Wisconsin Afternoon State News for Thursday 2/8/18
>>Senate Republican Majority Leader Calls For Toll Roads
(Madison, WI) — The majority leader in the state Senate says the federal government is offering one-and-a-half-trillion dollars for infrastructure — and, if Wisconsin is to get its share, toll roads might be the only answer. Republican Senator Scott Fitzgerald says that seems to be the only way the state can come up with the necessary matching funds. Governor Scott Walker has indicated he’s open to raising the fuel tax to pay for road needs, as long as there are matching cuts elsewhere. Fitzgerald says there’s no support in the Senate for higher gas taxes or vehicle registration fees, but some lawmakers are willing to talk about open-road tolling.
>>LC Leaders Look At Allowing Full-Time Residents At Municipal Boat Harbor
(La Crosse, WI) — The La Crosse Mayor is asking the city council to vote whether to let long-term residents live at the Municipal Board Harbor year-round. It’s not clear if anybody has already been doing that and there are no rules prohibiting it. Mayor Tim Kabat wants to head off legal issues while the city bolsters services for harbor residents. The city council meets today (Thursday). The attention comes at a time La Crosse is accepting bids for the re-construction of the harbor and docks. Those facilities were closed in December and is scheduled to re-open by May 1st for the fishing season.
>>Attorneys Discuss What Can Be Introduced At Murder Trial
(Green Bay, WI) — Defense attorneys are asking a Brown County judge to reconsider a ruling which prevents them from introducing an alternate theory. George Burch is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the 2016 death of Nicole VanerHeyden. Burch’s attorneys want to submit evidence suggesting a history of domestic violence for Douglass Detrie, VanderHeyden’s boyfriend. Detrie was originally arrested for the murder, but was never charged. Prosecutors point out that Detrie hasn’t been convicted of domestic abuse. Jury selection for Burch’s murder trial is scheduled for February 16th.
>>Wausau Man Accused Of Trying To Use Drugs To Kill His Unborn Child
(Wausau, WI) — Wausau police have arrested a 33-year-old man, accusing him of trying to use a prescription drug to kill his unborn child. Jeffery Smith was arrested last week after a brief investigation. Officers say a pregnant woman told them she thought the father of her child, Smith, had put something in her water bottle. She said he had tried to convince her to have an abortion. When she found residue in the bottom of the bottle she called police, they sent it to the State Crime Lab for testing and it was found to have a drug present which is used to terminate pregnancies. The mother and baby weren’t hurt. Smith is in the Marathon County Jail.
>>Milwaukee High School Students Face Possible Suspension
(Milwaukee, WI) — Students at Milwaukee’s Riverside University High School could be suspended based on a video posted to social media showing a big fight in the hallways last Friday. One parent says she viewed it online before the school told her about it. Milwaukee Public School District leaders haven’t said what started the rumble, but reporters have been told the situation has cooled off. No one was seriously injured. Milwaukee police officers were posted on the campus Wednesday based on a threat which turned out to be a hoax.
Source: WRJC.com
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