Top Stories December 27th

Storm Causes Some Delays at Mitchell

12/27/09 - The winter storm has impacted travel at the Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport. About a dozen flights were delayed yesterday and a few were canceled. Despite the region's snow, most of the flights were on time. Crews at Mitchell are said to be keeping the runways clear, but other ground activities -- like loading and unloading baggage -- may have been slowed. Most of the delays at Mitchell are actually caused by bad weather at other airports.

Meanwhile, snow totals from yesterday were between 2 and 4 inches in our area with Hartford picking up 2.4-inches and Rio with 2.5-inches. Forecasters say freezing fog could pose a hazard for drivers through 9am this morning Combined with the snow the fog could leave some untreated roads with a layer of frost resulting in slippery conditions.

Crash Injures Two

12/27/09 - A Rio man was involved in a three-vehicle accident that injured two people on I-39/90 near Madison early yesterday morning. The Wisconsin State Patrol says an eastbound minivan, driven by a 23-year-old Edgerton woman, spun out of control and came to rest across both lanes of traffic. A 43-year-old Janesville man was able to avoid hitting the minivan but lost control of his semi tractor and rolled over coming to rest on the shoulder of the interstate. Another semi, driven by a 34-year-old Rio man, was unable to avoid the collision and struck the passenger side of the minivan. The 23-year-old minivan driver and her 1-year-old son were taken to UW-Hospital in Madison for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The state patrol says their investigation is ongoing.

Oconomowoc Family on Plane with Alleged Bomber

12/27/09 - Five members of an Oconomowoc family were on the ill-fated Northwest flight that almost didn't make it to Detroit. A 23 year old man from Nigeria is accused of trying to set off a bomb as that plane was about the land Christmas day. Charles and Patricia Keepman were on the flight with their daughter Richelle -- and two new members of their family. The Keepmans were returning from Ethiopia where they had just adopted two children. Richelle Keepman says she could tell something was wrong by the look of fear on the flight attendants' faces. The Keepmans were sitting about 20 rows behind the alleged bomber. She says her new six year old sister and eight year old brother don't speak English, so they didn't really know what was going on. She sang to them to keep them calm.

Authorities Expected to Charge Faria this Week

12/27/09 - Charges are expected to filed this week against the 37-year-old Columbus man suspected of helping his girlfriend tie up her small daughter. Kenneth Faria is facing a number of charges including physical abuse of a child and first degree sexual assault of a child. The mother, 30-year-old Heidi Duesing-Christensen, already faces several charges. She's accused of tying up the five year old girl with rope and covering her mouth with duct tape when the girl was acting up. The tying up was aimed at stopping the child's tantrums. The child told investigators Faria helped tie her up. She was often locked in her bedroom. The girl is currently living with her father in Arizona. Two sisters are living with foster families.

Break-In at FDL’s Kristmas Kringle Under Investigation

12/27/09 - Fond du Lac burglars didn't stop Christmas, but they did hit the Kristmas Kringle Shoppe Christmas Eve. The business sells Christmas ornaments and many other items associated with the holiday. Investigators say the burglary suspects forced their way in through a back door and stole money. The Kristmas Kringle Shoppe is said to be a year-round attraction for holiday shoppers.

Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in Menards Case

12/27/09 - The state Supreme Court considers whether home improvement company Menards has to reinstate Dawn Sands. Oral arguments will be heard a week from Tuesday. Sands says she was fired after complaining about her pay. An arbitration panel awarded Sands 1-point-4 million dollars in back pay and punitive damages. She was fired in 2006 after complaining because her pay was less than male employees with the same job. Sands says she doesn't want her job back. She's asking for two more years of pay instead. An appeals court ruled last year that she has to be reinstated by Menards Incorporated.

32nd Brigade’s Deployment Coming to an End

12/27/09 - The Wisconsin National Guard’s Red Arrow 32nd Brigade Combat Team is marking this Christmas in Iraq. Writing from Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Donovan, the brigade’s public affairs officer, says the Wisconsin soldiers are upbeat about spending the holidays on deployment in Iraq, in part because everyone knows what the new year will bring – a return home. Donovan says the 32nd is in the midst of handing of its missions all over Iraq to the 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Texas National Guard. Following a formal transfer of authority ceremony, the Red Arrow Brigade is cleared to go home. The brigade will move south into Kuwait and fly into Wisconsin sometime next month.

Dairy Farmers Hit Hard by Lower Milk Prices

12/27/09 - Milk prices have plummeted in the last year and state Senator Kathleen Vinehout says Wisconsin dairy farmers are being hit hard. A new federal assistance program that goes into effect next year is aimed at helping farms weather the economic downturn. It sets aside 290 million dollars for payments to dairy farmers. Vinehout says an average dairy farmer with about 85 cows can expect to get about five thousand dollars. Vinehout chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee. She says most dairy farmers should qualify for help if they’ve already been submitting production data to the Farm Service Administration. Those who need to apply have until January 19th to do so through their local FSA office.

Job Growth Expected but When

12/27/09 - A union leader has some optimism for job growth next year, but the question is how quickly. David Newby is president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. He believes the key to jump-starting the economy is investing in the work force with certain policies that won’t “break the bank” -- such as extending unemployment loss benefits and offering job training.

Number of Teens Wearing Seatbelts Increases

12/27/09 - Wisconsin teenagers are buckling up more than they did 16 years ago. A new survey of high school students shows only 15 percent saying they rarely or never buckle up when riding in a car driven by another person. Back in 1993 nearly double that number said they left their seat belt unbuckled. One out of four students say they have ridden in a car with a driver who had been drinking. That figure is also much lower than 1993. The survey of 24 hundred Wisconsin high school students was done last spring. Nine percent of those responding said they had driven a car after drinking alcohol. In 1993, that figure was 15 percent.