Wednesday State News Briefs: Supreme Court rules MPD cannot charge for time in records cases

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MADISON - Government agencies cannot charge for time spent in deleting sensitive information for records requests. That is the unanimous ruling of the state Supreme Court today, stemming from a dispute between Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Milwaukee Police Department.

MPD billed the Journal Sentinel for thousands of dollars in staff time to redact thousands of documents the newspaper requested. The high court found putting excessive fees "limits and may even serve to deny access to government records."

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Green Bay police are investigating a car they pulled out of the bottom of the Fox River Tuesday. Someone involved in river cleanup last week discovered the car in about 18 feet of water. Police believe the older model car, which had Minnesota plates, had been submerged for between 10-to-30 years. Police do not know who owned the vehicle and if any bodies are inside of it.

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Folks are touring Marshfield's downtown today in remembrance of a massive fire that occurred 125 years. Stacks of dried wood in a lumberyard and winds fanning the flames caused a massive blaze which leveled the city's downtown. Two-hundred families were left homeless. Hundreds of adults and children lined up to pass buckets of water to finally extinguish the flames. No lives were lost.

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A move to intervene on the Voter ID lawsuit - that led to some blowback for two state Assemblymen - was funded by the Republican National Committee. Republican Robin Vos of Burlington and Independent Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc withdrew their names from the filing after the Government Accountability Board said they could not receive free legal help due to the ethics case. The motion was to intervene on the suit by the League of Women Voters which opposes the GOP-backed law. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the two legislators said they didn't know the RNC was footing the bill. Vos said he deliberately did not ask, as knowing would seem he was doing the bidding of outside interests. An RNC spokesman says they don't agree with the GAB interpreting the law to say Vos and Ziegelbauer need to pay for their own legal work.

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The eleven-day Big Gig begins today in Milwaukee. Country act Rascal Flatts kicks off Summerfest tonight. A new stage is offering a little comfort with cup holders in the seats. The BMO Harris Pavilion replaces a temporary set up, often hosting classic rock acts. Tonight the Steve Miller Band will be performing in it. This is Summerfest's 45th opening day.

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A special legislative committee is looking at possible reforms to the state income tax code. The panel of lawmakers will spend the next several months hearing from experts on taxes, which will be used to develop legislation that could lead to changes for taxpayers. Panel Chairman Robin Vos (R-Burlington) says he wants to make sure Wisconsin’s progressive income tax is still working as originally intended. The tax system was adopted in 1911, and Vos says “a whole lot has changed” since then. Vos says he wants a tax system that is efficient, fair, and as uncomplicated as possible. He says it should generate the revenue needed to fund state programs and services, but not in a way that’s harmful to economic growth.

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Police believe a body recovered on the Wisconsin-Iowa border is that of a man reported missing after falling from a boat on the Mississippi River in Dubuque. The body was found late Tuesday morning - north of the Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge on the Wisconsin side of the river channel. Authorities say the man fell out of the speeding boat Monday night.

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Fitchburg police are investigating a body found in an apartment building hallway - as a homicide. Officers were called to the scene around 5-30 last night when a man found him and tried to resuscitate him.

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No charges will be issued against Village of Mount Pleasant Police Chief Tim Zarzecki after his recent arrest from a heated argument with his wife. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's office handled the Racine County case for conflict of interest reasons. In an e-mail, Milwaukee County Chief Deputy DA Kent Lovern says the "evidence indicates no criminal conduct occurred, and the matter is now closed." Zarzecki was arrested at his home in Union Grove June 8th after his wife called 911 during a heated argument over altered vacation plans. Zarzecki told sheriff's deputies the argument was verbal, while his wife, Cynthia, said her husband never struck her. Chief Zarzecki took paid vacation after the incident, but is now back to work. He issued a statement at the time apologizing for the embarrassment caused to his family, the community and the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

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Chicago police say a human foot found in rail yard likely came from a man killed by an Amtrak in Racine. That man's foot wasn't found after being struck by the train last month. Police say the foot was found inside a boot Tuesday. A pathologist in Illinois will examine it.

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As temperatures will begin to swelter across Wisconsin starting today, state officials are reminding folks about ways to beat the heat and save energy. Among home-cooling tips the Public Service Commission is circulating, close blinds and curtains on hot days, place your room air conditioner on the north side of the house, use a microwave oven or cook outside instead of using the stove or oven. As far as appliance usage, the PSC says be sure to clean dirt and leaves off coils on outdoor units and turn on ceiling fans only when you're in the room.

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Four workers in at a plant in suburban Milwaukee were sent to the hospital Tuesday after an organic peroxide spill. The four employees of Bradley Corp in Menominee Falls were sent for treatment as a pre-caution. The rest of the nearly 300 workers were sent home for the day while hazmat crews investigated why the drum ruptured.

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A four-year-old boy drowns in a swimming pool in Kenosha County. Authorities say it occurred at a home in the Village of Bristol after the boy's mother asked her the boy's eight-year-old brother to watch him for a few minutes. After the woman found the boy in the pool, she performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The rescue staff could not resuscitate the boy.

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A former inmate has been found guilty of running a so-called diploma mill while behind bars. Winnebago County Circuit Judge Scott Woldt on Tuesday found Kenneth Shong guilty of a fraud. The 46-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years extended supervision. Shong was accused of convincing other inmates into paying tuition toward an online degree from a London university. Turns out the school isn't chartered in the UK. Strong had argued he thought the school was legit and didn't intend on scamming anyone.

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