The battle lines are being drawn in a second battle over smoking in taverns in Madison. The city council (there) passed a sweeping smoking ban just last week. No matter who prevails in the second battle, there may be some unexpected winners. Terry Bell reports...

If the U-S Senate election were held today...Russ Feingold would easily win another term. That's according to results from the Wisconsin Public Radio St. Norbert College survey. But the election is still six months away. And a lot can change between now and then. Patty Murray reports...

User fees in Wisconsin are generally lower than other states, the 55-dollar vehicle registration is relatively cheap. But more communities in Wisconsin are tacking on a charge to cover the cost of local government services. A survey by the Legislative Audit Bureau shows more than a hundred communities have added new fees in the last three years...and others expect to in the near future. Shamane Mills reports...

A 23 year old UW Madison graduate has spent the last nine months with a nonviolent direct action team at the Balata Refugee on the West Bank. She's touring the country now with a film and photo exhibit depicting the lives of the people she lived with on the front lines of the Israeli -Palestinian conflict. Gil Halsted reports...

Vice President Dick Cheney will combine campaign fundraising and some White House politicking when he visits two cities in Eastern Wisconsin today. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The National Park Service is recommending that American Transmission Company be allowed to cross a scenic River near Hayward. Mike Simonson has the story...

Economic issues top the list of Wisconsin's biggest problems. The Wisconsin Public Radio, ST. Norbert College survey shows respondents are concerned about job losses. Patty Murray has more...

A new poll is confirming that Wisconsin is a "battleground" state in this fall's Presidential Election. President George W. Bush narrowly lost the state in 2000. This time his likely Democratic opponent is slightly ahead--according to the Wisconsin Public Radio, St. Norbert College Survey. Patty Murray reports...

Most people in Wisconsin think the United States was right to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. But respondents to a new poll also say the aftermath of the invasion isn't going so well. Patty Murray has more results from the Wisconsin Public Radio-St. Norbert College survey...

A study of political advertising shows John Kerry is keeping up in most media markets, despite having far fewer dollars than George Bush. But an expert questions why Kerry hasn't used more of what he considers the Senator's most potent weapon in the battle for the White House: Kerry's war record. Shamane Mills reports...

The state is making another major land acquisition in Northern Wisconsin. About 15-thousand acres around the Rainbow Flowage in Vilas and Oneida Counties will come under state control, under a plan approved by the DNR Board and endorsed by Governor Doyle. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Prison inmates should get to taste the real thing when they take communion . That's what some state lawmakers are proposing . They want to change a state lawthat prohibits inmates from drinking wine during communion services. Some Lutheran pastors say the law violates a prisoners freedom to practice religion. Gil Halsted has more...

Governors in 3 states badly battered by a decline in manufacturing are appealing to labor officials in Washington. Wisconsin's governor was in the nation's capitol Tuesday, along the heads of state from Pennsylvania and Michigan. They talked with federal commerce officials about ways to keep manufacturing jobs from disappearing when companies fold...or go to other countries. Shamane Mills reports...

There's a new website that helps low income people get medication at a reduced cost, or even free. Shamane Mills reports...

The DNR may move today toward a sustainability certification program for Wisconsin state forests. A plan aimed at guaranteeing long-term sustainability for about a half million wooded acres is on the agenda of the DNR Board. A timber-cutting program operated by the Menominee tribe in northeastern Wisconsin is often viewed as a model of sustainable forestry practices. Chuck Quirmbach went to the Menominee reservation for a look...

For 14 years Joe Paulus reigned as Winnebago County's top prosecutor. But Paulus came to the Green Bay Federal Courthouse today/yesterday on the other side of the law...to plead guilty on two corruption charges. One of his alleged accomplices was also charged today/yesterday with tax fraud. Patty Murray has more...

Tribal leaders of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin say their traditional language is disappearing. Brian Bull reports on a new effort to save it...

Campaign finance reform appears to be dead in the State legislature this year. But a citizens group still hopes to revive it by flooding the capitol and the governor's office with phone calls. So far it seems to have had little effect. Gil Halsted reports...

The DNR is working on a plan to help the prairie chicken. The bird is on the state's list of threatened species. Chuck Quirmbach reports on what the DNR has in mind...

A Milwaukee area doctor who may be linked to the deaths of eleven people remains under federal investigation. Meanwhile, a newspaper's decision to print the doctor's name shows a split in Wisconsin journalism. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The "Doonesbury" comic strip is catching flack from some newspaper editors. That's because one of the characters swears when part of his leg is blown off while on duty in Iraq. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

This summer Madison will host a high profile athletic event which will be televised to 26 million viewers. But organizers of the Great Outdoor Games wonder if they're unwanted guests..and some question whether they'll come back. Shamane Mills reports...

Both Congress and the military are finding ways to boost the pay of soldiers when their tours of duty are extended unexpectedly. Gil Halsted reports on a new proposal bill that would help members of the National guard and reserve affected by what 's known as "stop-loss" orders...

The Holocaust remains one of the most horrific events in recorded history. From Hitler's rise to power in 1933, to the end of World War II, an estimated six-million Jews were systematically persecuted and murdered across Europe. Many Jewish leaders and activists feel it's important to remember the lessons learned from the Holocaust, but some fear time and apathy are making people indifferent to stories of concentration camps and gas chambers. At Edgewood College in Madison, campus organizers held a special observance on Hitler's "Final Solution", and its survivors. Brian Bull reports...

More than 600 women from Wisconsin will board busses in Milwaukee and Madison tomorrow for Washington D-C. They are going take part in a national march in support of abortion rights. Organizers predict thouands of women will take part in a Sunday rally on the national mall. Gil Halsted reports...

One version of the much talked-about tax limit called TABOR is out for review. Its a proposal to change the constitution to limit state and government spending. Shamane Mills reports on the Taxpayer Bills of Rights...

The state is trying to set priorities for its fight against invasive plants and animals. Governor Doyle's new Council on Invasive Species today began its work on the task. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Some lesbian and gay students in Wisconsin say they're afraid to go to school for fear they'll be harassed or beat up. Over half those surveyed say they feel unsafe beause of their sexual orientation. Shamane Mills reports...

The Veteran's Health Clinic in Superior could be privatized or closed by October first. The proposal is being met with anger and a resolve to fight back. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

A local expert on television violence says kids are seeing more graphic images than ever, due to round-the-clock news coverage and technological advances. Brian Bull reports on a new book that addresses the issue...

Wisconsin my soon be exporting high quality cow embryo's to China . A delegation of Chinese agribusiness leaders is touring the state this week. Thier goal is to improve the genetics of the cows on Chinese daries . But before any trade deals are cut the Chinese government will have to lift its import ban on U-S livestock products. Gil Halsted prepared this report...

More groundwater and streams may be protected from high capacity wells, under a bill Governor Doyle is scheduled to sign into law today. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

A bill to reinstate the draft has been sitting in a congressional committee since last year. Now, some are worried it may take on new life. Sandra Harris reports...

A community known for its lakes is clamping down on a lawn fertilizer blamed for excessive algae and weed growth. Dane County is the first county in Wisconsin to ban phosphorus, something the small community of Amery in northern Wisconsin did with success 13 years ago. Shamane Mills reports...

Wisconsin lawmakers are responding to criticism that they were trying to put the blinders on Wisconsin Eye by only showing their good side. Shamane Mills reports on the status of a proposed statewide public affairs network following a closed door meeting yesterday...

A cancer causing chemical used in bomb making has once again shown up drinking water wells near the Badger Army Ammunition plant . The Army is providing bottled water to families in the area. Gil Halsted has more...

One of the founders of Earth Day predicts additional problems for the global environment. But Gaylord Nelson does see some hope coming from today's youth. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Wisconsin is ready to take control of the Fox River Locks system. Governor Doyle announced yesterday that the state has the money it needs to uphold its end of a transfer bargain with the Army Corps of Engineers. That comes as good news to groups that promote tourism in the Fox Valley. But some fishing groups think opening the locks could make healthy lakes vulnerable to unwanted visitors. Patty Murray reports...

A review of how state vehicles are being used by employees should be complete by June. Already more than 80 personally assigned vehicles have been returned. Shamane Mills reports...

The state is turning over regulation of amateur boxing to a national organization that oversees sparring in all other states. Its not just a bureaucratic shift of responsibility; it's a dream come true for young fighters who want a chance at the big ring. Shamane Mills reports...

Clergy abuse victims in Wisconsin have more legal rights, under a bill Governor Doyle has signed into law. But a victims group says the law should be stronger. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Madison may become the first large city in the state to switch to so called "single stream" curbside recycling. The goal is to reduce the hassle involved in recycling and keep more material out of the land fill. Gil Halsted has more...

A Wisconsin version of C-SPAN could be broadcasting from the state capitol by the time the legislature re-convenes in January. But there are still some sticking points in the proposed contract with Wisconsin-Eye.. . That's the private company that will control the camera's . Gil Halsted reports...

A national government watchdog group has released its annual report, citing projects it deems “pork”. One listing has fired up agricultural researchers in Wisconsin. Brian Bull reports...

If you're one of those early birds who likes to get your work done at the crack of dawn, why is it that many others seem to function best at night? New sleep research out of the Medical College of Wisconsin suggests these tendencies may actually be inherited. Catherine Brand reports...

Improvements in cancer prevention and early treatment have been a boon to many people, but not many racial and ethnic minorities. That's according to the American Cancer Society. That organization is trying to get the word about early detection out to more people. Terry Bell reports...

The Sierra Club is blaming Bush Administration policies for pollution problems in Wisconsin. The group is launching a state wide door to door petition drive to pressure the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten smog and mercury pollution rules at power plants. Gil Halsted reports...

A bill that would have regulated so-called "pay day loan stores" felt the stroke of the Governor's veto pen today/yesterday. It would have been the first state regulations for these stores in Wisconsin, but as Mike Simonson reports, the Governor doesn't think the regulations go far enough...

A defeated candidate in Monroe County says poll workers told voters to write in an opponent's name causing her to lose although she was running unopposed. Sandra Harris reports...

Four Republicans who want to be Wisconsin's next U-S Senator met in De Pere last night to debate. The candidates mostly agreed with each other on issues like job creation and health care. Instead, much of the conversation was about unseating the incumbent--Democratic Senator Russ Feingold. Patty Murray reports...

In La Crosse, there's widespread speculation that a serial killer may be reponsible for a string of drownings in that city over the last seven years. The body of the latest victim was found yesterday. But police continue to insist there's been no foul play. Those assurances don't appease some skeptics. Terry Bell reports...

A veteran of the British Diplomatic and Intelligence Service says the United States intelligence needs an overhaul. Mike Simonson reports that the U.S., like other nations, has gotten too dependent on high technology to gather information...

The Wisconsin college student accused of plotting her own abduction has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of obstructing officers. Shamane Mills reports...

State attorney general Peg Lautenschlager says she never drove her state vehicle to political events...something that's not allowed. Shamane Mills reports...

Wisconsin's deer hunters have answered a call for a longer gun deer season with a resounding "no". Two-thirds of hunters rejected the idea at public hearings around the state this week. Terry Bell reports...

Governor Jim Doyle was in Washington DC today/yesterday (wed 4-14) testifying before a federal panel on prescription drugs. Doyle urged the panelists to legalize the importation of drugs from Canada. The Governor says when he was questioned by task-force members, they toed the "drug company line," that bringing in medicine from Canada is unsafe. Patty Murray reports...

The first condemnation notice has gone out to a property owner along the Duluth to Wausau transmission line. Construction is underway along the 12-mile Minnesota leg. Mike Simonson reports that's where the first property owner faces a condemnation hearing...

The Mississippi river has been put back on "American rivers" most endangered list. The Mississippi river is 10th on the list of most endangered rivers in the country after being off the list three years. Sandra harris reports...

Wisconsin's Cold Weather Moratorium on utility disconnections ends tomorrow/today/April 15. Thousands of customers must now make arrangements or have their utilities turned off. Mary Jo Wagner has more...

Farm organizations and state ag officials say a new law standardizing rules for siting large dairy and other livestock operations will help Wisconsin keeps its moniker as the Dairy state. But environmentalists and family farm defenders are concerned about pollution and the loss of smaller operations. Shamane Mills reports...

Some Wisconsin National Guard families are angry about their spouses having to stay another four months in Iraq. The extension of duty for the 32nd Military Police Company comes just days after it suffered its first casualty. Gil Halsted reports...

A report on the cost of living in Wisconsin shows families in Buffalo County can get by on the least amount of money while those in Waukesha County need the most dough. Shamane Mills reports on the Self-Sufficiency Standard. Its an economic device used to gauge how much a person needs to survive without government or family assistance...

Some Wisconsin sheriffs are finding global positioning system monitoring for prisoners may help them cope with personnel shortages. Sandra Harris Reports...

One of Wisconsin's most liberal lawmakers will get opposition from a member of his own party. Mike Simonson reports on the race for far northern Wisconsin's 73rd Assembly District...

A new state law is aimed at deterring drivers from speeding through rail road crossings. It requires police to follow up on reports of those who ignore safety signals and try to beat a train through a crossing. Patty Murray reports...

The parents of the first female Wisconsin national guard member killed in Iraq are asking that their other 2 daughters not be required to go back. But the U-S army says the request has to come from the soldiers themselves. Shamane Mills reports on the dilemma faced by one military family...

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There'll be more testing of inland beaches in Wisconsin this summer. State officials hope it'll give answers to the impact of pressure put on ten of the state's most popular beaches. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

A bill in Congress would extend a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, but higher gas prices and a lower amount of OPEC oil production could make extending the ban tougher. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Some say a new popular motorized vehicle poses a major safety issue. Others want to see motorized scooters legalized for use on sidewalks. Sandra Harris reports the state says communities cannot regulate the scooters...

A recent service learning trip to one of the birth places of the Civil Rights movement may lead to a permanent link between UW Madison and a unique museum in Alabama. The trip also inspired students with a new committment to work for racial harmony. Gil Halsted reports...

More than a thousand teaching assistants on the UW Madison campus may walk off the job before the end of the month. The TA union is threatening to strike over the state's two year contract offer that includes a new monthly health care premium. Gil Halsted reports...

The director of a foreign policy think tank says time is short for the United Nations to help the United States rebuild Iraq. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Wild boars are running loose in several parts of Wisconsin. Some say the exotic animals are likely escapees from game farms. Others suspect they've been releases intentionally to provide another animal to hunt. Sandra Harris reports...

Labor leaders in Kenosha have signed a "no strike" agreement with the Menominee Indian Tribe. In return the tribe promises to hire union members to build a proposed casino and resort complex at the Dairyland Greyhound race track. Gil Halsted reports...

State health officials are asking residents to take a hard look at how much they drink -- and perhaps even go in for assessment. Today alcohol screening is going on around the country. In Wisconsin, 33 screening sites are operating. Shamane Mills reports...

A non-profit, non-partisan group is trying to mobilize 2-million young voters across the country. The "New Voters Project" is setting its sights on the historically apathetic attitude younger people take when it comes to elections. Wisconsin is one of six states the project is focusing on. Patty Murray visited a registration drive on the campus of the UW Center Marinette...

Administrators with the University of Wisconsin are re-assessing their efforts to increase diversity, following a report showing mixed results across the campus system. Wisconsin Public Radio's Brian Bull reports...

A new study in the American Journal of Public Health shows that binge drinking is prevalent in the upper midwest, with Milwaukee ranking in the top ten of U.S. metro areas. Randall Davidson reports...

Wausau is getting a new mayor. Six-year incumbent Linda Lawrence was upset by challenger Jim Tipple on Tuesday. Terry Bell reports....

As the casualty count rises in Iraq, a Southeastern Wisconsin man is honoring the dead with a make-shift memorial wall in his front yard. Gil Halsted reports...

The state Natural Resources Board has approved a new set of streamlined regulations for waterfront development. Builders say they're not convinced the rules will speed up the permitting process, as promised. Environmental groups say the rules pose a threat to fish and wildlife habitat. Gil Halsted reports...

Several animal welfare groups and a domestic violence organization have teamed up to provide a unique shelter program. Wisconsin Public Radio's Brian Bull reports...

The state's highest court has cleared the way for a second dove hunt in Wisconsin...bringing to a close a 3-year court battle. Shamane Mills reports...

Milwaukee again split mostly along racial lines last night...as former Congressmember Tom Barrett won the city's mayoral election. Barrett says one of his goals is to unite Milwaukee. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

A Wisconsin U-S Senator says things in Iraq are unraveling. Russ Feingold wants the Bush Administration to ask for international help to stop what he says might be a meltdown in the making. Mike Simonson reports...

There's a new pest in the neighborhood. Wisconsin environmental experts are hoping to keep it out of the state. Sandra Harris reports...

A new study shows a common lifesaving technique is not always performed as it should be – even by trained medical staff. As a result, some lives may actually be lost. Shamane Mills reports on a study evaluating survival rates after cardio pulmonary resuscitation...

New commercials which graphically show the damage caused by excessive soda intake will soon be heard on the radio. The Wisconsin Dental Association has also been running TV ads. A survey shows the ads are having an impact --- on education, not necessarily consumption . Shamane Mills reports...

A Dodgeville based clothing company is helping to create the first unionized export clothing factory in El Salvador. Land's End and its parent company Sears have signed a first of it kind agreement with two Sweat Shop watch dog groups. Gil Halsted reports...

A candidate with possible gubernatorial ambitions and one who worked for Wisconsin's current governor square off in Tuesday's race for Milwaukee County Executive. Scott Walker and David Riemer have strongly different views on both statewide and local issues. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Wisconsin taxpayers are embracing the idea of filing their income tax forms electronically. While many use tax filing programs they buy, the state's free electronic filing system is growing more popular. Sandra Harris reports...

A year long battle over expanding a Wal-Mart store has spilled over into a heated city council race in Tuesday's local election. The company has shelved its plan for a bigger store in the Madison suburb of Stoughton. Now there's an effort to oust the city council members who approved an ordinance that limits the size of so called Big Box stores. Gil Halsted reports...

The National Park Service is asking Congress to keep the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore a mostly wilderness area. Mike Simonson reports that the action continues allowing motorized access to the Lake Superior archipelago...

The state is launching a publicity campaign to tout a program that gives free cab rides to people who are too drunk to drive. The "Safe Ride" program gave out almost 17-thousand rides between the summers of 2002 and 2003. As more people learn about the program traffic officials hope more rides will be given... and more drunken driving crashes are prevented. Patty Murray has more...