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OAK CREEK, WI - Police in suburban Milwaukee are investigating after a $500,000 construction vehicle was found in Lake Michigan.
Oak Creek police said Tuesday the 20-ton excavator appears to have been stolen and driven off a bluff into the lake. Oak Creek highway workers discovered the yellow vehicle partially submerged Monday during a bluff improvement project.
MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker and the Forest County Potawatomi have signed a compact amendment calling for the state to ensure the tribe receives payments for any losses its Milwaukee casino might suffer if the Menominee Nation opens a competing facility in Kenosha.
The Potawatomi's gaming compact with the state requires the two sides enter arbitration to determine how the Potawatomi should be made whole for potential losses.
An Antigo man has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for dealing drugs to several employees of the Merrill and Antigo school districts.
John Hunter had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Prosecutors say he dispensed more than 1,500 grams of cocaine and 50 kilograms of marijuana in the Langlade County area and southeastern Wisconsin between May 2009 and August 2011.
RHINELANDER - This might be the time of the year to decorate your house and put up the Christmas tree. It can be a great family bonding experience, but if you have pets, you'll want to keep Christmas decorations out of their reach.
Workers at the Oneida County Humane Society want to remind people that some holiday ornaments and tinsel are harmful. The shiny material is attractive to cats and puppies.
Oneida County Humane Society's Animal Care Taker Amanda Haydon says they like to play with the material and possibly chew on the tinsel.
RHINELANDER - Members of a local VFW used their time Tuesday night to help organizations in their community. VFW Post 3143 donated more than $8,000 to 25 local non-profit organizations. Those checks could go a long way this time of the year.
The veterans have kept the post active since 1980 by having bingo night. They started giving out donations in 2005. The donations come from people who pay to play bingo every Wednesday.
"We'd like to support our community more than we would support Washington politicians," said VFW 3143 Quartermaster Ralph Larson. "Rather stay local because we know it would be going to a good place."
RHINELANDER - A director of the Wisconsin Office of Business Development had a clear message for business owners during her presentation in Rhinelander Tuesday night, getting government regulations out of the way of business growth.
The Office of Business Development doesn't hear much about regulations that are working. Gov. Scott Walker formed the organization in 2012. Its goal is to reduce the regulatory burden on companies in the state.
MADISON - Wisconsin hunters killed far fewer deer this gun season than a year ago.
The Department of Natural Resources says preliminary figures show 191,550 deer were taken, down 25 percent from last year.
The overall buck harvest was a little over 90,000, down about 8 percent from a year ago. The DNR said the biggest drop-offs came in the far north, where tighter restrictions were in place as part of efforts to rebuild a herd depleted by harsh winters the past two years.
MADISON - A Republican lawmaker has promised to introduce right-to-work legislation during the upcoming session.
Rep. Chris Kapenga of Delafield said Tuesday he plans to introduce a bill but isn't sure when. He says he needs to make the case that the legislation would help the state's economy to the GOP caucus.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in July he didn't intend to pursue the issue in 2015 but on Monday issued a statement saying he looked forward to discussing the benefits of becoming a right-to-work state. His spokeswoman had no immediate comment Tuesday.
FOUNTAIN CITY - Authorities in western Wisconsin are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a dumbwaiter at a bar and grill.
Law enforcement officers responded to a 911 call at the WingDam Saloon and Grill in the Buffalo County community of Fountain City Monday night. The body of a 21-year-old bar employee was found in the food elevator connected to the kitchen.
MERRILL - A building fire on Tuesday cost a Merrill small business tens of thousands of dollars' worth of maple syrup equipment.
The fire burned down a large shed late in the morning.
Inside, Cain Creek Maple Syrup had collecting and processing equipment for its business.
RHINELANDER - A lot of people in the Northwoods kicked off the holiday season with shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
But some think the holidays shouldn't be all about shopping.
"It's more about family, it's more about giving, it's about believing," says Salvation Army bell ringer Aprelle Rawski.
RHINELANDER - Northwoods DNR officials work to make sure animals are protected and safe.
Helping the public understand what animals live around them is important too.
Rhinelander's DNR Service Center often gets calls about animals that are injured or dead.
EAGLE RIVER - Seventh and Eighth graders go to school with high school students at some districts in Wisconsin.
The Northland Pines school board could make that happen in their district.
Northland Pines administrators want to move the students to better utilize empty classrooms in the high relatively new school.
MILWAUKEE - Crews have rescued three construction workers who were trapped more than 30 feet below ground in downtown Milwaukee.
Police say the workers were underground in a pit, blowing cement through a large hose for the foundation. The hose became clogged and then suddenly released, throwing the workers backward against a concrete wall.
FRANKLIN, WI - The American Red Cross says at least six families have been displaced by an apartment complex fire near Milwaukee.
Police and firefighters from at least six area departments responded to the fire Monday afternoon in Franklin. No injuries have been reported.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze. The extent of the damage is unclear.
MADISON - A state appeals court says a Marathon County judge properly forced a man into treatment for huffing gasoline, rejecting his argument that gasoline doesn't qualify as a drug.
The family of the man, identified only as Zachary W. in court documents, petitioned to have him involuntarily committed last year, saying he was a danger to himself. The man argued that state law governing involuntary commitments for drug dependence doesn't define the word ``drug'' and gasoline doesn't meet the definition under other sections of state law.
RHINELANDER - Rhinelander police want to find a driver who took off after crashing into a business.
It happened around 5:45 Thanksgiving evening.
Witnesses told police the car was headed south on Courtney street when it went out of control and hit the First Steps Early Learning Center.
MADISON - Official results show that turnout in last month's election in Wisconsin was just shy of 55 percent of the voting-age population.
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board certified the election results on Monday. The final numbers show that just over 2.4 million people voted in the governor's race in which Scott Walker won a second term over Democratic challenger Mary Burke.
CONOVER - The Conover town board moved forward with a bike and pedestrian trail project after the three person board unanimously voted yes Monday night.
They were supposed to make a decision in early November. That was delayed by ATV interest.
The town accepted more than $690,000 in federal funding from the DOT and DNR in 2010. That was intended to build the first portion of the trail. The agreement specified that the trail would be for bicyclists, pedestrians, and snowmobiles, not ATVs.
MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker has sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warning new air pollution regulations would hurt Wisconsin and the nation.
President Barack Obama's administration has proposed a rule calling for cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
Walker, a Republican, said in Monday's letter that the state Public Service Commission estimates compliance could cost up to $13.4 billion in Wisconsin alone.
TOMAHAWK, MARSHFIELD - Last winter's major snowfall didn't end until April.
Early snowstorms this winter broke November snowfall records in the Northwoods.
That unusually snowy weather has already put cities like Tomahawk and Marshfield over their yearly budget for clearing the streets.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN - The start of December means many of us won't be able to park our cars on city streets at night.
Here's a list of some cities in the area with winter parking bans.
Antigo: Ban takes place from November 1 through March 31. Cars can't park on the street from 2:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.
PRENTICE - Rural schools face different challenges than other schools.
People who work at rural schools often have to take on multiple roles.
Prentice School District's Randy Bergman was honored by the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance.
EAGLE RIVER - Northwoods students may have returned to school from Thanksgiving break on Monday, but they didn't leave their giving spirit at home.
Some Eagle River Elementary fifth graders spent the morning making care packages for local seniors.
Students filled bags with cookies, blank holiday cards, and stamped envelopes.
EAGLE RIVER - Laptops, tablets, and cell phones can be popular gifts during the holiday season, but tech stores can be crowded and you may feel the pressure to buy.
Technology experts in the Northland Pines School District will offer demonstrations and answer questions about some of the newest products on the market.
They'll host Tech on the Tables Tuesday night.
PHILLIPS - The Price County board wants to hire a county administrator.
They'd be one of the first counties in the Northwoods do to so.
Price County has a population of more than 14,000 people.
EAGLE RIVER - Northwoods cranberry beds look like large frozen ponds at this time of year.
Some of the results of cold, snowy weather are actually helpful to cranberry growers around this time.
Cold temperatures in the Northwoods meant ice could freeze over the beds early this year.
RHINELANDER - Prosecutors think a Rhinelander man sent emails with naked photos of himself to an underage girl.
Bryan Dodd is charged with a felony for exposing a child to harmful material.
The 17-year-old girl told an officer at Rhinelander High School about the emails.
GREEN BAY - One firefighter has been injured while battling a blaze at a Green Bay paper mill.
Authorities say the firefighter was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Firefighters from Green Bay and several area departments worked the fire at the Procter & Gamble plant Sunday evening.
RHINELANDER - Older Americans, their families and caregivers in Oneida County will have the opportunity to learn more about staying safe on the roads.
AARP will hold a 55 Alive Mature Driving Course at the Oneida County Department on Aging.
Encouraging safe driving amongst older Americans in rural areas is especially important.
