Author: The Associated Press

Third Wisconsin Person Tests Positive for New Coronavirus

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A third person in Wisconsin, and the second in Dane County, has tested positive for the coronavirus. State health officials announced the latest positive case on Tuesday. The news came on the same day that the Osceola School District in western Wisconsin canceled classes so that its facilities could be thoroughly cleaned because someone sickened by…

Curling Considers New Rules to Speed up the Sport

Among the Proposals are Putting Players on a More Demanding Clock

(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)   (AP) – The 500-year-old sport of curling is looking for ways to shorten games and keep fans engaged. The sport’s governing body is considering radical rule changes as it tries to balance centuries of tradition with the modern need to move things along. Among the proposals being tested are putting players on a more demanding…

$21 Million in Coronavirus Money Passed by Minnesota Senate

ST. PAUL, Minn.-The Minnesota Senate voted 64-0 to approve $21 million to reinforce the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. The House is poised to follow suit quickly so that the bill reaches Gov. Tim Walz’s desk this week. The Democratic governor says he’s pleased at how lawmakers are working in a “totally nonpartisan manner.” He spoke to reporters shortly…

Thousands Prepare to Get Off Ship Hit by Virus in California

More Than 2,400 Passengers Will be Quarantined for 14 Days

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Federal and state officials in California are preparing to receive thousands of people from a cruise ship that has been idling off the coast of San Francisco with at least 21 people aboard infected with the coronavirus. Fox 9 reported Sunday that 42 Minnesotans are among the passengers on the Grand Princess Cruise ship. Personnel covered…

Dow Drops 1,500 Points as Oil Price Plunge Shocks Markets

NEW YORK (AP) – The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 1,500 points, or 6%, following similar drops in Europe after a fight among major crude-producing countries jolted investors already on edge about the widening fallout from the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Indexes in London and Frankfurt dropped more than 8%. The benchmark for Italy, where the industrial and financial…

Pence Pledges to ‘Lean Into’ Fight Against Coronavirus

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence is pledging that federal officials will “lean into” the fight against the new coronavirus. The vice president commented from Minnesota, where he visited with a leading maker of masks being used to stem the spread of the virus. He spoke after meeting with 3M CEO Mike Roman and Minnesota Gov. Tom Walz…

Warren Ends 2020 Presidential Bid After Super Tuesday Rout

WASHINGTON (AP) – Elizabeth Warren has ended her Democratic presidential bid after a disappointing finish in Super Tuesday states. That’s according to a person familiar with her plans. The Massachusetts senator’s campaign had the markers of success: robust poll numbers, impressive fundraising, a national organization. But she was squeezed out by Bernie Sanders, who had an immovable base of voters…

Bloomberg Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Biden

NEW YORK (AP) – Billionaire Mike Bloomberg has ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and has endorsed Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had pinned his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and drained more than $500 million from his own fortune into his ultimately unsuccessful campaign. Bloomberg…

Biden Claims 9 Super Tuesday Victories, Including Texas

WASHINGTON (AP) – A resurgent Joe Biden scored sweeping victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he would drive the Democrats’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future. Suddenly,…

Biden wins Minnesota, surges in South; Sanders wins Colorado

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden scored key Super Tuesday victories in Minnesota and across the South, building on momentum that has swiftly revived his Democratic presidential campaign in recent days. Bernie Sanders countered with wins in his home state of Vermont and in Colorado, as the race began to shift west, where some polls were starting to close. Biden took…

Evers Calls Meeting of State Leaders to Discuss Coronavirus

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers is convening a meeting of the state’s political leaders to hear from health officials about what is being done to deal with the new coronavirus. Evers’ spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said Tuesday that the governor called the meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss COVID-19. There has been one confirmed case in Wisconsin…

Tornadoes Hit Tennessee, Killing at Least 19 People

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tornadoes have ripped across Tennessee overnight, shredding at least 40 buildings and killing at least 19 people. One of the twisters caused severe damage across downtown Nashville on Tuesday, leaving blown-down walls and roofs, snapped power lines, huge broken trees, and city streets in gridlock. Schools, courts, transit lines, an airport, and the state Capitol are…

Klobuchar Exit Boosts Sanders for Minnesota’s Super Tuesday

(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The abrupt withdrawal of Amy Klobuchar from the presidential race gives front-runner Bernie Sanders a sudden opportunity for locking up her home state on Super Tuesday. Sanders, who easily won Minnesota’s caucuses in 2016, has a large and motivated progressive base in the state. He also had a fortuitously timed last-minute rally…

Amy Klobuchar Ends Presidential Bid, Now Endorsing Biden

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar Will Now Endorse Former Vice President Joe Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) – Amy Klobuchar is ending her Democratic presidential campaign and is set to endorse Joe Biden. The Minnesota senator announced the decision Monday, calling it quits after a bid that broke briefly into the top tier with a third-place finish in New Hampshire but failed to sustain that energy further into the Democratic nomination fight. The three-term senator…

Klobuchar Cancels Minnesota Rally

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has canceled a rally in her home state after protesters took over the stage shouting for her to drop out of the presidential race. Klobuchar was scheduled to speak Sunday at St. Louis Park High School ahead of Tuesday’s primary. But dozens of protesters took the stage chanting “black lives…

House Approves Bill to Ban the Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House has approved a bill to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. Lawmakers say the bill will stem a vaping epidemic among young people. The bill would place new restrictions on the marketing of e-cigarettes and ban flavors in tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. It also would place a new excise…

Milwaukee Police ID Brewery Shooter as 15-Year Electrician

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Authorities on Thursday identified the man who gunned down five co-workers at one of the nation’s largest breweries before taking his own life a 51-year-old electrician who had worked at the Milwaukee Molson Coors complex for 15 years. Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales identified the shooter as Anthony Ferrill during a news conference. He also identified the…

Minnesota’s Projected Surplus Grows to Over $1.5 Billion

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota’s projected surplus has grown to over $1.5 billion, state budget officials said Thursday. The new estimate from Minnesota Management and Budget is $181 million higher than the agency’s last budget forecast in November. And it means lawmakers will have more money available to spend, save or cut taxes. The agency attributed the larger surplus…

Gunman Kills Five at Milwaukee Brewery Before Taking Own Life

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Milwaukee police say they have cleared out more than 20 buildings at one of the nation’s largest breweries after a gunman killed five employees there. Authorities identified the assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex on Wednesday as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who worked there. Police say he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooting occurred…

Minnesota House Proceeds on Insulin, Voter Privacy and Guns

(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota House Democrats are moving full speed ahead on some of their top priorities for the 2020 session. They’re holding floor votes on insulin affordability, voter privacy, and gun violence prevention, just two weeks into the legislative session. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler told reporters Wednesday that some things can’t wait. The…

Trump to Detail US Coronavirus Efforts, Schumer Seeks $8.5B

(NOTE: News conference to be streamed on Fox 21’s Facebook page.) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is pushing back against criticism that his administration isn’t doing enough to meet the coronavirus threat. Trump plans to hold a news conference late Wednesday to talk about what the U.S. is doing to prepare for the virus. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are…

Report: Shooting Leads to Multiple Fatalities at Molson Coors in Wisconsin

UPDATE: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says multiple people have been killed in a shooting on the Molson Coors Brewing Co. campus. Barrett did not give an exact number of people killed in Wednesday’s shooting. He called it “a horrible, horrible day for the employees here.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that at least seven people are dead, including the suspected gunman,…

Evers Vetoes Republican-Authored $250 Million Income Tax Cut

MADISON, Wis.-Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed a Republican-authored $250 million income tax bill. Evers vetoed the bill Wednesday at an elementary school in Wauwatosa, arguing that the Legislature should instead back his plan to spend more on education. Evers had proposed spending $250 million on K-12 schools, with $130 million to reduce property taxes, but Republicans ignored his proposal….

Delta Reduces Flights to Korea as Virus Outbreak Spreads

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)-The new virus is taking a broader toll on airline travel. Most airlines have already stopped flying to China, and now Delta Air Lines is sharply cutting back on flights between the U.S. and Seoul, South Korea, because of the outbreak. Delta said Wednesday it will suspend flights between Minneapolis and Seoul beginning this weekend and lasting until at…

Pilot Killed in Plane Crash was Minneapolis Businessman

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The man who died in a small plane crash in Hennepin County was the co-owner of a Twin Cities gardening business. Wagners Greenhouses and Garden Center say 60-year-old Scott Wagner was flying his single-engine plane Saturday when it crashed in the Crow-Hassan Park Reserve and burst into flames. The Star Tribune reports an online flight plan shows…

Kaul Joins Multi-State Probe of Vaping Company Marketing

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has joined 38 other states in an investigation into electronic cigarette giant Juul Labs Inc.’s marketing practices. Kaul announced he was joining the probe Tuesday. He said the investigation will focus on whether JUUL targets youth, its claims about nicotine content and statements about the safety of its products. The National…

3 Snowmobile Fatalities Raise Total Deaths This Season to 17 in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Authorities say three people died in snowmobile accidents last weekend, boosting the number of deaths to 17 for the season. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says all three of the victims were from Illinois. The Journal Sentinel reports that two of them died after striking trees and one person was killed after being struck by another…

Minnesota Investigating Ex-Hockey Assistant Sex Allegations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The University of Minnesota is investigating allegations that a former men’s hockey assistant sexually abused players more than 30 years ago. The move comes after The Athletic reported on sexual abuse allegations against former assistant Thomas “Chico” Adrahtas over many years, including the season Adrahtas spent with the Gophers in 1984-85. The website reported that several people…

Pioneering Black Mathematician Katherine Johnson has Died

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) – NASA says pioneering black mathematician Katherine Johnson has died. She worked on NASA’s early space missions and was portrayed in the film “Hidden Figures,” about black female aerospace workers. In a Monday morning tweet, the space agency said it celebrates her 101 years of life and her legacy of excellence and breaking down racial and social…

Ellison: Mille Lacs Band Still has 61K-Acre Reservation

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota’s attorney general contends the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation still exists. In a legal filing this week, Attorney General Keith Ellison backed the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s assertion that the band has 61,000 acres across the south shore of Mille Lacs Lake. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Gov. Tim Walz supports fellow Democrat Ellison’s…

Nurse Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Harming Infants

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A nurse convicted of injuring nine infants at a Wisconsin hospital has been sentenced to 13 years in prison. Christopher Kaphaem pleaded guilty in September to 19 felony counts, including child abuse, for injuries to the babies in the newborn intensive care unit at UnityPoint Health-Meriter hospital in Madison. Injuries ranged from bruises to broken bones…

Wisconsin Legislature Sends $250 Million Tax Cut to Governor

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Legislature has sent a $250 million income tax cut to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who appears likely to veto it. Both the Senate and Assembly voted to pass the tax cut Thursday on mostly party-line votes. Evers has not said whether he will sign the measure. Republicans introduced it after new estimates projected the…

Roger Stone Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison

WASHINGTON (AP) – Roger Stone, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison on his convictions for witness tampering and lying to Congress. Thursday’s action in federal court comes amid Trump’s unrelenting defense of his longtime confidant that has led to a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department and allegations the president has interfered…

Recycling Plant Fire Burns for 3rd Day in Minnesota

(courtesy: Fox 9) BECKER, Minn. (AP) – Firefighters are battling a stubborn fire at a metal recycling plant in a small Minnesota community for a third consecutive day. The fire at the Northern Metals plant in Becker is unleashing noxious, billowing smoke. Firefighters on Thursday worked to extinguish the blaze in the Sherburne County city about 50 miles northwest of…

Air Force: Madison Preferred Location for F-35 Fighter Jets

MADISON, Wis. – The U.S. Air Force says Madison’s Truax Field is the preferred location for the next squadron of F-35 fighter jets despite some negative environmental impacts. The Air Force’s study finds that about 1,019 households would be impacted by average daily noise levels about 65 decibels, which is considered incompatible with residential areas. The study also found the…

St. Paul Man Dies on Lutsen Ski Hill

LUTSEN, Minn. (AP) – Sheriff’s officials say a St. Paul man has died on a ski hill in northeastern Minnesota. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office says 70-year-old David Skog was found unresponsive and bleeding from the face on a ski hill at Lutsen Mountains ski area Wednesday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately clear how Skog was fatally injured. The ski patrol…

Trump Ousts Top Defense Official Who Certified Ukraine Aid

WASHINGTON-President Donald Trump has ousted the Pentagon’s top policy official who had certified last year that Ukraine had made enough anti-corruption progress to justify releasing congressionally authorized aid. The Trump administration’s delay in releasing that aid was central to the president’s impeachment by the House on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate voted to acquit…