December 2005 NEWS ARCHIVES


Think Green For Clean Water
12/30/05

A proposed national clean water trust fund will be debated in Congress over the next year, with help from a leading House Republican. Chuck Quirmbach has the story…

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Budgetting For Family Planning, Or Not?
12/30/05

When Congress returns in January after the holiday break, both the House and Senate will try to come to final agreement on a national budget reconciliation package. One of the funding issues pertains to family planning clinics and access to birth control. Shamane Mills reports…

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Highway Safety: In Style
12/30/05

Those who drink this weekend can take a limo and leave the car home in a couple of Wisconsin communities. The innovative highway safety project is designed to keep drunken drivers off the road and is about to grow from two to six counties. Mary Jo Wagner has more…

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NOTE: The Polk County Party Barge phone number is 715-483-1911

For more information on the DOT’s program: www.roadcrewonline.org/


Home Loans Get Tougher For Undocumented Immigrants
12/30/05

When Governor Jim Doyle signed a new law that would prohibit state backed home loans to undocumented immigrants, he said he thought commercial lenders would pick up the slack. But the chair of a Milwaukee bank that serves a Latino neighborhood says that's a lot to ask. Shawn Johnson reports…

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The Pros And Cons Of Tribal Gaming Dollars
12/29/05

Most of the money Wisconsin will spend next year to attract tourists to the state will will come directly from tribal casino fees. Tribal governments are happy some of their slot machine profits will be spent to market the state as a vacation get away. But at least one politician thinks casino's cost the state more money than they generate. Gil Halsted reports…

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Great Lakes "Town Hall" Online
12/29/05

A "town hall" type forum on the Great Lakes is now as close as your nearest computer. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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New Food Labels Aim To Reduce Allergic Reactions
12/29/05

Those who have allergic reactions to food have to be careful about what they eat. But deciphering food labels isn't always easy. A new law taking effect January first is designed to clear up confusion and reduce allergic reactions. Such reactions caused 150 deaths nationwide last year. Shamane Mills reports…

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Cancer Drugs For Donation
12/29/05

Cancer drugs can be very expensive. Wisconsin pharmacies that cater to low-income patients are offering unused medications donated by other cancer patients. Shamane Mills reports…

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Another Former Lawmaker Guilty
12/29/05

Another former state lawmaker has pleaded guilty to using her public office to run political campaigns. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Mixed Results For Charities
12/29/05

There's a mixed bag of charitable giving to report from across Wisconsin this holiday season. Six reporters check in with a series of regional updates…

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Policing The Internet
12/28/05

Eric Szatkowski isn't a 13-year-old girl but he plays one on the Internet. Szatkowski is actually a special agent with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, under the state Department of Justice. His job is to pose as a youngster visiting chat rooms, to draw out sexual predators who try to "hook up" with minors.

In today's feature, Szatkowski tells reporter Brian Bull about his work and takes us along on a unique, and disturbing hunting trip. (Some content may offend some listeners)…

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Reduced Tuition Considered For Katrina Victims
12/28/05

State lawmakers are considering a plan that would let victims of Hurricane Katrina pay lower tuition at Wisconsin's technical colleges. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Huber Centers May Become A Thing Of The Past
12/28/05

A couple Wisconsin counties are on the cutting edge for handling work-release prisoners. Sandra Harris reports closing Huber centers may become the wave of the future…

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Challenge To Phosphorous Ban Loses
12/28/05

Landscapers who challenged a ban on phosphorus in Madison and Dane County have lost. An appeals court says the local fertilizer restrictions do not violate federal or state law. Shamane Mills reports…

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Wisconsin Troop Presence In Iraq Not Likely To Be Reduced Soon
12/28/05

The recent hints from the Pentagon that there may soon be US troop reductions in Iraq are not likely to affect Wisconsin National Guard soldiers who are there now. Gil Halsted reports…

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Record Numbers At Food Pantries
12/28/05

Food pantries in North Central Wisconsin are serving record numbers of people this winter, in part because of higher fuel costs. Glen Moberg has the story…

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Wisconsin History Online: A to Z
12/27/05

Want to know where to find the Brothertown Indians? What exactly is a “river pig”? And by how many votes did Bob La Follette Jr. lose to Joseph McCarthy in the 1946 Senate race? To find out, you could spend a few days hitting the books or you could simply go to a new online dictionary launched by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Brian Bull reports…

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Patagonia Pushes Recycling Envelope
12/27/05

Outdoor apparel manufacturer Patagonia is known for making clothes from recycled materials. But the company's recent venture has some people worried that the company's gone too far. James Mills reports…

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Bill Targets Power Line Vandalism
12/27/05

People who intentionally, or accidentally, shoot powerlines could soon be held liable for the cost of repairs. A bill making its way through the state Legislature would make hunters or vandals pay restitution for property damage. Patty Murray reports…

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Lawmakers Contemplate Odors
12/27/05

A state Assembly panel has recommended some changes to a proposal that would make livestock farms meet odor standards before they build or expand. But the state Ag Department may not be able to please some critics of the idea. Shawn Johnson reports…

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State Tourism Numbers Look Strong For 2005
12/27/05

The final numbers aren't in yet, but despite high gas prices, Wisconsin's Tourism Secretary says it's been a good year for tourism related businesses in the state. This year's early snowfall has given a big boost to ski area's which got off to a slow start last year during a relatively dry winter. Gil Halsted has more…

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Doyle Defends Contributions
12/26/05

Governor Jim Doyle says he will follow state law, as he continues to pull in campaign donations. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Study Maps Extinction Potential
12/26/05

Extinction is a natural process. But scientists point out that humans have sped that process up. A new study maps out the places on Earth where species are in the greatest danger of going extinct. Rebecca Williams reports for the Great Lakes Radio Consortium…

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State Sends Warning To Older Investors
12/26/05

The state is warning older investors to be careful of who they choose to manage their money. There have been a number of complaints In the last year about bad advice from so-called "senior specialists." Patty Murray reports…

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Isolated Signs Of Donor Burnout
12/26/05

After a year of giving to the victims of hurricanes, tsunamis and other natural disasters, some local charities say they're being hurt by donor burnout. The problem is affecting one Central Wisconsin city that is already struggling economically. Glen Moberg has the story…

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Snowmobile Speed Limit In The Works
12/26/05

Wisconsin could have a statewide speed limit on snowmobiles by February. A bi-partisan bill has passed the Assembly and is expected to make it through the Senate next month. Mike Simonson reports from Superior…

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Wisconsinite Faces Possible Court Martial
12/26/05

A Wisconsin woman serving in the Texas National Guard is facing a possible court martial for refusing deployment orders to Afghanistan. Military officials have rejected her request for a discharge as a conscientious objector. Gil Halsted has more…

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Students Will Not Subsidize Faculty Pay
12/23/05

The Interim Chancellor at UW-Eau Claire has said “No” to a plan for students to pay an extra fee to subsidize faculty pay. Mary Jo Wagner has more…

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Regulators Okay Nuclear Plant Operation For Years To Come
12/23/05

The federal government says the Point Beach nuclear power plant can keep operating for at least a couple more decades. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Computer Problems Lead To Sales Tax Issues For Counties
12/23/05

Several counties are owed sales tax revenue from the state and even more counties will have to give some back because of computer problems at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Downtowns Finding Ways To Compete With Suburbs For Businesses
12/23/05

Many businesses have moved from the urban areas of major cities to the surrounding suburbs. But another company announced yesterday that it will move from the suburbs to downtown Milwaukee. Donnie Forti looks at what some downtowns are doing to compete for jobs…

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Safety Problems At Power Plant May Bring Review Of Rate Increase
12/23/05

The federal government says the Kewaunee nuclear power plant had a substantial safety problem last year. The finding could lead to another challenge of a state-approved rate increase for the plant's customers. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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2005 In Brief: As Heard On Wisconsin Public Radio
12/22/05

From more deaths in Iraq...to mass murders in church meetings...and murder trials. To former senators...scandals...feral cats, tornadoes and hurricanes. 2005 has been another active year in the radio news business. Here are some of the quotes Wisconsin Public Radio reporters collected over the last twelve months…

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A Warm Welcome For Activists In Iran
12/22/05

A group of peace activists, including two from Wisconsin, have just returned from a citizens' diplomacy trip to Iran. They say they received a warm welcome, despite the fact that the Bush administration still considers Iran part of the "Axis of Evil." Gil Halsted reports…

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High School Students In Weston Publish Ninth Oral History Volume
12/22/05

Book stores in Central Wisconsin have an unusual bestseller this Christmas season, a series of oral history volumes published by a local high school. The D.C. Everest District in Weston has released its ninth book in the series, a professional and exhaustive examination of the 1950's. Glen Moberg has the story…

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Forest Land Donated To Land Trust
12/22/05

Some Northwest Wisconsin forest land -- once owned by an American author and philosopher -- will remain in its natural state. That’s because it’s been donated to a land trust. Mary Jo Wagner reports…

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New Housing Assistance Law Carries Controvesy
12/22/05

Governor Jim Doyle has signed into law a major rewrite of a state program that provides affordable housing to low income residents. But a controversial piece of the measure would prohibit loans to undocumented immigrants. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Local Governments Dig Deep For Tornado Relief
12/22/05

The federal government has twice refused to help Wisconsin rebuild from this summer's tornadoes. One of the hardest hit counties says local government can't provide nearly as much money as Uncle Sam. However, Dane County will chip in using federal money that was originally intended for housing and other public building projects. Shamane Mills reports…

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EPA Plans To Crack Down On Soot
12/21/05

The EPA has a new plan to crack down on soot. But the plan doesn't go as far as the agency's own scientific panel recommends. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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WTO Rules Could Undermine Local Anti-WalMart Efforts
12/21/05

Trade rules debated at the World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong last week could undermine the efforts of anti-WalMart groups to regulate huge "big box" retailers. Organizers in Stoughton and Jefferson fear global trade laws could preempt local ordinances on store size and location. Gil Halsted reports…

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Goodwill Receives Tax-Exempt Status from Governor
12/21/05

Goodwill stores and training centers will now be officially exempt from paying state property taxes. Yesterday, Governor Jim Doyle signed a bill that adds Goodwill to a list of tax-exempt benevolent organizations. Patty Murray reports…

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GOP Leaders Still Searching For Kohl Challenger
12/21/05

With less than a year until Democratic US Senator Herb Kohl stands for reelection, GOP leaders are still searching for someone to challenge him. As Shawn Johnson reports they've been courting the Republican nominee from the last US Senate race…

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Stem Cell Researchers Hope For Fix To Damaged Hearts
12/21/05

Heart disease is prevalent in the US and there's a lot of research on fixing this vital organ once its been damaged. Stem cell researchers hope someday patients will be able to generate their own replacement blood vessels and muscle to fix broken hearts. Shamane Mills reports…

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More People Sign Up For Help With Heating Bills
12/21/05

More people on low and fixed incomes are signing up for government help to pay their heating bills in Wisconsin this year. The reasons appear to be better publicity, increased awareness, and higher fuel prices. Terry Bell reports…

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Elk Deaths on the Rise
12/20/05

Wisconsin's elk herd may be in danger. The death rate has more than tripled in the last year and more are dying. Mike Simonson reports from Superior…

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Green Bay Diocese Plan School Makeover
12/20/05

This could be the last year of classes for Green Bay's oldest Catholic School. The Green Bay Diocese is re-configuring it's education system for Catholic Grade Schools. The plan will save money...but some say it'll come at the expense of indivual Parishes. Patty Murray reports…

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Doyle to Sign Gas Tax Repeal
12/20/05

Governor Jim Doyle says he'll sign a repeal of the automatic annual increase to Wisconsin's gas tax. But he says the state might have to make up for the lost revenue somewhere else. Shawn Johnson reports…

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New Drinking Water Protections
12/20/05

More protection for drinking water and beaches is being promised under a new wastewater treatment plan proposed by the EPA , some environmental groups and local wastewater agencies. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Power Plant May Be Fined By Feds
12/20/05

Regulators want to fine the company that operates the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant because two workers at the plant lied to the federal government. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Milk Income Loss Program Extended
12/20/05

Republicans are claiming a victory for Wisconsin Dairy farmers after the House voted yesterday to extend the Milk Income Loss Program. But Democrats say the program will now pay farmers 25% less when milk prices drop. Farmers groups are disappointed about the cut but say they're happy the aid is still available. Gil Halsted reports…

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Roller Derby is Back
12/19/05

A distinctively retro sport from the sixties and seventies is making a comeback. Austin, Texas saw the modern reincarnation of roller derby in 2000, and it’s spreading across the nation. Erin Syth reports on its emergence in the Dairy State…

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Gift Card Fraud
12/19/05

A western Wisconsin legislator says politics is the reason consumers won't be protected from purchasing fraudulant gift cards this holiday season. Still--a consumer advocate says people can protect themselves. Sandra Harris reports…

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Keep Track Of Immunizations Online
12/19/05

Schools and physicians have been able to use Wisconsin's immunization registry online for about six years--now parents can more easily make sure their child's shots are up-to-date. Sandra Harris…

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Appeals for Campaign Finance Reform
12/19/05

After the former leader of the Wisconsin State Senate was sentenced to jail last week... a chorus of voices chimed in to call for campaign finance reform. One of them was Chuck Chvala himself. Shawn Johnson reports…

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War Referendum Momentum
12/19/05

As it stands now, more than a dozen Wisconsin communities will have their say on the war against Iraq. And more localities are scrambling to get enough signatures to beat the deadline for getting spring referendum issues on the ballot. Shamane Mills reports…

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Madison to Host Major Hispanic Organization
12/19/05

The nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group will hold its annual convention in Wisconsin next summer. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Feingold Stalls Patriot Act
12/19/05

A filibuster threat by Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold has forced the Senate to continue debating the US Patriot Act. Senators from both sides of the aisle are demanding changes in provisions they say infringe too much on basic civil liberties. Gil Halsted has more…

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UW Lectures in Rural India
12/19/05

Science educators at the UW Madison may soon be able to broadcast their lectures and research presentations via sattelite to remote villages in India. It's part of a new collaboration linking 15 U.S. universities with EDUSAT, the government of India's first educational sattelite. Gil Halsted reports…

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State Ups Snowmobile Vigilance
12/19/05

Wisconsin is launching a half dozen snowmobile enforcement teams this winter. This comes after the second deadliest winter for snowmobile deaths on record last year. Mike Simonson reports from Superior…

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Wrongful Conviction Signed into Law
12/19/05

Governor Jim Doyle has signed a series of changes to state law designed to prevent wrongful convictions in Wisconsin. The package was drafted in the name of Steven Avery... the man who spent two decades in prison for a crime he didn't commit and now sits in jail as a murder suspect. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Government Continues Domestic Violence Funding
12/19/05

It looks like a federal effort to help communities end domestic violence will be renewed. Shamane Mills reports…

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Child's Illness May Bring Deportation
12/19/05

Efforts continue to find a transplant donor for a Latino boy whose parents risk deportation because they are undocumented workers. The case is part of the debate over immigration reform. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Assembly Passes Ethanol Requirement
12/19/05

Regular gasoline sold in Wisconsin would have to contain at least 10% of the corn-based fuel additive ethanol under a measure that cleared the state Assembly last night. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Former Senator Proxmire Dies
12/16/05

Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire died yesterday at the age of 90. He passed away at a long-term care facility near Baltimore. Chuck Quirmbach takes a look at Proxmire's image of being an anti-wasteful spending Democrat…

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Congressman Fights to Change Patriot Act
12/16/05

The US Senate may vote today to renew the Patriot Act. But a threatened filibuster led by Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold could force changes in some of its most-controversial measures. Gil Halsted reports…

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Chvala Sentenced
12/16/05

One of the most powerful figures in Wisconsin government during the last decade was sentenced yesterday to nine months in jail.

Former State Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala is to begin his jail term in February. His sentence is three months longer than defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed to when Chvala pleaded guilty to two felonies earlier this year.

But the Judge who handed down the ruling said that Chvala's case needed to send a message other public officials in Wisconsin. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Ethanol May be Requirement
12/16/05

Regular gasoline sold in Wisconsin would have to contain at least 10% of the corn-based fuel additive ethanol under a measure that cleared the state Assembly last night. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Missing Person Case Re-Opened
12/16/05

Police-trained cadaver dogs have helped open up a decades-old missing person case in Madison. The woman who disappeared was at one time the state's youngest pilot. Shamane Mills reports…

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Feds Keep Eye On Local Activist Group
12/15/05

A UW-Madison peace group is one of more than forty nationwide that have had their activities monitored by the Pentagon. Peace activists in Madison say they're angry that peacful protests are being spied on. Gil Halsted reports…

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Nuclear Waste Appeal No Go
12/15/05

The U.S. Supreme Court had refused to take up an appeal intended to block construction of a private nuclear waste storage site on tribal land in Utah. However, the site won't be built any time soon. Sandra Harris reports…

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City Celebrates 150th
12/15/05

Plans for celebrating La Crosse's upcoming sesquicentennial have been unveiled. Micah Schweizer has more…

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State of Saving
12/15/05

People in Wisconsin tend to save more than the national average. A new study puts the state among the nation's top ten "savers." But debt is still keeping many people from saving enough to pay for a comfortable retirement. Patty Murray reports…

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Shore Policy Not Quite Bargained For
12/15/05

Some landowners who wanted changes in how the state issues permits for shoreline projects are learning the meaning of the old saying "be careful what you wish for." Shamane Mills reports…

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Animal Waste Management Meetings Kickoff
12/15/05

Proposals to reduce manure runoff from farm fields go to public meetings around the state today. A task force looking at the runoff problem is nearing final recommendations. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Question of Crime May Alter Without DA
12/15/05

The upcoming departure of a well-known Democratic District Attorney could change the crime and punishment debate in the state. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Wonder Vaccine in Works
12/14/05

Troops in the near future may not need anthrax shots. A Wisconsin doctor is working on something he says could "revolutionize" the country's defense against germ warfare. Shamane Mills reports…

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Wisconsinite Joins Prison Protest
12/14/05

A Wisconsin native is part of a group of 22 anti-torture protesters camped outside the gates of the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba this week. The group of Catholic pacifists began a water-only fast on Monday to protest abuse of the terrorism suspects held at the US Naval base. Gil Halsted reports…

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Bear Culling Goes Off Without Hitch
12/14/05

This year's bear hunting season was normal in Wisconsin...with 2,500 bears being taken. Mike Simonson reports that except for acorns...all went well in the effort to keep the bear population in check…

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Legislators Work to Pass Gun Law
12/14/05

Assembly lawmakers worked late last night to tweak a plan that would let Wisconsin residents carry concealed firearms. As it stands now... they garnered enough support to override any objections by Governor Jim Doyle…

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End of Gas Tax May Be Near
12/14/05

State lawmakers sent a plan to the Governor earlier this morning that would end the automatic annual increase to the state's gas tax. As Shawn Johnson reports... the measure would leave a hole in Wisconsin's roads budget…

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Region Works to Protect Lakes
12/14/05

Governors and provincial leaders from the Great Lakes region have signed an agreement aimed at preventing large scale water diversions from the five lakes. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle spoke at a signing ceremony in Milwaukee. He says the agreements still have to be approved by state legislatures and Congress…

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To Be Fat or Not To Be Fat
12/14/05

The battle of the bulge isn't just a personal struggle with the scale. Obesity has been called a national epidemic. Doctors warn that extra pounds can do us harm, while naysayers try to convince the public that isn't true and that obesity is overstated. Shamane Mills reports…

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Doyle Says Tax Limits Work
12/13/05

Governor Jim Doyle is touting early tax bills as proof that his property tax limits were successful. But as Shawn Johnson reports... they're not working as well as projected…

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Many Iraqi Voters in US
12/13/05

Thousands of Iraqis living in the United States are expected to vote in their native country's parliamentary elections this week. Skokie, Illinois is the closest polling place for Iraqis in Wisconsin to vote. Gil Halsted reports on a Brookfield resident who says he's still trying to decide which of the more than 200 parties to vote for…

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Job Market Not Bad
12/13/05

Job seekers in Wisconsin will continue to see more hiring than firing, under the latest employment outlook from Milwaukee-based Manpower, Incorporated. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Small Energy Producers Still Pollute
12/12/05

It's not just the biggest power plants that trigger health concerns. A spotlight is shining on smaller coal-burning plants that put out a lot of pollution, compared to the amount of electricity they produce. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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City Officials Propose Reparations
12/12/05

Companies who do business with the City of Milwaukee would need to reveal profits made from slavery ...under a proposed reparations ordinance the Milwaukee Common Council will vote on tomorrow. Donnie Forti reports…

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Caroling World Record Still Stands
12/12/05

An attempt to break the world record for mass Christmas caroling fell short of the mark in Wausau this weekend... after critics charged that the event wasn't religious enough. Glen Moberg has the story…

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State Exports Robust
12/12/05

Wisconsin posted strong third quarter export growth. So far this year the state has sold 11-billion dollars worth of goods overseas. Patty Murray reports…

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Regulating Smell
12/12/05

Lawmakers are now considering new state standards that would regulate odor on large dairy farms. As Shawn Johnson reports...people on both sides of the issue question whether the rule passes the sniff test…

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Students Let Garbage do the Talking
12/12/05

It's not usually news when a college dorm is on the trashy side. In fact, in some cases it may be news to find dorms that are not a little askew with litter. But this week, trashy is the norm at a dorm at Northland College in Ashland. Mike Simonson has the story…

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Fewer Women in Prison
12/09/05

A new study shows most female inmates in Wisconsin are serving time for nonviolent drug or property crimes. The author calls the findings good news but says more needs to be done to prevent female offenders from committing new crimes once they're released from prison. Gil Halsted reports…

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State Schools Perform Poorly in Science
12/09/05

Wisconsin has received an “F” for its state science standards. Mary Jo Wagner has more…

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Businesses Ban Together
12/09/05

Business leaders in Northeastern Wisconsin have chosen a new "brand name" for the area. The "NEW North" partnership brings 18 counties together under one umbrella. The plan is to stop cities from competing against each other for economic development...and instead to collaboratively attract new businesses to the region. Patty Murray reports…

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Wildlife Officials Yield on Refuge Policy
12/09/05

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has backed off some requirements in its original plan for the upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Sandra Harris reports…

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Public May Vote on Capital Punishment
12/09/05

A Wisconsin Senate panel is considering whether to ask voters' advice on whether Wisconsin should reestablish the death penalty. Shawn Johnson reports…

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School Fuel May Be a Breeze
12/08/05

With the rising cost of fuel, at least one Wisconsin school district is looking into the potential benefits of wind energy. Steve Roisum reports…

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DNR Digs Through Deer Heads
12/08/05

The annual nine-day gun deer season ended ten days ago, but technicians at the Chronic Wasting Disease lab in Black Earth are still counting heads. Hunters donated an estimated 25 thousand deer heads to be tested for the fatal brain disease this year. Gil Halsted has more…

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Marriage Ban Moves Forward
12/08/05

A proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit gay marriages and civil unions is one step closer to going before voters. It passed the state Senate yesterday over objections that it will take away gay couples' rights to health care and hospital visits. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Premiums May Link to Location
12/08/05

Saving on insurance and being safe behind the wheel may someday depend on whether you live near a church or restaurant. Shamane Mills reports…

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Grocery Buy-Out Was Coming
12/07/05

The Sheboygan-based food retailer Fresh Brands is being sold to a Chicago-based food wholesaler. A supermarket industry consultant says he isn't surprised. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Citizens Seek to Bring Hostages Home
12/07/05

Peace activists in Wisconsin are trying to help free four members of a Chicago based Christian Peacemaker Team kidnapped in Iraq. One of those seized took part in anti nuclear protests at the navy's ELF radar site near Clam Lake before he traveled to Iraq. Gil Halsted has more…

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Buses vs. Taxes
12/07/05

Starting next month, public buses will run for the first time between the City of Wausau and the Village of Weston. Weston village leaders say the new agreement had to overcome the obstacle of state imposed tax levy limits. Glen Moberg has the story…

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No More Coke on Campus
12/07/05

Students at Northland College in Ashland overwhelmingly voted to end the campus's contract with Coca-Cola. Under a campaign named "Re-think Coke," students claim the soft-drink is anti-labor. Mike Simonson reports from Superior…

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Senate Votes to Stop Gas Tax
12/07/05

State Senators voted last night to end the annual automatic increase to Wisconsin's gas tax. As Shawn Johnson reports... the plan is riding an ever-growing wave of political momentum…

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Lawmakers Vote Yes on Concealed Firearms
12/07/05

The State Senate voted last night to let residents who pass training carry concealed guns in public. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Court Debates Schools' Military Policy
12/07/05

As the state legislature debates gay marriage, the US Supreme Court is deciding an issue involving gays in the military. At issue is whether colleges can protest the government's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy by banning military recruiters from campus. Shamane Mills reports…

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Not Much Election Deception
12/07/05

A political scientist says some of the wheels may come off the voter fraud bandwagon, now that a Republican-appointed US Attorney has said he's found no widespread fraud during last year's Presidential election in Milwaukee. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Rare White Deer Dead
12/06/05

A citation has been issued against a man accused of killing a rare albino deer in far northern Wisconsin last month. Mike Simonson reports that the hide of the all-white deer may be put on public display…

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Fate of Farmland
12/06/05

Farmland is disappearing in Wisconsin. But UW- Madison scientists say the amount of agricultural land is increasing worldwide....bringing good and bad to the planet. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Bill Would Grant UW Bargaining Rights
12/06/05

Wisconsin's University professors and other academic staff could vote on forming a union. A bill in the state legislature would allow faculty to vote...and decide if they want the right to collective-bargaining. Patty Murray reports…

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Election Software Training Takes Time
12/06/05

It could be a while before municipal clerks in west central Wisconsin can get online with the state's list of registered voters, but an elections board spokesperson says that may not be all bad. Sandra harris reports…

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Lawmakers Have Full Plate
12/06/05

Guns, gays and gas will dominate discussion at the Wisconsin Capitol building later this morning. Shawn Johnson has this preview…

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State Gives Alternative Fuel Boost
12/06/05

When it comes to breakthroughs in bio-diesel, its only natural they'd occur in the Midwest, where alternative fuel sources like soybeans are grown. This fall, Minnesota was the first state to require diesel fuel to have a percentage of bio-diesel in it. Now, Wisconsin is breaking ground for what will be the state's largest biodiesel plant…

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Communities Regulate/Ban Wood Boilers
12/05/05

Those hoping to heat their home for less are looking at lower-cost alternatives to natural gas and home heating oil. Outdoor wood-fired furnaces are an option, but some Wisconsin communities are starting to regulate or even ban them for health reasons. Shamane Mills reports…

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Rocky Road for End War Petition
12/05/05

Efforts to get anti-Iraq war referenda on local Wisconsin ballots next spring are having some ups and downs. Chuck Quirmbach talked with some petition circulators in the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood over the weekend, and has this report…

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Native Groups Request Bilingual Voting
12/05/05

Two Native American organizations are pushing Congress to reauthorize provisions in the Voting Rights Act. The provisions deal with minority language assistance, which supporters say help get out the Indian vote. Brian Bull reports…

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Tribal Officers Seek Equal Rights
12/05/05

A special group of tribal game wardens would be given similar powers to state officers under a plan advancing through the legislature. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Former Military Man Speaks Out on Abuse
12/05/05

Tommorrow at the Milwaukee Islamic Center a former Mulsim chaplain for the US Army will talk about the abuse of arab pisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Gil Halsted reports…

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Chemical Regulations May Be Weakened
12/05/05

The Bush Administration wants to reduce chemical reporting requirements for businesses. Wisconsin groups and companies are paying attention to the debate. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Bible Study Lawsuit Filed
12/05/05

Officials at UW-Eau Claire say they’re still waiting to receive a copy of the lawsuit that was filed on Wednesday over who can hold Bible studies in their dorm rooms. Mary Jo Wagner has more…

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Small Business Feels Fuel Crunch
12/05/05

The high cost of energy is putting the pinch on Wisconsin's small businesses. A new survey shows fuel costs could have repurcussions on wages and hiring. Patty Murray reports…

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Lawsuit Caps Get Veto
12/05/05

Governor Jim Doyle on Friday followed through on his promise to veto new Republican-backed caps on malpractice lawsuits. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Dock Regulation Plan Gets Changes
12/02/05

The DNR has revised its plan for regulating waterfront piers. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Oil Execs Defend Themselves
12/02/05

In Milwaukee today oil company executives continue to blame steep price hikes this fall on supply and demand issues following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They also refused to promise more energy assistance dollars to heat Wisconsin homes. Chuck Quirmbach reports…

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Bishop Makes Controversial Visit
12/02/05

Madison's Catholic Bishop is travelling to Georgia this weekend for a meeting to join the board of visitors of a controversial military training school. The trip has sparked a protest "fast" by religious leaders who want the Bishop to speak out against the school because its graduates are linked to Latin American death squads. Gil Halsted reports…

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Plan Needed in Iraq, Says Obey
12/02/05

Almost three years into the war in Iraq some members of Congress are calling for a timetable to get out while some say it is almost hopeless. Nick Pelletier reports that Wisconsin's senior member of Congress told supporters in Superior that staying the course isn't working…

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High Cost Loans Fought by High Schoolers
12/02/05

A recent study showed Menominee County has the state's highest number of low-income people who use Refund Anticipation Loans. The loans allow filers to get refunds without waiting for taxes to be processed. But the quick service comes at a big cost. Now the Menominee tribe is enlisting high school students to join a campaign against Refund Anticipation Loans. Patty Murray reports…

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Ban Opponents Improve Arsenal
12/02/05

Gay rights activists have hired a full-time campaign manager to defeat and anti-gay marriage amendment expected to be on the Wisconsin ballot next year. Sandra Harris reports…

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Gas Tax Adjustment Reconsidered
12/02/05

The state senate considers a measure next week to end the automatic yearly adjustment in the gasoline tax. Sandra Harris talked with a former state senator who says indexing serves a good purpose…

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Lower Gas Prices Sought From Retailers
12/02/05

Oil company executives and the gas tax may be getting all the attention these days... but there's been some movement at the state capitol on another plan to lower fuel prices. As Shawn Johnson reports... it would reduce the so-called "minimum markup" retailers add to every gallon of gasoline…

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State Sticking with Computer Company
12/02/05

The software company setting up Wisconsin's voter registration list is no longer working for Colorado. Wisconsin is sticking with its deal, despite problems. Shamane Mills reports…

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AG Looking to Take on FDA
12/02/05

Wisconsin's Attorney General wants permission to explore filing a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration. Both Peg Lautenschlager and Governor Doyle say they are troubled by a federal delay in whether emergency contraception should be available over the counter. Shamane Mills reports…

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Injunction Against UW May Be Sought
12/01/05

A student organization is locking horns with the University of Wisconsin-Madison over what they consider to be threats to their First Amendment rights. Erin Syth reports…

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Looking for Places to Put Corn
12/01/05

It was a bin-busting corn crop this fall – and that had some scrambling for storage. Mary Jo Wagner has this update…

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An Effort to End Gas Tax Increase
12/01/05

State lawmakers are expected to take up a measure that would end Wisconsin’s yearly hike in gas taxes. Lobby groups have different opinions on the annual increase...but agree the state should pay for transportation through a broader range of sources. Patty Murray reports…

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Burke Sentenced to Jail Time
12/01/05

Former State Senator Brian Burke has been sentenced to six months in jail for using his office to do campaign work. Shawn Johnson reports…

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Conceal and Carry Closer to Law
12/01/05

Supporters of concealed weapons say a key compromise makes it more likely that proposed legislation will become law -- despite the Governor's promised veto. Shamane Mills reports…

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