March 2005 NEWS ARCHIVES


Proposed Bill Allows Health Care Workers to Follow Their Conscience
3/31/05

Terri Schiavo's case has highlighted end-of-life disputes. That battle is between the Florida woman's parents and husband. But critics of a proposed Wisconsin law say a similar dispute over a feeding tube could occur in this state - if health care workers get legal protection to administer care based on their personal moral beliefs. Shamane Mills reports...

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Senator Cowles Wants to Save More on State's Used Car Sales
3/31/05

Governor Doyle announced this week that the state has sold more than 1,000 of its fleet vehicles. The sales grossed more than 3.2 million dollars and reduced the number of state cars by almost 20 percent. But a state senator thinks there's still room for more efficiency. Patty Murray reports...

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Proposed Change of Air Pollution Law Upsets Environmentalists
3/31/05

Republicans want to streamline the state's air pollutions laws to make it easier for businesses to build and expand. The changes have environmental groups up in arms. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Governor Doyle Plans Tax on Downloaded Books, Music and Software
3/31/05

A Republican lawmaker continues to hammer on Governor Jim Doyle's plan to tax items purchased over the Internet. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Court Rejects Quick Decision on Power Plants
3/31/05

A state Supreme court justice says the court will not give into pressure to act quickly on a dipsute over a plan by WE Energies to build two coal fired power plants in suburban Milwaukee. The court heard four hours of testimony from supporters and opponents of the plants yesterday. Gil Halsted reports...

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What is Learned in Schoolbook May Affect the Pocketbook
3/30/05

What you learn in school may affect what you earn later in life. Data from the Census Bureau shows a link between income and education. Shamane Mills reports...

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Safe Haven Harbors Unwanted Newborns
3/30/05

Before Wisconsin's Safe Haven law was enacted in 2001, it was not uncommon to hear about newborn babies abandonded by their mothers. But thanks to the efforts of one organization fighting for the lives of these children, that number last year was reduced to just one. Catherine Brand reports...

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Criticism Over U-W Administrator's Work on Sweatshop Issues
3/30/05

A committee of faculty and students says the UW-Madison chancellor isn't doing enough to enforce sweat shop licensing rules. At issue is a letter the chancellor sent to foreign factories that some comittee members say doesn't send a strong enough message about potecting worker's rights. Gil Halsted reports...

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Doyle's Proposed School Funding Meets Scepticism
3/30/05

Members of the legislature's budget committee grilled Wisconsin's schools chief yesterday over how much the state can afford to spend on education this year. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Governor Wants to Extend Benefits for W2 Mothers
3/30/05

Governor Jim Doyle's budget would let mothers in the state's welfare to work program stay at home with their newborns for six months. Shawn Johnson reports...

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One Year Since Audrey Seiler's "Abduction"
3/29/05

One year ago this week, (Sunday) Audrey Seiler was reported missing. The eyes of the nation were on Madison for five days, as police and the public struck out in search of the Universtiy of Wisconsin student. After she was found, she eventually admitted her abuduction was a hoax. Terry Bell takes a look back...

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New Water Sport Concerns DNR
3/29/05

As ice goes out on northern Wisconsin lakes, the Department of Natural Resources says a new, if not dicey, sport is gaining popularity. It's called water skipping. With snowmobiles. Without floats. Mike Simonson reports...

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Doyle's Proposed Treatment for Inmates Triggers Discussion
3/29/05

More money for alcohol and drug treatment in Wisconsin prisons is part of Governor Doyle's proposed state budget. Some inmates who've been through treatment say the prison programs have helped them. But there's little *overall* data on the success of those treatment efforts. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Famed Observatory Up for Bid
3/29/05

A Wisconsin observatory which was once one of the nation's premier scientific facilities is on the auction block. Brian Bull reports...

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Bacteria Use in Nanotechnology, UW-Madison Breakthrough
3/29/05

A team of scientists at UW-Madison have found a new use of bacteria to build tiny electronic circuits. Eventually the discovery could lead to the creation of micro sensing devices that could warn of the presence of dangerous biological agents such as anthrax. Gil Halsted reports...

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Oak Creek Power Plants on Court Table
3/29/05

The state Supreme Court will hear arguments this week over whether two major coal-fired power plants can be built in Southeastern Wisconsin. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Murder in Colombian Sister City Prompts Dane County Board to Pass Resolution
3/28/05

The recent murder of a South American peace activist and his family has struck close to home for members of a Dane County sister city group who knew him. A delegation from Madison will travel to Colombia in April to investigate the murder. Gil Halsted reports...

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Lack of Male Role Models in Wisconsin Schools
3/28/05

Over the last 20 years, the number of male teachers compared to women has steadily gone down. Today, it stands at a 40-year low. The trend has educators in Wisconsin concerned. Terry Bell reports...

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Companies' Cutbacks Affect Charitable Giving
3/28/05

A drop-off in corporate donations has forced the Brown County United Way to make cuts in its charitable allocations. Patty Murray reports...

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Controversy on How to Expand Student Achievement Program
3/28/05

Some Republican lawmakers say they want to help more Wisconsin schools use a state program that reduces class sizes. But the state Superintendent's office says the Republican proposal takes the wrong approach. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Survivors of the Kinder Transport Keep Memories Alive, Help Children of War
3/28/05

A unique group of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust and some of their children gathered in Madison this week to share the memories of their escape. They were among almost 10,000 children who left Nazi Germnay and Czechoslovakia on what are know as the Kinder Transports. Gil Halsted reports...

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Department of Natural Resources Works to Save Oxygen-starved Fish
3/28/05

Dozens of small lakes around Wisconsin are bubbling up, in hopes of saving fish for summer anglers. The Department of Natural Resources makes an effort to avoid the annual winter kill of fish. Mike Simonson reports...

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Medicare Will Help Smokers Quit
3/28/05

The federal government's health care program for the elderly and disabled is now picking up the tab to help smokers quit. However, smokers will be limited in how many times they can try to kick the habit on the government's dime. Shamane Mills reports...

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Senator Wants to Ban Electronic Garbage, Have Companies Recycle Old Equipment
3/28/05

A state senator wants electronics manufacturers to recycle old equipment once it's obsolete. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Native American Rapper Hopes to Empower Red Lake With Music
3/25/05

Prior to killing nine people, then himself on Minnesota's Red Lake Indian Reservation, teenage gunman Jeff Wiese reportedly slammed his peers for listening to rap music. Weise said his fellow Indians were falling into a gangster mentality because of the genre. But a Native American rapper with ties to Red Lake says there's a brighter side to hip-hop. Brian Bull reports...

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Program Gives Tax Credit to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
3/25/05

Governor Jim Doyle was in the Green Bay area yesterday (thu), promoting part of his budget he says will spur economic development. The governor wants the Legislature to expand the Economic Development Zone program. Patty Murray reports...

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Ceremony Commemorates Archbishop's Romero's Assassination
3/25/05

Peace activists and church leaders in Milwaukee yesterday paid homage to the life and death of El Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. It was the 25th anniversary of his assassination. Gil Halsted reports...

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Former Health Secretary Speaks Out About the War on AIDS and Flab
3/25/05

Tommy Thompson says the U.S. is losing the battles on both AIDS and obesity. Thompson was Wisconsin's longest serving governor. He recently resigned from the Bush Administration as Health and Human Services Secretary. But that hasn't stopped him from saying things that raises eyebrows. Shamane Mills reports...

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Tougher Times Ahead For Madison's Panhandlers
3/25/05

City residents contend with panhandlers, either with a handout or a cold shoulder. But some store owners in downtown Madison say street beggars hurt their business. Now a change in Madison's 20-year old pandhandling law is in the works. Shamane Mills reports...

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House Market Sturdy Despite Interest Increase
3/24/05

Interest rates on most home loans are the highest they've been in seven months. But the real estate market continues to be brisk in Wisconsin and around the country. Terry Bell reports...

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Mohican Veteran Memorial Grows in Step With Iraq War
3/24/05

Last Saturday (3/19) marked two years since official U.S. military operations began in the Iraq War. For the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans in northern Wisconsin, it’s a fitting anniversary for one of its monuments. Brian Bull reports...

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Green Bay Buzz Over Century-Old Booze Law
3/24/05

A 110-year-old Green Bay tradition is on the block in the April 5 election. Voters on the city's West Side must decide if a ban on serving alcoholic beverages should be put out to pasture. Business owners say they're losing out to development in surrounding communities that allow hotels and restaurants to serve booze. But many people who live in the area say the city should leave well enough alone. Patty Murray reports...

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Regional Tribes Reflect on Red Lake Shootings
3/24/05

Native American leaders in Wisconsin are reaching out to families at the Red Lake Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota after Mondays's tragic shootings. But no one yet has a clear explanation for why teenage student Jeff Weise gunned down nine people and then killed himself. Gil Halsted reports...

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Lawmakers Will Be Charged for Misuse of Public Resources
3/24/05

A state Supreme Court decision handed down yesterday means the cases of three lawmakers charged with felonies will go to trial. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Man Against Machine in Tax-return Challenge
3/23/05

As the April 15 deadline for filing taxes nears, many people are weighing whether it's best to use technology or old-fashioned help in completing their returns. Brian Bull reports...

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Bill Suggests More Power to the School Districts
3/23/05

Each year some Wisconsin school districts ask the state for permission to do things differently than the Department of Public Instruction requires. For instance, public schools asking for waivers may want to change the school start date, or not spend money to transport private school students on public buses. A proposed law would leave these and other decisions up to local education officials. Shamane Mills reports...

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Agriculture Officials Propose Odor Limitations
3/23/05

The state Agricultural Department says it's looking at revising a proposed "odor index" that would be used when considering expansions of large livestock facilities. At a public hearing in Manitowoc yesterday, farmers continued to raise concerns about the index. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Schiavo Legislation Stirs Up Legal Debate
3/22/05

The U.S. Constitution defines separation of powers. However political and judicial boundaries in real life aren't always as clear as they are on paper. The extent of Congressional power is one of many issues raised by recent events in the case of a severely brain damaged Florida woman. Shamane Mills reports...

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Wisconsin Representatives Weigh In on Schiavo Case
3/22/05

Overnight, Wisconsin's Congressional delegation voted along party lines on the bill which allowed the Schiavo matter to go to a federal judge today. Terry Bell reports...

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Report Shows Pattern of Discrimination Against Minority W-2 Participants
3/22/05

Critics of the state's welfare to work program say case workers need to do a better job of assessing the needs of W-2 participants. The complaints from the American Civil Liberties Union and other anti-poverty groups cite a recent report showing people of color have their benefits cut more often than white particpants. Gil Halsted reports...

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Proposed Change May Enlarge Garbage Dumps
3/22/05

Some Wisconsin landfills could get much taller, under a proposal that goes to the Department of Natural Resources Board this week. The plan upsets some citizen groups. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Debate Wages Over Company Liability
3/21/05

Wisconsin businesses want to be shielded from what they say are unfair lawsuits over the products they make or sell. But critics say a proposed change in law will erase hard-won consumer rights and safety protections. Shamane Mills reports...

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Community Planners Question President's Plan to Cut Development Funding
3/21/05

A multi-billion dollar program that helps re-invigorate cities would essentially disappear if the president's proposed budget passes Congress. But that's looking less likely. Last week the Senate voted to keep funding for the Community Development Block Grant program. City leaders in Wisconsin say the grant money is crucial. Patty Murray reports...

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Local TV News May Suffer from Consolidation
3/21/05

For the first time in a Wisconsin media market, a television station has taken over the newsroom of another TV station. This may be the beginning of a trend to reduce the number of television newsrooms across the country. Mike Simonson reports...

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Church Fire Human Act, Motive Unknown
3/21/05

Police and fire investigators say the blaze that burned down Madison's oldest Catholic Church was arson. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Wildlife Experts Hope Migrating Cranes Will Reproduce
3/21/05

An experimental flock of whooping cranes is starting to head back to the Midwest. Several birds died while down South over the winter. But later this year, the migrating cranes may start creating their own little replacements. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Miller Park Crane Accident Update
3/18/05

Families of three men who died during a construction accident at Miller Park in Milwaukee have won a round at the State Supreme Court. But the case will continue at the State Court of Appeals. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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CWD Hearings
3/18/05

Most deer hunters who showed up for this weeks hearings on Chronic Wasting Disease rules aren't happy with the Department of Natural Resources proposed changes. But state wildlife managers say they're doing their best to balance hunter desires with the goal of eradicating the illness. Gil Halsted reports...

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Wisconsin Reaction to Schiavo Case
3/18/05

The case of a brain dead woman in Florida has prompted interest from right to life groups and medical ethicists in Wisconsin. Terry Shiavo had her feeding tube removed today. Shamane Mills reports...

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Cheese Warning
3/18/05

The federal government is issuing a health warning about some soft cheeses made from raw milk. Wisconsin officials say there doesn't appear to be a problem here. Terry Bell reports...

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Anti War Protest
3/18/05

The mother of a Wisconsin soldier will be at Fort Bragg in Fayettville North Carolina this Saturday. She's taking part in what is being billed as one of the largest anti war protest of the hundreds planned across the country this weekend . Gil Halsted reports...

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Nuclear Plant Sale Approved
3/18/05

For the first time, it looks like a Wisconsin nuclear power plant will be owned by a company in another state. The Public Service Commission has reversed course and approved the sale of the Kewaunee nuclear plant to a Virginia-based firm, Dominion Resources. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Iraq War Anniversary
3/18/05

Anti war activists across the country are targeting military recruiting centers this weekend to mark the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. As Gil Halsted reports some also plan to court arrest...

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Land Protection Proposal
3/18/05

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants to protect more than 50 natural areas from future development. The DNR is proposing special conservation easements on public parcels all across the state. Patty Murray reports...

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Hazardous Roads
3/18/05

Some of the deadliest roads in the United States aren't the perilous freeways of major cities, but country roads, much like those that cris-cross Wisconsin. Terry Bell found out the two main reasons why that is...

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Gun Lawsuit Bill
3/18/05

There's a renewed push in the legislature to protect gun makers from lawsuits. A similar bill last year failed to become law because of opposition from Governor Jim Doyle and the mayors of Wisconsin's two largest cities. Shamane Mills reports...

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State Budget Hearing
3/18/05

State employees who want to keep their jobs... teachers who want more school funding... and disabled people who fear Medicaid cuts are among those who gave their thoughts on the state budget Thursday in Madison. The legislature's finance committee is holding/held a final public hearing on the state spending plan. Shawn Johnson reports...

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SBC to Pay Back $18M
3/18/05

A split on the state's Supreme Court means S-B-C will have to pay back about 18-million dollars it improperly charged several phone companies. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Officers to be Tried for Beating
3/17/05

The case of three Milwaukee police officers has been bound over for trial, in connection with claims they severely beat a Fox Valley man in Milwaukee last fall. The victim, Frank Jude, Junior, said during a preliminary hearing wednesday that he was "tortured and feared for his life." Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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No Go on Property Tax Limits
3/17/05

A GOP plan to limit property taxes failed to find new life in the state legislature yesterday (WEDS). Shawn Johnson reports...

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Vet Benefits Proposal
3/17/05

Disabled veterans and their families would get free college tuition and up to 100 percent property tax relief under two bills introduced in Madison Wednesday. Gil Halsted has more....

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State Senate Blocks Campaign Finance Reform
3/17/05

It will be a while longer before lawmakers change the way political campaigns are run in Wisconsin. Wednesday, the State Senate rejected a proposal that aimed to reduce the influence of outside interest groups on elections. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Madison Zoo Creates Prairie Home
3/17/05

The Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison is turning part of its land into a North American Prairie. It’s one of the Zoo’s latest efforts to educate people on habitat preservation, since the loss of a species’ natural setting is the leading cause of extinction. Zoo officials say they hope more projects like this one will help people connect with the wildlife they share the planet with and make them more aware of their responsibility to preserve it. Mary Huerter reports...

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Discovery Center Considered
3/17/05

This week, the State Building Commission will vote on a brick-and-mortar project that supporters say will set the foundation for high-paying science jobs and potential cures for disease. Shamane Mills reports...

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Safety in Wisconsin Courtrooms a Priority Since 1995
3/16/05

Court officials in Wisconsin say no changes are expected after last week's deadly shootings in a courtroom in Atlanta. They say Wisconsin has been making its courtrooms safer for a decade. Terry Bell reports...

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Wisconsin May Have to Scale Back Mercury Law to Meet Federal Rule
3/16/05

Many Wisconsin coal burning power plants would have to cut emissions of mercury, under the first-ever federal mercury rule released Tuesday. But it appears the federal law would be easier on utilities than Wisconsin law. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Rising Gas Prices Spark Increase in Ads for Fuel Saving Devices
3/16/05

Now that gasoline prices have topped $2.00 a gallon, Wisconsin Consumer Protection says to expect more and more ads to appear for gas-saving devices for cars. As Sandra Harris reports, buyers should beware...

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Proposal May Allow Health Care Workers to Refuse Procedures
3/16/05

Some health care workers say advances in technology will thrust them into the morally difficult situations where they work. They want to expand the so-called "conscience clause" to protect their jobs and shield them from lawsuits when care is refused. Shamane Mills reports...

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Fire Crew Works to Save St. Rafael's Steeple, Catholic Leaders Ponder Future
3/15/05

A massive fire at Madison's oldest Catholic church has the future of the building in question. As Shawn Johnson reports, the city's fire department is keeping a close eye on the cathedral about a block from the state capitol building...

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Survey Polls Smoking Motives, Researchers Hope to Help More Quit
3/15/05

People smoke for different reasons. So researchers know they'll need different ways to help people quit. Some remedies alleviate concerns about weight gain; others loss of a social crutch for young people who consider it a way to fit in. Shamane Mills reports...

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Rallies, Protests, Workshops Held to Call Troops Home
3/15/05

Peace groups around the country and across Wisconsin are planning rallies and protests this week to mark the beginning of the third year of the war in Iraq. The goal is to push congress to set a date for a troop pull out. Families whose sons or daughters are serving in Iraq are playing a major role in many of the protests. Gil Halsted reports...

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Study Suggests Low Carb Diet Success Results From Low Calorie Consumption
3/15/05

Despite warnings by some nutritionists, many people who want to lose weight fast have turned to low carb diets. A new study indicates why the Atkins diet and similar eating plans help people shed pounds. Shamane Mills reports...

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Proposed Bill May Allow Health Care Workers to Refuse Birth Control Practices
3/14/05

There's a push to expand a 1970's law that lets Wisconsin doctors and hospital workers decline to perform abortions or sterilization for moral or religious reasons. New legislation would allow health care workers in many more settings to refuse services based on personal beliefs. Shamane Mills reports...

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Mourners Hold Vigil, Police Investigate Shooter's Motive
3/14/05

A small vigil was held Sunday night outside a Brookfield hotel that was the site of a weekend shooting rampage that left eight people dead. Meanwhile, investigators are looking into possible motives for the incident. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Proposed Moratorium Triggers Debate Over Health Care Costs
3/14/05

A proposal for a temporary state wide moratorium on hospital construction has sparked a debate in the health care industry. Most hospital administrators oppose the idea, but it has strong support from businesses who say a hospital building boom is driving up the cost of health insurance. Gil Halsted reports...

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Marshfield Schools to Use Counseling to Address Bullying
3/14/05

Bullying was once considered a painful, but normal rite of childhood. Now, a small but growing number of educators say it's a serious issue they want to confront as a matter of policy. That's what's happening right now in Marshfield. Terry Bell reports...

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Conservatives Hold Conference to Find Non-Governmental Solutions
3/14/05

Republican political candidates will meet in West Allis on Saturday for a gathering of what conservatives called the "Future Wisconsin Conference." The event is partly a response to the "Fighting Bob Fest" that progressives hold in Baraboo each year. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Doyle Signs University Partnership; Promotes Dairy, Manufacturing
3/14/05

Governor Jim Doyle has signed a formal partnership between the UW and the University of Guadalajara in Mexico. He says the arrangement will help improve already solid agricultural ties between Mexico and Wisconsin. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Environmentalists, DNR, Utilities React to New EPA Air Standards
3/11/05

The EPA says the air in several Wisconsin counties would become cleaner under a rule the agency put forward on Thursday. But the DNR, environmental groups, and Wisconsin utilities all have different thoughts on how the rule will play out. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Land Returned to Ojibwe Tribe
3/11/05

An 80-year-old injustice may be corrected for a Lake Superior Indian tribe that was forced to leave its land. Mike Simonson reports on a seemingly routine land transaction that might right an old wrong...

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Milwaukee Artist Quilts Labels to Raise Sweat Shop Awareness
3/11/05

There's often a disconnect between the clothes we wear and the people who make them. But a Milwaukee quilt artist bridges that gap in a unique creation made from thousands of clothing labels donated by hundreds of people from around the world. Gil Halsted reports on the Portrait of a Textile Worker...

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Schools May Have to Share Drug Bust Money With Police
3/11/05

Law enforcement could hang on to some of the money seized in drug arrests under a measure moving through the state legislature. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Writing Section Added to New College Entrance Exams
3/11/05

This weekend, thousands of students will be doing something they dread, but can't avoid if they want to go to college. The annual spring rite of taking college entrance exams has started. And this year's SAT is dramatically different. Shamane Mills reports...

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People Voice Preferences at First Public Budget Hearing
3/10/05

Hundreds of people filed into Watertown--Wisconsin's old high school gymnasium--on Wednesday to tell the legislature's budget committee how they think the state should spend its money. The hearing came on a day when the committee's chairs announced they plan to re-work the budget from the ground up. Shawn Johnson reports...

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New EPA Leader, Great Lakes Clean Up
3/10/05

A Wisconsin official says he thinks the proposed new leader of the Environmental Protection Agency is committed to cleaning up the Great Lakes. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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New Bill Would Require Hospitals to Offer Emergency Contraception to Rape Victims
3/10/05

A survey shows most emergency room staff in Wisconsin hospitals don't automatically offer rape victims emergency contraception or even tell women about it. They'd have to do both under a bill proposed by two democratic lawmakers. Shamane Mills reports...

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New System to Match Trauma With Appropriate Hospital
3/10/05

A new trauma care system goes into effect in Wisconsin on July 1st. The plan is to get injured people to the highest level of care appropriate for their condition. Sandra Harris reports...

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Record Gas Prices May Be Due to Devalued Dollar
3/10/05

Gas prices have been especially high this last year or two. If it seems like they got even higher this week, it's not your imagination. Terry Bell reports...

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Controversy Arises Over Study Arguing Casino Would Lead to Job Losses
3/09/05

A new study says Milwaukee would lose thousands of jobs if a casino opens in Kenosha. But a key backer of the Kenosha plan argues the study is flawed. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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De Perry Addresses Mascot, Logo Issue at State of the Tribes
3/09/05

It was a day of both cross cultural and international exchange at the state capital in Madison on Tuesday. The chairman of the Great Lakes Intertribal Coucil delivered the first ever state of the tribes address to a combined session of the state Senate and assembly. Gil Halsted reports...

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Laura Bush Promotes "Help America's Youth" in Wisconsin
3/09/05

First Lady Laura Bush was in Wisconsin on Tuesday promoting a federal budget proposal to help troubled youth. But critics say the plan doesn't match up with proposed cuts in city block grant programs. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Assembly Passes Measure Allowing Police to Warn of Juvenile Sex Offenders
3/09/05

The State Assembly has approved giving police the option to alert community members if they live next to juvenile sex offenders. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Lawsuit Against Virtual Schools Argues Parents Should Have License
3/09/05

Some parents who have kids in cyber schools want their say in a legal fight threatening the existence of such schools. A group calling itself Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families has asked to file a friend-of-the-court brief over a cyber school. It's run by the Northern Ozaukee School District and a for-profit education company called K-12. Shamane Mills reports...

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More People Filing Taxes Electronically
3/09/05

Income tax season is roughly half over. So far, it seems filing returns on the Internet is getting more popular with taxpayers. Terry Bell reports...

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Audience Presses Feingold About Presidential Candidacy
3/08/05

Senator Russ Feingold continues to sidestep talk about his presidential ambitions. But the Wisconsin democrat says he'll continue to tour the nation, promoting his political party. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Students Protest Tuition Hikes, Stage Hunger Strike at Capital
3/08/05

Visitors to the state capital over the next few days might notice some University of Wisconsin students camped out amid the marble columns and towering murals. They're staging a hunger strike in protest of Governor Jim Doyle's plan to raise tuition. Shawn Johnson eports...

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Some Urge Feingold to Consider Private Social Security Accounts
3/08/05

Senator Russ Feingold says he hopes to find out what taxpayers are spending on president Bush's social security tour. But conservatives are hoping the president--or someone--will change Fiengold's opposition to social security privitization. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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De Perry to Address Legislative Issues at State of the Tribes Speech
3/08/05

Tribal drummers will gather on the steps of the Wiscsonsin state captiol Tuesday morning for a Native American ceremony in honor of the first state of the tribes address. Both legislators and tribal leaders hope it will be the first step in a more open dialogue between sovereign tribes and the state government. Gil Halsted reports...

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Study Shows Asprin May Prevent Strokes in Women
3/08/05

A pill that cures everything from headaches to sore muscles now shows promise as a way to ward off strokes -- but only in women. Shamane Mills reports...

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La Crosse Care Organization Faces Financial Loss
3/08/05

La Crosse County's care management organization has serious financial problems. But county officials say they can fix the probelm without hurting clients. Some other county programs in the state are also losing money, but state reimbursement is the lowest in La Crosse county. Sandra Harris reports...

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Officials Divvy Up Testing Funds, Hope EPA Will Renew Program
3/08/05

County health officials from around Wisconsin will be meeting later this month to divvy up this year's pot of money to test beaches along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. As Mike Simonson reports, this is the last year of funding for a three year federal beach monitoring program...

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Book Readings Held to Celebrate First Leopold Weekend
3/07/05

Hundreds of people spent part of the weekend at public readings of a book by famed conservationist Aldo Leopold. The readings were part of the state's first Aldo Leopold Weekend. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Review Shows Teens Continue to Light Up Despite Anti-smoking Programs
3/07/05

Most public schools have programs urging kids not to smoke; it's one requirement for getting federal education funds. Those programs have to be based on research. But that doesn't necessarily mean they work. A review of school prevention programs used in Wisconsin and other states indicates a lot of teens end up smoking anyway, even though they were given reasons not to. Shamane Mills reports...

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Tourists Flock to Northern Wisconsin for Late Season Snowfall
3/07/05

People who rely on winter tourism say it's been a good year for business. A healthy snowfall this year is still drawing snowmobilers and skiers to Northern Wisconsin. Patty Murray reports...

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Author Pieces Together Underground Railroad in Historical Fiction
3/07/05

Much like quilters assemble blankets with blocks of fabric, historians piece together the past with scraps of information. Legend links quilts to the Underground Railroad used by runaway slaves prior to the Civil War. Shamane Mills profiles a Wisconsin author who weaves a fictional story based on what may be actual history...

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The Underground railroad tunnel at the Milton House Museum in Milton, Wis.,
re-printed with permission from the Milton Historical Society.


HealthStar Recieves Donation for Interdisciplinary Reaserch Facility
3/07/05

High ranking medical and political leaders are touting progress in getting private funds for a top-notch laboratory on the UW-Madison campus. Officials say the "Interdisciplinary Research Facility" will make the rest of the country stand up and take notice. Shamane Mills reports...

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Group Models Sustainable Energy Movement After Sweden Community
3/07/05

Environmental activists in some Wisconsin cities are looking to Sweden as a model for reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Members of a Swedish orgainzation met with city and tribal officials in northern Wisconsin last week. This week they're holding workshops in Madison. Gil Halsted reports...

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Attorneys File for Dismissal of Tire Slashing Case
3/07/05

Five Democratic activists pleaded not guilty on Friday as a high profile tire slashing case moved ahead in Milwaukee. All five are also expected to file motions to have the case dismissed. One of the defendants is the son of Wisconsin Congressmember Gwen Moore. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Family Files Lawsuit Against La Crosse for Drowning Death
3/07/05

An attorney says the family of a drowning victim may have a difficult time proving the City of La Crosse was responsible for his death. A lawsuit alleges the city contributes to binge drinking. Sandra Harris reports...

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Weekend to Honor Conservationist Aldo Leopold
3/04/05

Several events around the state over the next few days will honor one of the nation's most revered conservationists--Aldo Leopold. It's Wisconsin's first official Aldo Leopold Weekend as designated by state lawmakers. A key part of Leopold's life was spent at a shack and property near Baraboo where he shaped some of his most famous ideas about protecting wildlife and the land. Chuck Quirmbach went for a visit...

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Proposal to Increase Ethanol Heads to Full Assembly
3/04/05

Gasoline sold in Wisconsin would be mixed with more of the corn-based fuel additive ethanol under a measure that cleared an assembly committee on Thursday. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Priest Cover-up Lawsuit Filed Against Archdiocese, Bishop
3/04/05

A sexual abuse survivors group has filed a lawsuit against the Milwaukee Archdiocese for allegedly hiding a convicted pedophile priest's criminal history. As Mike Simonson reports, this lawsuit also names the bishop of the Superior Diocese as part of a cover-up...

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Court Refuses to Hear Appeal Concerning Ten Commandments Monument in La Crosse
3/04/05

A plaintiff in the Ten Commandments lawsuit against the City of La Crosse says she's disappointed, but not surprised. The monument will stay on a patch of private land in a city park. Sandra Harris Reports...

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"The Exorcist" Inspiration Passes Away
3/04/05

A priest who helped inspire William Peter Blatty's best-selling novel, "The Exorcist," has died in a Milwaukee retirement home at the age of 83. Wisconsin Public Radio's Brian Bull reports...

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EPA Designates Tribe as State, Tribe to Receive Air Quality Notices
3/04/05

The Bad River Band of Ojibway near Ashland has become the first tribe in Wisconsin to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s designation as a state. David Hopkins reports from Superior...

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First Commercial Pet-cloning Lab to Open In Waunakee
3/03/05

Grieving pet owners take note - the world’s first commercial pet-cloning lab is opening later this month in Wisconsin. Operators say Mittens or Fido can be replicated for about the same cost of a high-end sports utility vehicle or a year’s tuition at a private college. While not everyone’s purring over the asking price, others growl that the facility endangers homeless animals. Brian Bull reports...

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Sandra Newbury and pal
Lou Hawthorne, CEO of Genetic Savings & Clone, with cloned kittens
A clarification to this story since it aired -- Milwaukee cat-owner, Paul Rasky, was identified as having banked some of his cat Nikita’s genes with the company, Genetic Savings and Clone. Mr. Rasky says he’s not yet a client (as of 3/3/05), but is considering having cell samples from his calico taken in the near future, to store with G-S-C.


Senate Comittee Passes Plan Encouraging Public Financing
3/03/05

A plan that aims to reduce the influence of money on political campaigns has passed a state senate committee. Shawn Johnson reports...

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NRC to Listen to Public Opinion on WE Engeries Licensing Renewal
3/03/05

Plans to re-license both reactors at the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant will be in the spotlight at meetings on Thursday. Federal regulators say it "appears" there are no environmental reasons to block the relicensing. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Gard Blocks Job Creation Act Package, Proposal Returns to DNR Board
3/03/05

Environmental rules covering the so-called Job Creation Act took a sudden turn on Wednesday when Assembly Speaker John Gard blocked a proposed rule package. Environmental groups are very upset with the Republican Representative from Peshtigo. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Public Questions Taser Use at Public Forum
3/03/05

No one at a Madison community forum on Tasers asked for the controversial weapon to be banned. But some citizens speaking at a public hearing on Wednesday night did question whether Madison police officers used the weapon when other means could have possibly controlled a suspect. Shamane Mills reports...

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Protesters Rally at UW-Whitewater, Churchill Defends Essay
3/02/05

During a much anticipated speech at UW-Whitewater Tuesday night, Colorado Professor Wade Churhill gave a spirited defense of his essay comparing the victims of the World Trade Center attacks to Nazi's. His speech sparked both angry protest and praise for free speech. Gil Halsted reports...

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Health Officials Prepare for Possible Avian Flu Pandemic
3/02/05

Scientists are warning of a likely pandemic next year as a result of Avian Flu. They say the flu transmitted to humans mainly by chickens may soon evolve into a virus that can be spread among humans. As Sandra Harris reports, U.S. Health Officials say they're better prepared now than they were a couple of years ago...

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Group Reports on Economic Health of Small Businesses
3/02/05

Wisconsin's small business owners are optimistic about the future. A poll released by a National small business group indicates Wisconsin's economic climate is perceived as a bit stabler than neighboring states. Patty Murray has more...

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Governors Discuss Medicaid With Bush, Cabinet Members
3/02/05

Governor Jim Doyle says he's still convinced a program that provides prescription drugs to Wisconsin seniors may be phased out by the Bush administration. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Telemundo Debuts in Dane County
3/02/05

Local hispanic television has been available in Milwaukee and other parts of the state. But not Madison. Until now. Shamane Mills reports...

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Battery Charges Rekindle Concerns Over Race Relations
3/01/05

Charges filed Monday against three off-duty Milwaukee police officers in the apparent beating of a Fox Valley man have renewed debate over progress in race relations. Chuck Quirmbach reports...

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Cities Revamp Minimum Wage, State Remains Stalled on Issue
3/01/05

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has signed off on an ordinance that will raise the city's minimum wage starting this October. The City of Madison took a similar step last year. It's a different story at the state level where negotiations over raising the minimum wage remain stalled. Shawn Johnson reports...

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Churchill Speech to Address Racism Against Native Americans
3/01/05

Security will be tight at the UW-Whitewater campus for a speech by controversial Colorado Professor Ward Churchill. He's been accused of spewing anti-American hate speech, but more than 400 students have tickets to attend. More than 100 reporters from across the country will also be there. Gil Halsted reports...

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Canada May Restrict Drug Sales to America, Aging Coalition Looks for Alternatives
3/01/05

Canada is considering ways to restrict its pharmacies from providing prescription drugs to Americans. This concerns some aging groups in Wisconsin, a state where internet drug sales are high. So they're looking beyond Canada's borders for relief from high prices. Shamane Mills reports...

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Budget Proposal May Require Sales Tax From Cigarette Sales on the Internet
3/01/05

One paragraph in Governor Jim Doyle's budget could mean an extra million dollars in sales tax revenue. The budget proposal calls for making internet sellers of cigarettes register with the state. They'd also have to collect state sales taxes on the products they sell. Traditional retailers in Wisconsin say it's about time the state cracked down on internet tobacco sales. Patty Murray reports...

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