Sunday State News Briefs: Gas prices jump throughout state

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Triple-A Wisconsin reports the statewide average of $3.43 cents a gallon for regular, unleaded gasoline represents a jump of 17 cents over the last week and 22 cents over the last month.

An increase in crude oil prices and production problems at about a dozen refineries nationwide are being blamed. No relief is in sight since the approaching switch to summer blends of fuels could put a strain on supplies by the time the issues are resolved. The current prices are about eight cents higher than they were at the same time last year – and those prices were at historically high levels at the time.

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A Milwaukee teacher was removed from class and walked out of the school building last week after allegedly slapping a four year old boy, twice. Treavor Hall was held out of class last Friday, the day after the incident. His parents say they are shocked because the teachers was someone they trusted. They say their older daughter had the same teacher. Police were called to the Craig Montessori School. Now, they say, they don’t want their child to return to the school. Milwaukee Public Schools officials say the alleged incident is being investigated.

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People are out of work, in some cases their cars are encased in ice and now fire investigators are having a hard time investigating the cause of last week’s fire at Echo Lake Foods in Burlington. Almost everything is covered with ice up to an inch thick from the spray of millions of gallons of water used to control the flames. Fire crews were on the scene for nearly two days. Now, the ice covering left behind is hindering the effort to find out what started what was one of the largest fires in Racine County history. The participation of the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation doesn’t necessarily mean the fire is considered suspicious. Officials on the scene say it could be weeks or even months before the source of the fire is determined.

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Recent mild temperatures mean conditions are dangerous on Lake Winnebago, less than a week before the start of the sturgeon spearing season. Participants have already been scouting the ice conditions and water quality. Ice is said to be less than a foot thick in some areas. Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources say spearers have a chance of finding a record-breaking sturgeon in the season opening Saturday. State agents say they have captured several fish bigger than the record 212-pounder during spring spawning assessments. They say they’re pretty sure there are some fish more than 250 pounds swimming in the lake.

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A second-grade teacher in Neenah has resigned after being accused of sending pictures of elementary school students to an inmate at the New Lisbon Correctional Institution. Thirty-three year old Eddie Sanders has been in prison for 14 years, but he apparently didn’t break any laws this time. However, teacher Christina Peerenboom has lost her job. The package sent to Sanders was intercepted by prison officials. They say they found it contained class pictures and the names of students. Parents of students at Tullar Elementary School were sent a letter last week. District officials say swift action was taken to make sure all students are safe.

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Cadaver dogs are working seven-hour shifts as the search continues for the body of a Milwaukee man. Handlers say the dogs rotate in the search for items carrying the scent of human blood or skin. Evon Young’s body is believed to have been dumped in the Menomonee Falls landfill. Five men have been charged with first-degree intentional homicide. One of the suspects is Young’s former roommate.

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Stevens Point-based Skyward Incorporation says it will challenge the bid it lost to provide the Department of Public Instruction with a single statewide student information system. Skyward already provides data systems to about half of all Wisconsin school districts. The DPI announced from it plans to award the multi-million dollar contract to a Minnesota company. Skyward says it believes the evaluation process used last summer was flawed. The company has about 280 employees on staff.

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