State News

FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. (AP) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to temporarily close a lock and dam near Fountain City so a damaged gate can be replaced.  An upstream gate on Lock and Dam 5A was severely damaged last week when it was struck by a barge.     The 12-hour closure will take place Thursday, between More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Public safety workers could collectively bargain over their health insurance premiums but not other costs of their plan under action taken by the Legislature’s budget committee.   The Joint Finance Committee voted Tuesday to make the restriction for police, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers. They retained their collective bargaining rights two years More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee has approved Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to allow for the sale of public properties including power plants, prisons, University of Wisconsin dormitories and highways.  The Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday altered Walker’s original plan so that any proposed sale would have to be approved by the More >

SAUK CITY, Wis. (AP) – Firefighters from more than a dozen departments helped Sauk City put out a fire in a building that houses a hardware, small engine and tire store.  Investigators will be looking for the cause of the three-alarm fire that started late Monday and burned into the early morning hours Tuesday.  WMTV-TV (http://bit.ly/YWfyoY More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – It would be harder to recall a local Wisconsin elected official from office under a proposal up for a hearing before a legislative committee.  The Republican-sponsored bill is up for a hearing Tuesday before the Assembly’s Committee on Campaigns and Elections. It would require anyone who petitions to recall a city, village, More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Government workers in Wisconsin would have to be offered a high-deductible health insurance plan with a health savings account under a proposal to be voted on Tuesday.  The provision included in Gov. Scott Walker’s budget is up for consideration before the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee.  It calls for creating the new health insurance More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A wide-reaching change that would allow the state to sell off properties ranging from prisons and power plants to University of Wisconsin dormitories and state highways is up for approval before the Legislature’s budget committee.   Gov. Scott Walker is proposing the provision as part of his state budget up for a vote More >

GLENDALE, Wis. (AP) – A Brookfield restaurant named for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun is opening a second location.  8-Twelve MVP Bar & Grill opened last summer in Brookfield and is run by SURG Restaurant Group.  Company spokeswoman Jaime Jacobs says they don’t have a firm opening date, but More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin lawmakers are set to review provisions in Gov. Scott Walker’s executive budget that would end ballast water discharge fees for Great Lakes shipping in two years.  The state Department of Natural Resources started requiring freighters to obtain ballast water discharge permits in 2010. The permits limit many organisms can exist More >

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Department of Natural Resources is planning to waive fishing, hiking and all-terrain vehicle fees for the first weekend in June.  The DNR plans to allow people to fish, hike or bike state trails and ride public ATV trails for free on June 1 and June 2. No anglers will need More >