Wisconsin

UW Regents Approve Tuition Hikes for Nonresidents, Grads

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents has approved tuition hikes for nonresident and graduate students at six institutions. Increases will range between 1.5% and 25% at UW-Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, and Whitewater starting this fall. The schools say they need more money to cover instruction, raises, recruiting faculty, technology and training…

One Dead in Fatal Superior Fire

UPDATE: The Superior Fire Department has confirmed that a 52-year-old man was killed. He had no working smoke detectors. We’ll update this story tonight at 5:30 and 9 p.m. ——- SUPERIOR, Wis. – One person is dead following a house fire in Superior Tuesday night. According to the Superior Fire Department, fire crews responded to reports of smoke coming from…

Health Committee to Take Input on GOP Sex Assault Kit Bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin legislators are set to take public comments on a new Republican bill designed to prevent a backlog of untested sexual assault kits. The proposal has deepened the rift between Republicans and Democrats. In addition to kit submission protocols, the bill mandates police to notify immigration authorities of anyone in the country illegally arrested for sexual…

Escape the Bong 2.0 Raising Funds for Educational Programs

Five Escape Rooms Will Be Set Up at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center February 6 - 8, 2020

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Are you feeling extra intelligent or lucky this week? If so, you may want to visit the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior February 6 – 8. Escape the Bong 2.0 is presented by Heritage Window & Door. The fundraising event is back by popular demand for a second year in a row. The escape…

Music, Bingo Collide in Superior to Support ‘Siggy’s Musical Garden’

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The daubers were out and the music was flowing at the Spirit Room in Superior for a “Musical Bingo” fundraiser. It was all to support Siggy’s Musical Garden Incorporated. Sigrid “Siggy” Johnson The non-profit creates outreach programs that connect local musicians, like Similiar Dogs who played at the Bingo event, with elder care facilities, youth programs and…

Democratic Convention Host Committee Leaders Put on Leave

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The two leaders of Milwaukee’s host committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention have been placed on leave pending an investigation into allegations that they oversaw a toxic work environment. The Associated Press obtained a letter on Tuesday about the probe into the group’s president, Liz Gilbert, and its chief of staff, Adam Alonso. They didn’t…

Delegates Prepare One Week Ahead of Superior Days

Nearly 100 delegates met to go over issues, meet with lobby teams.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Nearly 100 delegates from four Wisconsin counties met at UWS to go over their final agenda to take to Madison for Superior Days next week. Delegates learned about each of the legislative issues, including, according to officials, the drug crisis and mental health service improvements. They also met with their lobby teams and received final instructions for the…

UW-Superior Blood Drive Brings Superior Law Enforcement Agencies Together

The American Red Cross, UW-Superior and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Partnered to Host the "Battle of the Badges" Blood Drive.

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – On Monday, the American red cross partnered with UW-Superior and local law enforcement agencies to host the “Battle of the Badges” blood drive. Everyone who donates can vote between the superior fire department and police department to decide their favorite area law enforcement agency. Organizers say the goal is to try and get more people to donate…

Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Prison for Burning-Bed Attack

ASHLAND, Wis. (AP) — A northern Wisconsin man has been sentenced to more than 65 years behind bars for setting his former girlfriend’s bed on fire as she slept in it. Eugene Stumbaugh, 54, of Ashland was sentenced Thursday after a jury convicted him in November of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, arson and bail jumping. Stumbaugh could have faced up…

Superior Branch of Children’s Dyslexia Center to Host Fundraising Event

Steppin' Up For Dyslexia is Happening Friday, February 7, 2020

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Upper Wisconsin, Superior Campus is hosting the 1st annual Steppin’ Up for Dyslexia fundraiser to celebrate its first year of service to local youth. It’s happening Friday, February 7 at the Historic Masonic Acacia-Itasca Masonic Lodge 3117 North 21st Street in Superior. Doors open a 6:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy an evening…

Wisconsin Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Prevent Sexual Assault Kit Backlog

Republicans have introduced the bill, scrapping proposals championed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill designed to prevent a backlog of untested sexual assault kits, scrapping proposals championed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The Senate overwhelmingly passed bills in October that would create new kit submission and tracking requirements but they’ve stalled in the Assembly. Kaul has blasted Republicans who control that chamber for…

Wisconsin Teacher Charged With Trying to Record Students

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin high school teacher has been charged in federal court with seven counts of attempting to create child pornography by secretly recording minors twice in 2019. The charges follow an investigation that was triggered by the discovery of hidden recording devices in the Minneapolis hotel room of students he was chaperoning on a business club…

UW-Madison Veterinary School Featured in Super Bowl Ad

(courtesy: Twitter/UW-Madison, WeatherTech) MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine will be featured in a Super Bowl commercial that highlights a dog that survived cancer. WeatherTech, which makes pet care products among other things, is paying for Sunday’s $6 million, 30-second ad. The star of the commercial is Scout, a golden retriever whose owner is WeatherTech…

Pence Touts School Choice in Liberal Capital of Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence touted alternatives to a public school education during a visit to the state where the private school voucher program began. His stop Tuesday in battleground Wisconsin was part of a celebration of national school choice week. Pence and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos were both drowned out briefly by chants of “shame”…

Superior Sister City Commission Hosting Free Japanese New Year Celebration

Shinnenkai 2020 is Happening Monday, January 27 at Christ Lutheran Church in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Japanese New Year will be front and center at Christ Lutheran Church in Superior on Monday, January 27. Superior Sister City Commission is hosting the annual Japanese New Year’s Celebration. The event kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and will run though 8:00 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. Participants will enjoy foods, activities, origami, Kimono…

Superior 5th Dist. Council Candidate: Incumbent Fennessey Should Be Disqualified From Ballot

SUPERIOR, Wis. – For the first time in at least 30 years, a candidate for council in Superior is being challenged by another candidate over his nomination papers for reelection. The candidate in question is incumbent Brent Fennessey — current president of the council. And now the Wisconsin Elections Commission is reviewing whether Fennessey should be allowed on the ballot…

Whooping Cough Found in Superior Schools

Health officials say to watch children for symptoms.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Three confirmed cases of whooping cough have been found between Superior Middle and High Schools, and other cases are pending. The Pertussis virus leads to a harsh cough which could stop breathing in some younger children, causing health officials to urge parents to keep watch. Whooping cough first shows as common cold symptoms before manifesting in a violent…

Whooping Cough Confirmed in Superior School District

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior School District is notifying parents that their children may have been exposed to pertussis, also known as whooping cough earlier this week. The notice was sent out to families after the district was notified by health officials that at least one student had a confirmed case of pertussis. Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial…

Cross: UW Regents Will Seek Tuition Increase in Next Budget

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross says regents are planning to ask legislators to increase tuition in the next state budget. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Cross told the state Senate’s universities committee Wednesday that the regent’s biennial budget request will include a tuition increase roughly in keeping with inflation. Republicans have kept tuition…

Longtime Democratic State Senator Won’t Seek Re-Election

He Has Served in the Senate Since 2001

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Another longtime Democratic Wisconsin state senator says he won’t seek re-election this fall. Mark Miller of Monona announced on the Senate floor Tuesday that he won’t run again this November. Miller is a former fighter pilot who has served in the Senate since 2004. He told his colleagues Tuesday that a winner-take-all culture has come to…

Senate to Vote on Funding for UW Missing Soldiers Project

(courtesy: www.biotech.wisc.edu) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Senate is set to vote on a bill that would allow the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers to request hundreds of thousands of dollars to recover missing Wisconsin soldiers’ remains. The bill would allow the UW-Madison Missing-In-Action Recovery and Identification Project to ask the state to release $360,000 over the next two fiscal…

Wisconsin Senate to Legalize Taking Selfies With Ballot

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin voters could legally take selfies with their marked election ballots under a proposal up for approval in the state Senate. Supporters of the measure call the current ban archaic, especially in an era in which voters are increasingly posting pictures of themselves with their marked ballots on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. But…

Pattison State Park to Host Centennial Celebration with Series of Events

Events Will Kick Off January 25 with a Winterfest Celebration

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. – Pattison State Park becomes 100 year old on January 20th. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is kicking off the centennial year with “Winterfest” on Saturday, January 25th, from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Pattison and Amnicon Falls State Parks. Winterfest will offer a sledding hill, candlelight hike/ski, and…

International Athletes Tear Down Red Bull Ice Cross Hill

Riders speed down the hill at 40-50 mph.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Hundreds of athletes from around the world gathered at Mont Du Lac Ski Resort for the 6th Annual Red Bull Ice Cross World Championship. “Maybe we’re a little crazy,” said Alex Mercier, a rider from Quebec. Blink and you’ll miss the riders tearing down the hill. “These guys reach some pretty incredible speeds,” Operations Manager Mike O’Hara said,…

Regulators OK Natural Gas Power Plant in Northern Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – State regulators have approved plans for a $700 million power plant in far northwestern Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the state Public Service Commission voted 2-1 on Thursday to approve a permit for Dairyland Power Cooperative to build the plant in Superior. The Nemadji Trail Energy Center will produce 625 megawatts of power using…

Student Shot During Attack on School Officer to Face Trial

OSHKOSH, Wis. – A Wisconsin teenager shot and wounded during an attack on a school resource officer has been ordered to stand trial. Seventeen-year-old Grant Fuhrman is charged as an adult with attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the Dec. 3 attack at Oshkosh West High School. Resource Officer Mike Wissink was stabbed multiple times with a barbecue fork and fired…

Truck Damages Building, Residents Displaced

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – It was a scary scene yesterday evening in Superior after a truck crashed into a residential building on East Second Street. The Superior Fire Department responded to the scene shortly before 5 o’clock where they found the Chevy pickup truck had severely damaged the building and multiple gas meters. Natural gas started leaking into the building, causing…

Maple School District Receives Financial Boost

MAPLE, Wisc. – The Maple School district received a big financial boost today. Lake Effect Dance Studio and American Family Insurance combined to donate $4,000 to both Northwestern Elementary School and Iron River Elementary School. For the past two years, both teachers and students have filled out a wish list of classroom supplies they would like to have. This donation…

Wisconsin Choice Schools Win Lawsuit Over Virtual Learning

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A judge has ruled that Wisconsin’s education department is illegally treating private choice schools differently to public schools by not allowing them to count online classes toward instructional time. The ruling on Tuesday from Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren is a win for School Choice Wisconsin Action. The group includes private schools in the state’s…

Wisconsin Appeals Court Puts Voter Rolls Purge on Hold

(Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin appeals court on Tuesday put on hold an order to immediately remove up to 209,000 names from the state’s voter registration rolls. The appeals court sided with the bipartisan state elections commission in putting the brakes on removing any voters while the court fight continues. It also put on…

Trump’s Milwaukee Rally Kicks off Election Year in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Some supporters of President Donald Trump lined up starting Monday night to make sure they would have a spot inside the Milwaukee arena where he hosts a rally Tuesday evening. Trump is making his first 2020 appearance in a state that’s a critical battleground in the race. He’s also counter-programming the Democratic presidential hopefuls’ debate in neighboring…

Train Cars Derail in Dunn County

(courtesy: Fox 9) MENOMONIE, Wis. (AP) – Officials say a train derailment in western Wisconsin has closed roads in the area. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office says the Union Pacific train was traveling east of the village of Knapp when some cars jumped the track Sunday. No one was hurt and no hazardous materials spilled. The Menomonie Fire Department says…

Ex-Prisoners Who Can Vote Sought for Wisconsin 2020 Election

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Community activists believe there are thousands of former prisoners across Wisconsin who have the right to vote but don’t know it. They say those people could be a factor next year in a state known for deciding elections by the narrowest of margins. So a statewide group of former prisoners is fanning out across Wisconsin in an…

Superior Curling Club Hosts Curling Instructor Course

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Representatives from the United States Curling Association were in Superior on Sunday to help people learn the ins and outs of coaching curling. About 20 people participated in the program with the goal of becoming a certified curling instructor. Proper form, and also proper instructing techniques were the main focus of the class. “A lot of the…

Social Media Threat Against Superior Middle School Resolved By Police

School Will Begin Monday As Normal

SUPERIOR, Wis. –  The following statements were released by the Superior School District and the Superior Police Department after a video surfaced on social media with someone saying they planned to shoot up the middle school on Monday.   That threat has since been investigated and dealt with by the Superior Police Department.  School will go on as usual on Monday…

Seniors Learn How To Outsmart The Scammers

According to the Federal Trade Commission nearly 15 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Fraud rates are on the rise and scammers are becoming sneakier with their approach. One of the reasons many people are subject to a large number of incidents of fraud and identity theft is the lack of education. At the Lew Martin Senior Center in Superior, a financial advisor from Edward Jones Investments stopped by to teach…

Proposed Solar Garden Could Power Over 100 Homes

Superior Water, Light & Power submitted proposal for 470 kilowatt solar garden.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Solar energy could soon be powering a large portion of homes in Superior. Superior Water, Light & Power submitted a proposal to the Public Service Commission last week for a community solar garden. The proposed site is at the corner of Hammond Avenue and 28th Street beside Heritage Park. At 470 kilowatts, it would be large enough to…

Superior Fire Department Sees Youngest Force in Years

Half of the department is in their 20s, with less than a year of experience.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- The Superior Fire Department started the new year with a new building and new blood, as this is the youngest the Department has been in years. According to Fire Chief Scott Gordon, the last firefighters to retire took with them years of experience. “The three people that just retired we lost 80 years of experience with those three…

Legal Fight Over Estate of Man Deprived of Water in Jail

MILWAUKEE – A legal battle has developed over the division of the multimillion-dollar estate of a man who died after guards at the Milwaukee County Jail deprived him of water. Seven people have come forward as children of Terrill Thomas. Milwaukee County and the company that provided health care services to the jail, Armor Correctional Health Services, paid $6.7 million…

The DTA Is Giving Free Rides To A Superior Warming Center

The free rides are provided on the first and last trips on route 16.

DULUTH, Minn. – With those cold temperatures rolling in the Duluth Transit Authority is helping to make it easier for the homeless community to have better access to local warming centers. The DTA is now offering free transportation to the Ruth House in Superior, which provides overnight shelter when temperatures drop below 40 degrees. The free rides are provided on…

Superior City Council Votes to Hold Advisory Referendum on Part-Time Mayor, City Administrator Change

Referendum scheduled for November 3rd

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior City Council voted to hold an advisory referendum for the voters to weigh in on whether the city should move to a part-time mayor and city administrator from just a full-time mayor that they have now. This after a consulting group, RW Management Group, recommended that, among other changes, Superior should move to a part-time…

Wisconsin Legislature Seeks to Kill Lawsuit on Voter Purge

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature is asking a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to prevent the purging of up to 209,000 registered voters in the battleground state. The Legislature’s attorneys on Monday asked the court to at least put the lawsuit on hold while a separate case seeking to remove the voters works its…