can kill at least some of the foreign organisms before they're dumped in U-S ports. The standards would take effect in 2013, and the shipping industry says they're doable. Steve Fisher of the American Great Lakes Ports Association said it allows room for changes after four years. But environmental groups say the proposed standards are not strong enough. Thom Cmar of the Natural Resources Defense Council calls it a "half-step forward." Both sides say federal rules are preferable to the patchwork of ballast water regulations that states are imposing. New York is scheduled to adopt standards in 2013 that are 100 times stricter than the international rules. And Wisconsin and other states have balked, claiming their foreign business would be cut off. That's because incoming ships must pass through New York to get to the Great Lakes. The E-P-A will take public comments for 75 days on its new rules.

-12/1-

Opponents of Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan were successful in forcing a recall election against him. City Clerk Sue Richards said yesterday that enough valid petition signatures were filed to order the Common Council to schedule the vote for January 17th. Ryan is being targeted for three major alcohol-related episodes in the first two-and-a-half years of his four-year term. The latest was in July, when he admitted going on a three-day drinking binge in Elkhart Lake. Recall organizers needed 41-hundred-21 signatures, and they got over 600 more than that. Richards says she won't know the final number of valid signatures until later today. But she said 10 different computer checks and other processes convinced her that enough signatures were obtained. Richards will give her report to the Council on Monday. Ryan says he won't challenge the petitions, and he'll wage what he calls a "vigorous campaign" to keep his job. Ryan admits he's an alcoholic, and is getting help.

-12/1-

Bon Iver and its leader from Eau Claire have received four Grammy Award nominations. Justin Vernon's group was nominated last night for both the best record and the best song with "Holocene." Bon Iver was also nominated as the best new artist, and the best alternative music album with the self-titled "Bon Iver." Kanye West led the way with seven Grammy nominations. Adele had six. The selections were unveiled during a prime-time concert on C-B-S. The 54th Grammy Awards ceremony will be held February 12th in Hollywood. Two other artists with Wisconsin connections also received nominations. Tierney Sutton, who went to Glendale Nicolet High School, had his self-named band nominated for the best jazz vocal album, "American Road." And Butch Vig, formerly of Madison, was nominated as the non-classical producer-of-the-year for the album "Wasting Light" by the Foo Fighters.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #2 - 12/1

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Morning State News #2

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:

Plans are announced for Wisconsin's third medical college in Wausau...
A woman accused of e-mailing death threats to 16 Wisconsin legislators is expected to settle her criminal case this afternoon...
The state D-N-R is offering up to 30-thousand-dollars for projects that help reduce damage from wildfires in urban communities.

Winning lottery numbers:
Powerball: 2-6-34-35-47, Powerball 22, Power Play 2
Megabucks: 6-11-31-35-39-42
Supercash: 13-21-26-28-31-33 - No Doubler
Pick-3: 9-4-9
Pick-4: 5-4-8-0
Badger-5: 2-6-7-24-29

Here are the details:

Wisconsin could get its third medical college in 2013. Plans were announced yesterday for the Wisconsin College of Osteopathic Medicine to be established in Wausau. Doctor Gregg Silberg will be the dean. He says the school would help provide 22-hundred additional doctors that the Wisconsin Hospital Association says will be needed statewide by 2030. And it would be the first school to train osteopathic doctors, who focus on disease prevention. Silberg says two-thirds of osteopathic medical school graduates go into primary care -- the biggest need listed by the hospital association. He said the new school would create doctors for rural and underserved parts of Wisconsin. The Wausau-based Aspirus (ah-spy'-rus) hospital system will help Silberg raise the 70-to-75-million dollars needed to start up the new medical school. The plan requires state approval and national accreditation -- and Silberg is not sure if state funding will be sought. Tim Size of the Rural Wisocnsin Health Cooperative says the new school will go a long way toward solving the state's impending doctor shortage. But U-W Madison medical school dean Robert Golden says the school might not be able to afford the required residency programs. He says the only two osteopathic residency programs in the state are full. And Golden says graduates might have to go to other states to complete their residencies, and will probably practice out-of-state. He calls the new medical school a "bridge to nowhere."

-12/1-

A Dane County woman accused of e-mailing death threats to 16 Wisconsin legislators is expected to settle her criminal case this afternoon. A plea hearing is scheduled for 26-year-old Katherine Windels of Cross Plains. She's currently charged with two felony counts of making bomb scares, and two misdemeanor counts of using computers to threaten bodily harm. Windels was scheduled to go on trial in January. Prosecutors said she wrote the G-O-P lawmakers in March, on the night the Senate passed the law which virtually ended most public union bargaining. Windels reportedly said she would shoot the lawmakers in the head -- and that bombs were planted around their homes and vehicles. Windels reportedly told investigators she was upset with what the G-O-P did, but was not planning to carry out the threat.

-12/1-

The state D-N-R is offering up to 30-thousand-dollars for projects that help reduce damage from wildfires in urban communities. The money comes from a federal grant. The D-N-R says the projects could include barriers that prevent forest fires from reaching nearby homes -- or removal efforts for dead wood and brush. Proposals can be sent to the D-N-R by January sixth, and the agency will decide by January 31st which projects will be funded. Those groups will have until the middle of 2013 to complete their projects, and only then will they receive the reimbursement funding. That means the groups would have to come up with the full cost of the projects themselves.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #3 - 12/1

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Morning State News #3

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:

A judge has agreed to continue force-feedings for a man convicted in a Waukesha County murder-for-hire scheme...
A new study shows that seniors who eat baked-and-broiled fish stay mentally sharp and physically coordinated...
The state government's job Web site has added new some new improvements and thousands more job openings...
A foundation that preserves the work of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright is getting a new leader from Wisconsin.

Here are the details:

A man convicted in a murder-for-hire scheme in Waukesha County will continue to get involuntary force-feedings and medical exams until he's sentenced December 20th. Circuit Judge James Kieffer extended those involuntary actions yesterday for Darren Wold. He had refused to take food or medicines for almost three weeks after he was convicted November second -- and Kieffer approved a temporary request for the involuntary feedings-and-exams on November 22nd. The 43-year-old Wold faces life in prison, after he and Jack Johnson were found guilty of hiring Justin Welch to kill Wold's ex-girlfriend. Kimberly Smith was murdered over two years ago in her Oconomowoc home, and authorities said it was because Wold wanted sole custody of their young son. Waukesha County prosecutors tried to get Wold's sentencing moved up to tomorrow -- but defense lawyers said they couldn't make it until the 20th. Yesterday's hearing was closed to the public over the objection of news reporters. The defense wanted the closed hearing because Wold's personal health information was brought up.

-12/1-

The next time Wisconsin senior citizens go to a fish fry, they'll really help themselves if they can choose baked-or-broiled fish. A new study shows that seniors who eat baked fish on a regular basis lose fewer brain cells -- and they do better on cognitive tests. The study was presented yesterday at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Over 250 seniors were asked in 1990 how much baked-and-broiled fish they ate. Ten years later, they underwent brain scans and cognitive tests. And doctors found that those eating the fish are five times less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairments over a five-year period. Medical College of Wisconsin neurologist Piero Antuono says baked fatty fish has more of the Omega-Three fats that can improve brain health. Antuono, who did not take part in the study, said a regular diet of baked fish has a protective mental effect. But if seniors can't resist the fried fish, doctors say they won't get the benefits. That's because fried fish does not improve the volumes of gray matter in the brain.

-12/1-

The state government's job Web site has added over 100-thousand job openings posted on other employment sites. The Job Center of Wisconsin site listed 31-thousand of its own job openings yesterday -- plus 104-thousand others that were posted elsewhere. Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson says the site has also added postings from Twitter and Facebook, which expand the tools available to help both employers and job seekers. The state's Web site first went up three years ago. You'll find it at JobCenterOfWisconsin-Dot-Com.

-12/1-

A foundation that preserves the work of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright is getting a new leader from Wisconsin. He's Sean Malone, who's leaving a foundation he started 15 years ago to save the Ten Chimneys home in Waukesha County. Ten Chimneys is the home of the late theater legends Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt in Genesee Depot. Malone will join the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation on February first. He'll take over for interim C-E-O Anne Maley. Wright started the foundation himself in 1940 in Scottsdale Arizona. It's a cultural-and-education center, and it's the primary conservator of Wright's work.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #4 - 12/1

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Morning State News #4

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Thirteen years after he last ran for public office, Tommy Thompson is kicking off his Republican U-S Senate campaign today...
A federal judge in Dallas has refused to throw out a lawsuit by fans who paid hundreds for seats they never got at the Packers' Super Bowl win...
A driver was killed overnight when he lost control on a ramp between two freeways in Green Bay.

Here are the details:

Thirteen years after he last ran for public office, Tommy Thompson is kicking off his Republican campaign for the U-S Senate today. After 14 years as Wisconsin's governor and four more as the nation's health secretary, Thompson remains one of the state's best-known political figures. But critics from both parties say some of the luster has come off -- partially because of his previous support for national health care reform, and partially because the economy is not nearly as good as it was when he increased state spending in Wisconsin throughout the late '80's and '90's. Thompson insists he's a conservative by today's standards -- and he has condemned the final version of the Obama health package which is now in the hands of the U-S Supreme Court. Thompson is one at least three Republicans eyeing the Senate seat to be given up by Democrat Herb Kohl. Madison House Democrat Tammy Baldwin is the only candidate on her party's side. And Matt Canter of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee predicts the G-O-P race will be a quote, "bloody, divisive primary where most of the fire is focused on Thompson." The national conservative Club for Growth has endorsed former G-O-P Congressman Mark Neumann. Current state Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says his conservative credentials put him ahead of both Thompson and Neumann. He said he's most proud of his leadership in passing the state law that virtually ended most public union bargaining in Wisconsin.

-12/1-

A federal judge in Dallas has refused to throw out a lawsuit by fans who paid hundreds-of-dollars for seats they never got at the Packers' Super Bowl win last February. Over 12-hundred seats at Cowboys Stadium were declared unsafe just hours before the game -- and about 500 fans had to either stand, or watch the game on T-V in a stadium lounge. The N-F-L tried to get the suit dismissed, but Federal Judge Barbara Lynn said it should proceed. Lynn also said the league's make-up offer was not sufficient under the law. The offer included free tickets to a future Super Bowl, with travel expenses paid. Attorney Michael Avenatti said the league has tried numerous legal maneuvers to quote, "deny the fans what they're entitled to." The league has not commented on the judge's ruling.

-12/1-

A driver was killed overnight when he lost control on a ramp between two freeways. It happened about 11:30 p-m on the northeast side of Green Bay. Police said a 57-year-old Green Bay man was between southbound Interstate-43 and northbound Highway 54-57 when his vehicle lost control on a curve. Police said it overturned and hit a sign, and the vehicle then split in half. No one else was in the vehicle. The driver died at the scene.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning State News #2 - 10/19/11

Wheeler News Service – Wednesday, October 19, 2011 – Morning State News #2

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Wisconsinites will get their first chance today to comment on the proposed cuts in the state’s Medicaid programs…
Jurors in Waukesha County will hear their first full day of testimony in a month-long murder-for-hire trial…
A suburban Milwaukee family has been ticketed for lying to the police about a car accident in which a tree hit a neighbor’s house.

Winning lottery numbers:
Mega Millions: 24-25-45-47-53, Mega Ball 42, Megaplier 2
Supercash: 2-17-23-28-30-32 – No Doubler
Pick-3: 9-9-4
Pick-4: 9-6-6-5
Badger-5: 4-11-14-27-29

Here are the details:

Wisconsinites will get their first chance today to comment on the proposed cuts in the state’s Medicaid health programs for the poor and the elderly. State health officials will hold town hall meetings today in Madison, and on Friday in Milwaukee. The Save Badger-Care Coalition says it will speak out against the cuts. That group represents advocates for children, the elderly, and public health organizations. State officials say Medicaid has built up huge deficits due to higher health costs and more clients, many of whom are victims of the Great Recession. Health services secretary Dennis Smith has proposed over 550-million-dollars in spending cuts in the forms of tighter eligibility for benefits and higher premiums. The state is also asking for a federal waiver – and without it, over 50-thousand recipients could lose their health coverage. After this week’s meetings, the state will ask federal health officials to approve the cuts.

-10/19-

Jurors in Waukesha County will hear their first full day of testimony in the murder-for-hire trial of Darren Wold and Jack Johnson. District Attorney Brad Schimel said in his opening argument that both defendants offered seven-thousand-dollars to Justin Welch to have him kill Wold’s former girlfriend. Authorities said Welch killed 39-year-old Kimberly Smith two years ago so Wold could have sole custody of their young son. The 28-year-old Welch has pleaded guilty to the slaying – and he agreed to testify against Wold and Johnson to have a chance at a supervised prison release when he’s 60. Defense lawyers Mark Rosen and Anthony Rosario called Welch a predator, and said he would lie on the witness stand to get a better sentencing deal. Rosen represents Johnson, and Rosario is the attorney for Wold. Both lawyers said their own clients had nothing to do with the murder-for-hire scheme – and each blamed the other’s client for what happened. The trial is expected to run for about a month.

-10/19-

A suburban Milwaukee family has been ticketed for lying to the police about a car accident in which a tree hit a neighbor’s house. It happened in Glendale 10 days ago. According to police, a 15-year-old boy lost control of the family car while pulling out of his driveway. And the vehicle drove into the neighbor’s yard, knocked down two trees, and pushed one of the trees into the house. His 55-year-old mother told investigators that she was in the car at the time, and the younger had a learner’s permit. The boy and his 53-year-old father gave the same story. But as it turned out, the teen was driving alone – and he did not have an instructional permit. All three were cited for obstructing officers. The boy was also ticketed for driving without a license – and his dad was also cited for letting an unauthorized driver use his vehicle. The father reportedly agreed to pay for all the damages.

(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State Sports - 9/27/11

Wheeler News Service – Tuesday, September 27, 2011 – Afternoon State Sports

===Stations: We had a slight glitch with Learfield Data early this afternoon. The problem should be fixed shortly ... but just in case, here's your early afternoon material. A fresh state news feed is directly below this.===

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the details:

Milwaukee Brewers’ slugger Ryan Braun says his team needs to “take care of business” so can they get home-field advantage in the playoffs without needing help. The Brewers still control their own destiny in claiming the National League’s Number-two playoff seed – and they’ll get it if they can beat Pittsburgh in their final two regular season games the next two nights at Miller Park. Milwaukee can also nail down the Number-two seed tonight with a win over the Pirates and an Arizona home loss to the L-A Dodgers. Right now, the Brewers have a one-game edge over Arizona for the two seed. If Arizona and the Brewers end up tied, the Diamondbacks would win the second-seed because the D-Backs won the season series over the Brew Crew. And that would open up the risk that Milwaukee will open the playoffs in Philadelphia, which won its 100th game of the season last night. Milwaukee’s at 94-and-66. Also if the Brewers win their final two games over the Pirates, they’ll set a new team record for wins in a season. The current mark is 95 set in 1978-and-’82. Left-hander Randy Wolf will start for the Brewers tonight. Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf goes for Pittsburgh.

-9/27-

The Minnesota Twins will try to avoid losing their 100th game tonight when they host Kansas City. The Twins have two more contests against Ned Yost and his Royals – and Minnesota needs to win both to avoid the century mark in defeats. The Twins have only lost 100 games once in their 51-year history. That was in 1982. K-C won last night’s series opened 7-to-3. Anthony Swarzak goes for Minnesota tonight against Sean O’Sullivan.

(Thanks Minnesota News Network)

-9/27-

The Green Bay Packers have announced their enhanced security procedures starting with Sunday’s game against Denver at Lambeau Field. Security personnel will use hand-held metal-detecting wands, similar to what’s used at airports. The Packers say pat-downs could still be used. The N-F-L recommended the extra security, which also includes wands and pats from the head to the ankles. Previously, only the upper body was checked. Packers’ security director Doug Collins urged fans to enter the stadium earlier than in the past. They warn the added security will take extra time. The league announced the new procedures a couple weeks ago, but the Packers have not had a home game since September 8th. Sunday’s kickoff is at 3:15 at Lambeau.

-9/27-

The W-I-A-C’s football players-of-the-week are Nate Wara and Taylor Goodman, both of U-W Oshkosh, and Zach Litchfield of Platteville. Wara, a junior quarterback, threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-to-10 pasting of U-W Stout. And he ran for 185 yards and two more scores. Goodman, a junior linebacker, had 10 tackles for Oshkosh in the win over Stout. Litchfield, a sophomore kicker, won the special teams’ award. His 42-yard field goal was the difference in a 17-14 Platteville win over La Crosse. The W-I-A-C also recognized Nate Stymiest and Christy Cazzola, both of Oshkosh, in cross country – Logan George of Superior and James Pike of Oshkosh in men’s soccer – Becca Blue of Oshkosh and Courtney Tideman of Stout in women’s soccer – Catherine Wagner of Eau Claire in women’s golf – Katie Schaefer of Whitewater in women’s singles tennis – and Schaefer and Alexandra Bayliss of Whitewater in doubles’ tennis.

(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State News #1 - 9/27/11

Wheeler News Service – Tuesday, September 27, 2011 – Afternoon State News #1

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Five Wisconsin school systems will share 30-million-dollars, in a settlement of federal charges over the schools’ purchase of risky investments…
The governor said he didn’t know his chief spokesman was given immunity in a John Doe probe until the media reported it…
A mail carrier in Waukesha is accused of driving drunk on the job.

Here are the details:

Five Wisconsin school districts will share 30-million-dollars, as part of a settlement of federal charges over the schools’ purchase of risky investments. The Securities-and-Exchange Commission had accused the Royal Bank of Canada of misconduct in selling collateralized debt obligations to the Kimberly, Kenosha, Waukesha, Whitefish Bay, and West Allis-West Milwaukee school systems. The schools had invested 200-million dollars ago to boost their retirement accounts. But the investments later became worthless – and the S-E-C agreed with the schools that the Royal Bank did not give adequate disclosures about how risky the investments were. The five school districts put in 37-million-dollars and borrowed the rest. Stephen Kravit, the schools’ attorney, said the districts were vindicated. That was after the investment sellers had said school officials should have done their homework, and taken the same risks that the rest of us have to take when we invest. Kravit said a large part of their losses will be paid to them within the next 10 days. The government’s legal action is separate from a highly-publicized civil lawsuit filed by the five school districts about three-and-a-half years ago. That’s still pending, along with an S-E-C action against the other defendant in the suit, the financial firm of Stifel Nicolaus.

-9/27-

Governor Scott Walker said today that he didn’t know his chief spokesman was given immunity in a John Doe investigation until the media reported it. We learned last Friday that Cullen Werwie was given a deal to avoid possible prosecution. Walker said it would have been wrong for Werwie to tell the governor about the immunity in private – because it’s against the law to disclose statements made in John Doe probes. The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office is conducting the probe to see if any of Walker’s aides illegally campaigned for him last year, when they served under Walker when he was the county executive. The Republican governor made his comments in Milwaukee, after holding his second statewide forum on job creation. Walker told reporters he lives to the highest ethical standards that he learned from his parents when he became an Eagle Scout. Walker’s father was a Baptist minister and quote, “I continue to have that kind of integrity.” Over the past few days, the governor has also questioned the media’s coverage of the John Doe proceeding – which has been going on for almost a year-and-a-half. Walker said people have commented on the probe who quote, “either don’t know what they’re talking about – or they’re violating the law” by speaking out of turn. The governor also said he has not personally been contacted by investigators in connection with the matter.

-9/27-

A mail carrier in Waukesha is accused of driving drunk on the job. The 45-year-old man was arrested after a series of crashes on Saturday with his postal vehicle. The case was referred to the Waukesha city attorney’s office, as a citation for the man’s first O-W-I offense. Police captain Ron Oremus said the vehicle struck several others both in front of the driver and behind him on a one-block stretch late Saturday morning. Oremus said the vehicle also had fresh damage from an apparent crash just outside of Waukesha. When he was arrested, Oremus said officers found an open bottle of brandy on the floor-board of the postal truck. He said the man’s blood alcohol level was point-18, more than twice the legal limit for intoxication.

(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State News #3 - 6/29/11

===Stations: Learfield Data has been down this afternoon, so we've sent all 3 Wisconsin PM State News feeds here, along with the Afternoon State Sports. We anticipate Learfield Data to be back up this evening, and we'll make sure all the PM Reports get on that wire for your use tomorrow morning. Thank you for your patience.===

Wheeler News Service – Wednesday, June 29, 2011 – Afternoon State News #3

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:
Former U-W Madison chancellor David Ward returns to the post on an interim basis for a year…
A judge in Minnesota says the Stillwater Lift Bridge at the Wisconsin border will stay open, even if there’s a government shutdown in the Gopher State…
An Elkhorn man dies in a vehicle garage mishap in Walworth County…
A guard at the Milwaukee children’s detention center is charged with physically abusing a child held at that facility.

Here are the details:

U-W Madison announced late this afternoon that its former chancellor will return to the post on an interim basis. David Ward will replace Biddy Martin on July 18th, as she leaves to become the new president of Amherst College in Massachusetts. His term will be for one year. Ward ran the Madison campus from 1993 until 2001, when he became the president of the American Council on Education. He served in that post until 2008. U-W System President Kevin Reilly said Ward will be involved in major budget decisions, as the campus faces a loss in state aid of well over 100-thousand dollars in the next two years. And Reilly said Ward would help implement the school’s new-found flexibility, as granted by lawmakers in the next state budget which takes effect on Friday. Reilly called Ward a “strategic thinker” who can help make the upcoming changes in ways that fit with Madison’s academic traditions. Board of Regents’ president Michael Spector said Ward has demonstrated he can do the job of chancellor well – and he understands the role of the flagship campus within the entire U-W System.

-6/29-

A key link between northwest Wisconsin and Minnesota will stay open, if the Gopher State’s government shuts down on Friday. Transportation officials said this afternoon that the Stillwater Lift Bridge will not shut down. Ramsey County Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin of Saint Paul agreed that the bridge serves a critical function in maintaining public health and safety. It’s one of a number of core functions in Minnesota’s government that will keep going during a possible government shutdown – which is the result of an impasse over that state’s new budget. The shutdown is looming for Friday. Officially, Gearin said the Stillwater Lift Bridge will stay open to accommodate ambulance traffic between Minnesota and Wisconsin. But thousands of commuters also use the bridge to get to-and-from their jobs each day in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

-6/29-

An Elkhorn man died today while working at a vehicle garage in far southeast Wisconsin. Walworth County authorities a car fell off its hoist at Lockhart’s Service Station in the town of Lafayette – and it landed on 28-year-old Nicholas Van Dyke. Sheriff’s deputies and co-workers eventually got him free, but he died later at a hospital.

-6/29-

A guard at a children’s detention center in Milwaukee was charged today with physically abusing a child who was being held there. Prosecutors said 61-year-old George Mack of Milwaukee assaulted a juvenile at the facility on June eighth.

(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State News #2 - 6/29/11

===Stations: Learfield Data was down at this publication. We've been sending afternoon material here, and will continue to do so until the wire comes back up.===

Wheeler News Service - Wednesday, June 29, 2011 -- Afternoon State News #2

Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the stories:

One Wisconsin Now is circulating a petition asking Supreme Court Justice David Prosser to resign. Another state Supreme Court Justice, Ann Walsh Bradley, has claimed Prosser put what she called a “choke hold” on her earlier this month. One Wisconsin Now says it was able to collect six thousand signatures in less than 24 hours. Prosser has denied the claims as the Wisconsin Judicial Commission investigates the incident.-
6/29-
A Waukesha police officer has killed a pit bull after it attacked its owner and a neighbor. Police say the officer opened fire on the animal after that attack because he thought the dog would jump the gate and attack responders. The owner and neighbor were bitten while trying to kennel a pit bull that wasn’t involved in the attack. Those individuals are expected to recover, but the dog that was shot has died.
-6/29-
Fourteen Wisconsin Senate Democrats maintain they were right to leave the state earlier this year in an attempt to block Governor Walker’s collective bargaining changes. They stayed in Illinois for nearly three weeks to block a vote on the bill – until Republicans in the Senate found a way to pass it without them being present. Even though Wisconsin Act 10 took effect today, state Senator Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee says there are no regrets about the decision to leave. He says it gave the public more time to understand what the bill meant and allowed citizens to make their voices heard. Senator Fred Risser says he expects the issue is far from settled.
(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State News #1 - 6/29/11

===Stations: Learfield Data was down at mid-afternoon, so we're sending the Afternoon State News #1 and the Afternoon State Sports on this blog.===

Wheeler News Service – Wednesday, June 29, 2011 – Afternoon Report #1

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines:

Republican Senate recall challenger David VanderLeest could be facing more legal trouble…
Federal indictments are issued against 35 people in a pair of major drug trafficking operations in Racine and elsewhere…
Jurors in Arizona were about to decide this afternoon whether James Arthur Ray should get a tougher sentence for a Milwaukee man’s death in a sweat lodge.

Here are the details:
A Republican challenger for a Wisconsin Senate seat in a recall election could be facing more legal trouble. It’s already been reported that David VanderLeest of Green Bay has two misdemeanor disorderly conduct convictions from 2007, plus other arrests – all connected with alleged domestic violence. And today, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said VanderLeest is under investigation in Oconto County. Chief Deputy Clark Longsine said there’s an open investigation which deputies have shared with the county’s human services agency. He didn’t give details, but VanderLeest told the Journal Sentinel it was connected with a restraining order his ex-wife sought in April that she later withdrew. VanderLeest is a wind farm developer who’s the only official G-O-P candidate at the moment for the Senate seat held by Democrat Dave Hansen of Green Bay. The disorderly conduct convictions were part of a plea deal in which he was originally charged with intimidating a witness and battery. His ex-wife had obtained restraining orders against him in 2005-and-’06. And Wisconsin Democrats said he was also arrested for pulling his ex-wife’s hair, throwing her to a floor to stop her from calling police, and another battery. Those incidents were from 2006-and-’09, but VanderLeest was not convicted in those cases. He told the Journal Sentinel those cases were the result of a bad marriage and what he called corruption in the court system. State Democratic chairman Mike Tate says VanderLeest is not a person who’s fit for office. He organized the recall effort against Hansen. Earlier this week, state Representative John Nygren of Marinette was kept off the ballot for a primary against VanderLeest due to a lack of valid nominating signatures. But Nygren is challenging that matter in court, and a hearing on it is set for Friday in Madison.
-6/29-
Federal authorities say 35 people have been indicted in a pair of large drug trafficking operations in Racine. The U-S attorney’s office said 18 people were charged in one operation. That’s after authorities were told that a barber at Ruth’s Beauty Salon in Racine had been suspected of helping sell crack cocaine and heroin. In the other case, 17 people – including gang members from the Gangster Disciples – were indicted for drug and firearms charges. U-S Attorney James Santelle (san-tell’) said cocaine, marijuana, meth-amphetamines, and cash were taken during searches in the Racine, Chicago, and San Antonio areas. He said a Racine man had been the leader of that group.
-6/29-
Jurors in Arizona were about to decide this afternoon whether James Arthur Ray should get a tough sentence for letting a Milwaukee man die in a sweat-lodge ceremony. Closing arguments in the trial’s penalty phase were presented this morning. After convicting Ray last week, the jury must decide if there were aggravating factors that a judge should consider when giving his sentence. The jury found Ray guilty last week on three lesser charges of negligent homicide, for causing the deaths of 40-year-old James Shore of Milwaukee and two others during a spiritual ceremony in a heated structure in 2009. Ray could get anything from probation to 11 years behind bars. Prosecutors had survivors of the victims testify about their effects on their families’ lives due to the tragedy. But the defense said the state did not meet some key burdens of proof. Ray’s lawyers said he never profited from the sweat lodge ceremony, and there’s no proof that Ray had a unique position of trust with the victims.
(End)

Wheeler News - Afternoon State Sports

Wheeler News Service – Wednesday, June 29, 2011 – Afternoon State Sports

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the details:

The New York Yankees will to try to extend their winning streak to four games tonight, when they host the Milwaukee Brewers again. The Yanks have the American League’s best record at 46-and-31, while Milwaukee has the National League’s worst road record at 15-and-25. The Brewers got crushed 12-to-2 last night at Yankee Stadium. And it narrowed Milwaukee’s division lead to two games over second-place Saint Louis in the National League Central. New York has won 13-of-its-last-17 games, and Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez has batted .411 during that stretch with 17 R-B-I’s. Mark Teixiera has homered in each of his last three games, and Nick Swisher is batting .351 with five homers in his last 17 contests. For the Brewers, Ryan Braun has the hot bat. He has a career-high 18-game hitting streak, including a double late in Monday night’s defeat. Right-hander Shaun Marcum starts for the Brew Crew this evening against Yankees’ right-hander A-J Burnett.

-6/29-

The Milwaukee Brewers will continue to have a minor league connection in Wisconsin for at least five-and-a-half more years. The Brewers today announced a four-year extension of its affiliation with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of Appleton, running through 2016. The Timber Rattlers are the lower of two Class-“A” farm clubs, with Brevard County being slightly higher in stature. But Brewers’ G-M Doug Melvin calls the affiliation with the Timber Rattlers a “perfect fit.” He says it has given the Brewers the convenience of sending players close by for minor league rehab assignments – and it gives the Rattlers a chance to play in a big league ball park on occasion. Tonight, the Rattlers face Peoria at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The Brewers started their connection with Wisconsin in 2008.

-6/29-

The Timber Rattlers will try to salvage a victory tonight in their three-game Midwest League series against Peoria at Miller Park. The Chiefs topped the Rattlers 4-to-1 last night. The Beloit Snappers will play the rubber game of their series at Clinton. The Lumber-kings won 4-to-3 in 12 innings on Tuesday. The loss was Beloit’s first of the second half, leaving Kane County as the league’s only unbeaten team at 5-and-0. One game is already in the books this afternoon. Fort Wayne won at Lake County 11-to-4. Also tonight, Burlington hosts Kane County. Cedar Rapids plays at Quad Cities. Lansing is at Dayton. West Michigan entertains South Bend. And Bowling Green plays at Great Lakes.

-6/29-

We’ll find out Sunday if the Brewers will have three starters in the All-Star Game for the first time in their history. Outfielder Ryan Braun and second baseman Rickie Weeks lead the fan voting in their positions. First baseman Prince Fielder ranks second in his spot – but the leader, Albert Pujols, will miss the All-Star Game with a broken forearm so it’s possible that Fielder could be named the starter. Braun leads all National League players in the fan ballot with just over three-million votes as of Monday. He says it would “pretty cool” to have three Brewers in the starting N-L lineup – and he credits the Milwaukee fans for being “extremely passionate and supportive.” The fan voting continues through late tomorrow night at Brewers-Dot-Com and M-L-B-Dot-Com.

-6/29-

Brewers’ reliever Takashi Saito might return to the Milwaukee bullpen by Friday night, when the team opens a weekend series at Minnesota. The 41-year-old Saito struck out two and gave up a hit in one inning last night for Triple-“A” Nashville. The Sounds won that game 3-to-2. Brewers’ manager Ron Roenicke says Saito will have a throwing session today – and if all goes well, he could return to the big club by the end of the week. Saito has missed most of the season with an injured hamstring, followed by a strained oblique muscle. The Brewers signed the veteran Saito last winter to be a set-up man for John Axford. Kameron Loe has moved into that role instead.

-6/29-

Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Delmon Young has no ligament damage in the ankle he sprained last Saturday night in Milwaukee. Young underwent an M-R-I yesterday – and it showed that he had some swelling and bone bruise, but the ligaments appear to look good. Young was hurt while sliding into the left field wall as he tried to catch a long fly from Yuniesky Betancourt – who had an inside-the-park home run on that play. Trainers say Young can put his full weight on his ankle. But the Brewers won’t be seeing him during their series in Minneapolis this weekend, because he’s on the 15-day disabled list. Young is expected to get off the D-L on July 11th.

(Thanks Minnesota News Network)

-6/29-

Stephen Jackson says he’ll happy to play for the Milwaukee Bucks, despite early reports that he wasn’t. Jackson was the Bucks’ main acquisition in a three-team trade last week. He and Shaun Livingston came over from Charlotte, while Corey Maggette was dealt to the Bobcats. At a Bradley Center news conference today, the 33-year-old Jackson called Milwaukee a “great place to win,” and he has a lot of respect for the coaching staff. The veteran guard says coach Scott Skiles won’t have to ask him to be a leader on the floor – because it’s his instinct to do so. Jackson said he received welcoming text messages from Bucks’ point guard Brandon Jennings and center Andrew Bogut as soon as the trade was announced on Draft Night last week – and he didn’t expect to hear from Bogut. This is Jackson’s third N-B-A team in three years. He played for Golden State two seasons ago, and was on the floor when Jennings scored his 55-point game against the Warriors. Jackson says he’ll have a lot more fun teaming up with Jennings than playing against him.

-6/29-

A youth soccer team from Milwaukee won a championship today at the Midwest Regional finals in Appleton. F-C Milwaukee took the 18-and-under girls’ category with a 3-to-1 victory over the Mockingbird club of Kentucky. Justine Hovden scored two goals for Milwaukee, and Mady Vicker scored the other one. Finals were being played today in seven boys’ categories and seven girls’ divisions. F-C Milwaukee was the only Wisconsin team to make today’s finals. They’ll advance to national competition next month in Phoenix.

(End)

Wheeler News - Morning Report #4 - 10/23/10

Wheeler News Service – Thursday, September 23, 2010 – Morning Report #4

===Stations: Learfield Data went down this morning. So we've posted this report & the Noon State Sports here. We'll also post the Noon Report here if the site is not back up by then. And when it does return, we'll place all the feeds there. Thank you for understanding.=====

Editor on duty: Thom Gerretsen (715) 389-2373
Story contributions: wheelernews@yahoo.com
Wheeler Blog: http://learfielddata.blogspot.com

Here are the headlines: Arcadia’s mayor has declared a state-of-emergency after heavy rains caused heavy floods overnight…
The federal government says Wisconsinites are still waiting longer than they should for appeal hearings when their requests for jobless benefits are denied…
Prosecutors plan to offer a plea deal to a former eastern Wisconsin teacher charged with 28 sex-related counts…
The Oneida and Menominee Indian tribes are preserving their historical records with the help of federal grants.

Here are the details:

The mayor of Arcadia has declared a state-of-emergency after heavy rains caused heavy floods overnight. The National Weather Service says roads are closed in-and-out of the Trempealeau County community. Parts of western Wisconsin had over five-inches of rain last night and early today. The Alma Dam on the Mississippi River had five-point-one inches. The Black River Falls area had over four inches. Central Wisconsin had around three-inches, and the Weather Service has a flood warning in Wood-and-Portage counties until 10:30 this morning. Highway 10 in the Junction City area was closed as of seven o’clock. Also, the Weather Service has flood warnings for the Yellow River in Wood County. It was above its banks at Pittsville this morning – and it’s expected to rise five-feet above flood stage at Babcock by early Saturday. In the meantime, forecasters say more heavy rains are in the forecast throughout Wisconsin into tomorrow morning. Much of western Wisconsin remains under a flood watch until then.

-9/23-

The federal government says unemployed Wisconsinites are still waiting longer than they should for appeal hearings when their requests for jobless benefits are denied. The Labor Department said the state is completing about 10-percent of appeals within 30 days after they’re filed. That’s well below the federal standard of 60-percent. And only 13-percent of appeals are handled within 45 days after they’re filed – below the federal standard of 80-percent. State officials say they’re doing better now than a few weeks ago. Workforce development spokesman John Dipko said there almost 57-hundred pending appeals – 220 less than several weeks ago. He said the state is dealing with record claims, and Wisconsin is not the only one that’s behind. Dipko said 39 other states have also failed to meet the federal standards for scheduling appeal hearings. And he says Wisconsin has done better than most states in other standards – like making first-time payments on a timely basis.

-9/23-

Prosecutors say they’ll offer a plea deal to a former eastern Wisconsin teacher who’s facing 28 sex-related charges in three counties. A preliminary hearing for 32-year-old Ryan Zellner of Allouez (al’-oh-way) has been delayed until November second in Brown County Circuit Court. Most of the charges accuse Zellner of making sexually-explicit calls to female students at several schools where he had worked since 2003. District Attorney John Zakowski says he and prosecutors in Manitowoc and Calumet counties will come up with a plan to consolidate the charges in one county, and offer a plea bargain. He says Zellner would have to spend time in prison under any offer that’s made.

-9/23-

Two Wisconsin Indian tribes are preserving their historical records with help from the federal government. The Oneida Nation of Green Bay is getting a 102-thousand-dollar grant to upgrade its library to make it safer and better-organized. And the Menominee tribe is getting 74-thousand dollars to create digital records about its history – especially its “termination era.” The federal government ended the Menominee’s tribal status in the 1950’s, and tribal member Ada Deer helped get it restored in 1973. Deer was the first woman to head the U-S Bureau of Indian Affairs. And Monique Tyndall of the Menominee College Library says she’s excited to preserve Deer’s account of what happened. Tyndall said the tribe had lost its sovereignty, and the restoration agreement provides a voice from the community to the federal government. Also, Tyndall says the library has been getting materials from other tribal members. And it’s creating an inventory for the digitalization process.

(Thanks Brian Bull, WHA-WERN, Madison)

(End)