The Minnesota man accused of fatally shooting six hunters and wounding two others makes his first court appearance in Sawyer County. The State Department of Justice on Monday charged Chai Vang with six counts of murder. Shawn Johnson reports...

Plans to create the state's largest coal-fired power plant have gone on hold, after a Dane County judge ruled against Public Service Commission approval of a project in Oak Creek. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene in a Wisconsin case in which the defendant was ruled to have had an unfair trial. It now appears Ted Oswald, will have a new day in court for his role in a crime spree that led to the death of a law enforcement officer. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Ukranian's living in Wisconsin are anxiously watching the election crisis in their home country. Some are hopeful it will end peacefully . But there are also rumors that the government will use force to end the street demonstrations. Gil Halsted has more...

The state will spend a million dollars next year to set up a network to help out entrepreneurs. Shawn Johnson reports...

Emergency workers learned a lot from a massive defense exercise in La Crosse this summer including what they need to do to improve response to a major disaster. An evaluation was released on Monday. Sandra Harris reports...

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday about enforcement of states' medical marijuana laws. Eleven states allow some patients to use marijuana...even though federal law prohibits it. Efforts to allow the use in Wisconsin have failed and those on both sides of the issue are closely watching what the high court might do. Patty Murray reports...

Formal charges could come Monday for the Minnesota man accused of killing six Wisconsin hunters and wounding two others. Chai Vang remains in a Sawyer County jail but his family and defense lawyers are speaking up on his behalf. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The Wisconsin legislature will have to trim more than a billion dollars from the state budget next year. In the meantime, some smaller cuts have hit home with lawmakers. Shawn Johnson reports...

The holiday season is traditionally a time when charities reach out to donors. And they can do that by telephone - even to those on the No Call List. Charities are allowed to make phone pitches under both state and federal rules. Shamane Mills reports...

The holiday season means big family dinners and office parties, which also brings the customary warnings about food safety. But a state health official says you're more likely to get a food-born illness from a 4th of July brat than a Christmas goose. Brian Bull explains...

A state-wide peace group has launched a unique effort to spread its anti-war message. It's putting up billboards along some of the state's most travelled highways. Gil Halsted reports...

A group of clergy abuse victims is urging the Milwaukee Archdiocese not to settle any more abuse claims, until the State Supreme Court rules on two legal cases it accepted this week. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The first of six victims killed in a hunting feud over property rights was buried in northern Wisconsin today. Shamane Mills reports...

Cases of whooping (hooping) cough are up in Wisconsin this year and they've increased sharply in the past three months. Shawn Johnson reports...

The sugar maple is Wisconsin's state tree but another sturdy tree will soon be the National Tree. Mary Jo Wagner explains...

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is a big one for Hollywood. A lot of people get out of the house and go to the movies at some point over the long holiday weekend. Many of them are in wheelchairs. A recent lawsuit settlement shold be a boon to people who rely on wheelchair seating. Terry Bell reports...

When it comes to choosing a life partner, some believe the bonds of love are in place long before we ever meet that special someone. Others, though, dismiss that notion as just a bunch of romantic mumbo-jumbo. They contend love must be cultivated -- a deep connection developing only after years of working to make the relationship last. As Catherine Brand reports, these dueling attitudes are drawing the attention of a Wisconsin researcher who studies love for a living...

When cemeteries are abandoned local governments sometimes have to cover the costs of maintaining them. A group representing 1200 Wisconsin towns says this can get expensive... and wants the state to prevent unregulated graves. Shawn Johnson reports...

Two films about Wisconsin Indian tribes are up for regional Emmy Awards in Chicago on December 4th. The awards recognize outstanding televison documentaries of Cultural significance. Gil Halsted reports...

The election is over but some say vote counting should continue. A group called Voters United wants an audit of election results because of problems with electronic voting machines. Meanwhile, a pair of democrats from Wisconsin want to ban such machines unless they also produce a paper trail. Shamane Mills reports...

A national teachers group is calling for an increase in the number of minority teachers. They've issued a new report says that shows the diversity of teachers isn't keeping up with the growing number of students of color in the nation's classrooms. Gil Halsted reports...

Holidays are often times when children discover their parents may be struggling with daily living tasks. Mary Jo Wagner has more on how caregivers can find the support they need to prevent burn-out...

A citizens group is raising several questions about a $685,000 website the State Transportation Department is using in Milwaukee. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is on the verge of becoming one of the few national parks with a new wilderness designation. This month, Congress approved making 80 percent of the 21 island group a wilderness area. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Blood rich with stem cells that can heal leaukemia patients is found in cord blood, the dicarded umbilical cord from a baby's birth. Now a new study finds evidence the procedure may help more leukemia patients than previously thought. Shamane Mills reports...

A group representing clergy abuse victims is happy the State Supreme Court will look at two cases that could give victims more power against religious organizations. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

In the next couple months, a state panel will recommend new measures to prevent wrongful convictions in Wisconsin. Shawn Johnson reports...

Leaders of Wisconsin's Hmong community associations are reaching out to the families of the six Rice Lake hunters killed on Sunday. They're worried there may be a public backlash because the case has now taken on racial overtones. Gil Halsted reports...

A change in trespass laws in Wisconsin has put more of the responsibility on hunters instead of landowners. Mike Simonson reports that it's no longer up to property owners to post their land with "no trespassing" signs...

A new program will help train ordinary people to be prepared to help during a major disaster. Sandra Harris reports...

The alleged murders of five deer hunters in Northwest Wisconsin Sunday was a highly unusual incident. But law enforcement officials in the woods say they were prepared. Terry Bell reports...

Communities in Wisconsin's northwoods are stunned as investigators try to make heads or tails of a shooting Sunday that left five people dead and three seriously wounded. Mike Simonson reports that the annual celebration associated with the deer hunt has turned into a somber affair...

Wisconsin's projected one-point-six billion dollar deficit will make it tough to fund new state programs this year. Governor Jim Doyle's proposed biotech research initiative is no exception. But that proposal will face additional hurdles... from interest groups and lawmakers who think embryonic stem cell research is unethical. Shawn Johnson reports...

Key investments by the state of Wisconsin exceeded expectations last year. But state investors relied more on outside advisors for help. Shawn Johnson reports..

A new study on out-of-pocket costs for medicare show the neediest will save more than 80 percent on prescription drugs. But the Kaiser Foundation says millions of other elderly people will see expenses increases. Shamane Mills reports...

The experiment with creating a migrating flock of whooping cranes has had some unusual developments. One young bird is flying with older cranes and not behind ultralight aircraft. And a two year old bird has died after venturing into South Carolina. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The federal government is about to reorganize plans for cleaning up the Great Lakes. Environmental groups are looking for ways to get the government to spend more money. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

What may be the largest study yet of asthma among rural children has found good news for kids who live on farms and not so good news for other rural children. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Mercury thermostats in homes pose a health risk that a former environmental lawyer for Wisconsin says should be eliminated. Shamane Mills reports...

Wisconsin could be the first state to grant poor people the right to a publicly funded attorney in child custody disputes. In a case filed with the state Supreme Court, legal aid advocates argue the state constitution guarantees equal justice... and that means the right to an attorney whether or not you can pay for one. Gil Halsted reports...

The managers of the new high speed ferry that started on Lake Michigan this year will meet with their Board of Directors Friday. The subject will be the ups and downs of the inaugural season. Meanwhile, a well-established but slower moving lake ferry says it saw some changes in passenger traffic this year. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Marquette University is polling alumni on whether or not to re-name it's athletic teams the Warriors. The University dropped the nickname ten years ago under pressure from Native American groups who say the mascot demeans native culture. Gil Halsted has more...

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will likely decide Friday whether an out-of-state company can purchase a Kewanee nuclear power plant. Shawn Johnson reports...

Wisconsin cattle farmers are anxiously watching to see if a second possible case of mad cow disease in the United States is confirmed. The results won't be known for up to a week. Government officials say the animal is NOT in the food supply. Nevertheless, a mad cow researcher says the case underscores the need for ALL animals to be tested before they eaten. Shamane Mills reports...

Wisconsin ranks at the bottom in providing school breakfast. And now a new study shows even when students can get breakfast, they're not eating it. Shamane Mills reports...

The City of Madison has begun looking at ways to control the annual Halloween celebration on State Street. Officials want to know how other communities have solved similar problems. Terry Bell reports...

A new study blames public attitudes towards crime for the steep rise in Wisconsin's prison budget over the past decade. And a former Corrections Department secretary predicts new sentencing laws could push spending even higher. Gil Halsted reports...

A couple of weeks ago California voters approved spending 3 billion dollars for a decade's worth of stem cell research. Now Wisconsin's governor wants taxpayers and private donors to chip in for a new building . The money is designed to further stem cell and other research at the UW-Madison. Shamane Mills reports...

Lawyers in Wisconsin may be forced to help fund legal services for the poor. But the State Bar opposes plans for a mandatory fee. Legal aid groups say it's needed to guarantee there's enough money to serve people who can't afford a lawyer. Gil Halsted reports...

The Red Cliff tribe is out of the red and in the black. After being listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as “high risk” since 1998…the Bayfield County tribe has been given a clean bill of health by the B.I.A. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Officials from Wisconsin's State Fair Park talked with lawmakers on Tuesday about privatizing the Milwaukee Mile racetrack. The discussion stemmed from an audit showing that the park continues to lose money. Shawn Johnson reports...

A new study indicates a common air pollutant can kill. A scientific report in the Journal of American Medical Associaton links death rates in large urban cities to ground level ozone. Shamane mills reports...

A peace activist memorialized the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by making chalk drawings on sidewalks in Duluth and finally had his day in court on Tuesday. Mike Simonson reports that supporters showed up to play hop-scotch outside the courthouse...

A Southwestern Minnesota Congressman says he supports President Bush's plan to have a national sales tax replace the current tax system. Across the river a member of Congress from Wisconsin says it's a bad idea. Sandra Harris reports...

Wisconsin parents are more likely to be involved in their child's education than parents in neighboring states. Patty Murray reports on a new survey released by the state's largest teachers' union...

Ask anyone with kids, and they'll tell you...it's expensive to take the family out to a professional sporting event. But in Wisconsin, a night at the game is relatively affordable, at least compared to other teams and cities around the country. Terry Bell reports...

An environmental group wants the state to reconsider allowing a new coal-fired power plant in north central Wisconsin. Shawn Johnson reports...

About 100 buildings once used to store bombs and ammunition may have a new life soon. Habitat for Humanity is working with the Department of Natural Resources to deconstruct some warehouses at the abandoned Badger Army Ammuniton plant. Gil Halsted reports...

A new study suggests a link between cancer and high voltage power lines. A group opposed to the Arrowhead-Weston power transmission line hopes the yet unverified research will bolster their case. Shamane Mills reports...

This year's massive get out the vote effort in Wisconsin included a special effort to get disabled voters to the polls. In addition to a voter registration drive, advocates for the disabled sent out an army of inspectors to check accessability at polling stations. Gil Halsted reports...

A quiet revolution of cleaner air began this year for cars and trucks. Motorists might not know it, but they've been burning "green gas" as part of the federal Clean Air Act. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Business and community leaders from Northeastern Wisconsin say the region needs to move away from its "cheesehead" image if it wants to attract the jobs of the future. Eighteen Northeastern Wisconsin counties are banding together to develop a more forward thinking image...and marketing it to a national audience of businesses. Patty Murray reports...

Madison is the first, and so far only, Wisconsin city to pass a minimum wage higher than the state. Come January 1st, workers are entitled to get 55 cents more an hour. City officials are now busy trying to get the word out to workers and their employers. Shamane Mills reports...

Phase-outs have started for an Amtrak passenger train that helps connect Wisconsin to the East Coast. It's the latest in a series of longer-haul service cutbacks over the last few decades. But some riders are trying to reverse Amtrak's decision. Chuck Quirmbach recently rode the rail line in question and talked with some passengers about the pending loss of service...

A mailing that went out to snowmobile riders in the swing states of Wisconsin and Minnesota is being challenged as a violation of congressional mailing privileges. Shamane Mills reports...

Milwaukee's ABC affiliate station has decided to cancel a scheduled Veterans Day airing of Steven Spielberg's World War II movie "Saving Private Ryan". The station's management cites new FCC obscenity rules as the main reason for the cancellation. Gil Halsted reports...

Veterans Day - community groups, schools and veterans' organizations are holding ceremonies to honor those who have served in the military. A group of concerned veterans held a candle light observance in Eau Claire. More from Mary Jo Wagner...

The State Senate's new leader says government spending needs to be reigned in however Dale Schultz is "keeping an open mind" on a constitutional formula that would do that. Shamane Mills reports...

UW-Eau Claire turns away 180 qualified students who want to be nurses every year. At a new conference on Wednesday the university announced a collaboration with the technical college to help with the problem. Mary Jo Wagner has more...

At least twenty-four military personnel from Wisconsin have been killed in Iraq. The last letters sent home by one of the Wisconsin soldiers are featured in a documentary that premieres Thursday night on the cable television network HBO. Chuck Quirmbach reports that the program is provoking some strong reaction...

Lawyers in Wisconsin may be forced to help fund legal services for the poor. But the State Bar opposes plans for a mandatory fee. Legal aid groups say it's needed to guarantee that there is enough money to serve people who can't afford a lawyer. Gil Halsted reports...

As the fighting intensifies in Iraq local military support groups across the country are steppping up efforts to provide both moral and material support to U.S. troops on the front lines. Gil Halsted reports on two Wisconsin based projects...

Forests are in high demand for lumber and leisure; but Wisconsin's supply may be in jeopardy. One reason cited at a governor's conference on forestry was high woodland taxes. Another was recreational overuse. Shamane Mills reports...

Conservative radio talk show host Mark Belling remains off the air in Milwaukee as more agencies take steps to withhold advertising dollars from his station. A meeting on Tuesday produced no final word about Belling's fate. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

On the eve of a Department of Natural Resources public hearing over the proposed Duluth to Wausau transmission line, two conservation groups have filed a lawsuit against the state. Clean Wisconsin and Save Our Unique Lands contend that the D.N.R. should conduct an environmental impact statement before issuing permits to build the line. Meanwhile, the builder of the high-powered transmission line is pushing hard for counties to let them build. Mike Simonson reports...

A Milwaukee radio talk show host was off the air Monday and his fate may become known on Tuesday at a meeting. At issue is the amount of punishment for an ethnic slur that the host said on the air. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

This year's Youth Government Day in Milwaukee will immerse high schoolers in issues involving the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, the Presidential race, and school funding. Brian Bull reports...

One of Wisconsin’s premier environmental colleges is cutting nine faculty and staff positions to trim its budget. Northland College in Ashland, the home of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, says the layoffs will not affect its environmental, liberal arts mission. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Calling it a reflection of Wisconsin and what it values, Governor Jim Doyle has approved money for six land conservation purchases, Shamane Mills reports...

A new study shows a three year decline in the number of international students enrolling in American graduate schools. UW-Madison officials say the downward trend may hurt the U.S.'s image abroad. Gil Halsted reports...

One of the airline industry's biggest expenses is growing larger as Americans expand. Jet fuel costs are going up as passengers get heavier. But a Wisconsin carrier doesn't expect any airlines to charge hefty fliers more . Shamane Mills reports...

A campaign visit may serve a public purpose but Wisconsin's Attorney General says that is still open to interpretation. Sandra Harris reports...

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved some pay hikes and recommended others at a meeting on Friday in Madison. Regents also heard from students angry about the chance of further tuition hikes. Shawn Johnson reports...

The week's presidential election may keep the freeze on U.S. involvement in international efforts to reduce global warming. But a Wisconsin native hopes to thaw U.S. resistance by boating across the Arctic next summer. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

The Menomonie High School in western Wisconsin was closed today because of a death threat. Mary Jo Wagner has more...

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents will likely decide to give some chancellors pay hikes at its meeting on Friday morning. The Board may also recommend system-wide raises as well as insurance coverage for domestic partners. Shawn Johnson reports...

There's evidence that a strong get out the vote effort on some Wisconsin Indian reservations paid off. One observer says the increase in the number of tribal voters in some areas may have played a key role in John Kerry's narrow victory in the state. Gil Halsted reports...

An Associated Press exit poll found military veterans in Wisconsin spilt almost 50-50 in voting for George Bush and John Kerry. But a pro-Bush veteran says that doesn't reflect the the broad nation-wide support for the President among veterans. Gil Halsted reports...

Dane County is considering running a web site similar to the state's which would link people to Canadian pharmacies. But instead of 3 providers, there would be 37. Shamane Mills reports...

The effort to ban gay marriage got a big boost nation wide in Tuesday's election. Voters in eleven states approved constitutional amendments that define marriage as ONLY between a man and a woman. Supporters of adding a Gay Marriage ban to Wisconsin's constiution say that's good news. Gil Halsted has more...

Republicans picked up one extra seat in the state Senate and another in the state Assembly in Tuesday's election. As Shawn Johnson reports they're planning to use the stronger majorities to push tax legislation in 2005...

Voters in debt ridden California have decided to spend 3 billion dollars for embryonic stem cell research. The referendum passed by a wide margin and is likely to stir up debate in Wisconsin, the state where the biological building blocks were first isolated. Shamane Mills reports...

Members of a women's reproductive rights group that targeted the 32nd District Senate race are disappointed with the results of Tuesday's election. Sandra Harris reports...

A special four day hunting season for white-tailed deer ended Sunday. It took a bite out of Wisconsin's deer herd. But as Mike Simonson reports, there's still a long way to go to thin the population...

In western Wisconsin, all but one incumbent won yesterday. Mary Jo Wagner has more on the Democrat who lost...

Wisconsin's newest member of the House of Representatives is also the state's 1st African-American on Capitol Hill. Democrat Gwen Moore easily defeated Republican Gerald Boyle, Jr. in Milwaukee last night. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

Democrat Russ Feingold has won a third term to the United States Senate. He defeated Republican challenger Tim Michels yesterday by a wide percentage margin. Shawn Johnson reports...

John Kerry is the projected winner in Wisconsin's presidential contest... by more than twice the margin that Al Gore defeated George W. Bush four years ago. But Senator Kerry is fighting a tough battle in his national effort to unseat the President. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

3rd District Congressman Ron Kind has won re-election. Sandra Harris reports...

Tammy Baldwin easily fended off a challenge from a Republican challenger who tried to portray her as "out of touch" with the 2nd congressional district in southern Wisconsin. Shamane Mills reports...

In last night's election an incumbent State Senator was able to prevail in a re-match. Dave Hansen will spend another term at the state capitol. Patty Murray has more on that race and the outcomes of others in Northeastern Wisconsin...

Voter turn-out in far northern Wisconsin could be as high as 90% in some counties. Mike Simonson reports from Superior...

Former Vice-President Al Gore made a whirlwind Get Out the Vote tour through southeastern Wisconsin on Monday. He started in Janesville where he spoke to a crowd of about three hundred at the U.A.W. Union Hall. Gil Halsted reports...

The intensity of the Presidential race - record new voter registration and absentee ballots along with new provisional ballots are adding to the challenge for election officials on Election Day. Sandra Harris reports...

Voters who support third party candidates for president are using the internet to make sure their votes don't help re-elect Preisdent Bush. The VotePair.Org project expects to help thousands of voters in swing states like Wisconson vote for John Kerry even though they don't support his candidacy. Gil Halsted reports...

Eleventh hour campaigning brought two Presidential candidates, a former President and a former Vice-president to the state. Chuck Quirmbach reports on the dualing rallies in Milwaukee of President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry...

During the summer of 2004 some Wisconsin Republicans set their sights on winning a so-called "veto-proof" majority in the state Senate. But leaders on both sides say that's not likely to happen Tuesday. Shawn Johnson reports...

Supporters and opponents of a proposed 800 million dollar tribal casino in Kenosha filled the airwaves with ads trying to win votes for and against the plan. There's a non binding casino referendum on the county's November 2nd ballot. Menominee Tribal leaders say the casino will bring thousands of jobs. But opponents say gambling will bring social costs that outweigh any economic benfits. Gil Halsted prepared this report...

The race for Congress in Northeastern Wisconsin has gone on quietly this fall. That's partly because the incumbent Republican has a three-term record to run on. Not to mention a lot more campaign money than his novice Democratic challenger. Patty Murray has this report on the race for the Eighth Congressional seat...

Most people exercise when they can, not necessarily when their body will perform best. Research on circadian rythyms shows that lungs operate better at certain times of the day. But one doctor says its probably not a big enough improvement for most people to change their workout schedule. Shamane Mills reports...

The Senate Co-Chair of the legislature's budget writing committee is trying to fend off an election challenge from a Milwaukee School Board member. Democrat Jennifer Morales says incumbent Republican Senator Alberta Darling has become too socially conservative for her Milwaukee area district. Chuck Quirmbach reports as our series on key legislative races wraps up...