Sunday, April 26, 2009

Top Stories, April 26

Sheriff Urges Responsible Actions Following Open Carry Opinion

4/26/09 - Local authorities say it’s just a matter of time before gun-owners start testing the limits of the state’s open carry laws. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says he thinks there will be someone in the next few weeks that will be testing the system. It is against state law to carry concealed weapons, but the law is silent on “open carry.” Attorney General J-B Van Hollen said Monday that officers have a right to question those carrying weapons, and check if they’re linked to any crimes. But he said prosecutors can no longer charge people with disorderly conduct if they’re carrying guns and doing nothing wrong. Van Hollen made it clear that open carry has limits. Guns cannot be taken into bars, schools, and government buildings. They must be encased when in vehicles. And it’s still against the law to brandish or wave a gun in public. Nehls says he sent out a memo this past week telling his deputies to question anyone who decides to openly carry firearms. He says the gun carrier will have to explain why they feel it is necessary to pack a six-shooter when walking around the streets of Beaver Dam or Lowell. The bottom line, the sheriff says, is professionalism and acting in a responsible manner when openly carrying a loaded handgun. Van Hollen’s legal opinion came two months after a judge threw out a disorderly conduct charge against Brad Krause, who had a gun in a holster while doing yard work in West Allis.

Packers Plug Holes in New 3-4 Defense

4/26/09 - The Green Bay defense took a lot of the blame for last year's 6-10 record. General manager Ted Thompson tried to address those needs by picking defensive tackle B.J. Raji and USC linebacker Clay Matthews the third in yesterday's first two rounds of the 2009 NFL draft. Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree was still available when the Packers picked Raji. Crabtree was considered the best player on the board by many scouts, but Thompson decided the Pack couldn't pass on the huge Boston College tackle. Raji is 6-foot-1 and 337 pounds. Thompson says he is a rare combination of size, power and quickness. In picking Matthews, Thompson did something he hasn't done before -- trading up to get the player he wanted. The Packers swapped a second round pick and two third round picks, for the New England Patriots' 26th pick in the first round. That's where Green Bay took Matthews. The Pack also got a fifth round pick from the Patriots in the deal.

Walker Announced Gubernatorial Run…On Twitter

4/26/09 - It's politics in the modern technology age -- Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker announcing his run for governor, as expected. He "tweeted" it. Walker posted a statement on his personal Twitter site Friday night saying he was going to run. The Republican has scheduled a formal announcement for Tuesday -- as he makes a series of campaign stops across Wisconsin. Walker was expected to run in 2010. Former Republican congressman Mark Neumann has already said he wants to run. Current Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat, hasn't made his intention known yet.

Becker Seeks Evidence Suppression

4/26/09 - The attorney for former Racine mayor Gary Becker argues the court should suppress some of the evidence gathered against his client. Becker was caught in an Internet sex sting. A state agent was posing as a 14 year old girl online. Becker's attorney says the police didn't have a legal right to seize Becker's computer hard drive because they didn't have a warrant. That seizure was based on a tip -- and it let to the sting operation and the arrest. A judge may rule on that filing at a motion hearing schedule in late June.

Drunk Driver Flees; Causes Fatal Wreck

4/26/09 - Bad trouble gets worse for a suspected drunk driver. The Kenosha County Sheriff's department says a deputy tried to pull the 21 year old Kenosha man over early Saturday morning. He sped away and was going an estimated 70 miles an hour when he slammed into another car. The man inside that car was killed. The fleeing suspect was on probation and his drivers license had been suspended. Authorities say their suspect ran from the scene, but they found him hiding in his home. He has been hospitalized with serious injuries from the fatal crash.

Mother of OWI Victim: ‘It’s Not Long Enough’

4/26/09 - When David Jacobson of Osseo is sentenced tomorrow, he is expected to get a year behind bars. Jacobson pleaded guilty to two felony counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. The teenager was drunk when he was driving a car as fast as 100 miles per hour last summer -- just before he lost control and slammed into some trees. Two passengers in his car died in the crash. The mother of one of his victims says a one-year sentence isn't tough enough. Jacobson also was charged with jumping bail when the sister of one of the victims told cops she saw him drinking at a party. That charge was dismissed.

Global Warming Will Hurt State’s Corn Crop

4/26/09 - A new report says global warming could impact Wisconsin's corn crop to the tune of some 41 million dollars a year. The report -- Hotter Fields, Lower Yields -- examined the impact rising temperatures will have on the nation's number one crop. Dan Kohler with Wisconsin Environment says corn, America's largest crop, is particularly vulnerable to productivity losses from higher temperatures. Kohler says global warming will mean lower yields. The report analyzes expected future impacts on the state's corn crop using a 2008 study by the federal government.

Prison Time For Casino Scheme

4/26/09 - The next step is to set the date for two Wisconsin men to report to prison. An appeals court in Chicago refused to toss out the convictions for Darwin Moore and Bruce Knutson. Both men have been sentenced to 10 months in prison for conspiring to steal money from a casino. Moore and Knutson were found guilty of making counterfeit forms to enter their names thousands of times in a giveaway contest at Ho-Chunk Casino in Baraboo. Knutson won 10 thousand dollars. Prosecutors say the two men had some many entries, they made up more than 60 percent of the 15 thousand entries to the contest.

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