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10 people rescued from fishing boats on river
MARINETTE, Wis. (AP) — Authorities in eastern Wisconsin rescued 10 people — including three children — from four small fishing boats that became stranded in the rising waters of the Menominee River.
Rescuers were called to the scene around 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
The boats got caught in rapidly-rising water and swift currents. Lt. Steve Campbell of the Marinette Fire Department says ice upriver broke apart and came downriver.
No one was injured in the incident, in which authorities also rescued two dogs.
Campbell says it's not safe to go out on the water until all the ice breaks up.
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Information from: EagleHerald, http://www.ehextra.comhttp://www.ehextra.com
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Humane Society offers discount on pit bulls MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Wisconsin Humane Society is offering discounts to those who want to adopt pit bulls or pit bull mixes.
WISN-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1enR2H7http://bit.ly/1enR2H7 ) the Humane Society has an influx of pit bulls. The dogs are typically harder to place because of restrictions by landlords or insurance requirements.
To make it easier to find homes for these animals, the Humane Society campuses in Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Racine are now charging $79 to adopt an adult pit bull and $179 to a adopt pit bull puppy. That's a more-than $100 discount for the puppies.
The Human Society is getting more pit bulls partly because the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission needed space for animals recently seized in a dog-fighting ring. WISN says the seized dogs are not being offered for adoption.
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Information from: WISN-TV, http://www.wisn.comhttp://www.wisn.com
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UW flex offerings don't fit a Walker return MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker may want to finish his college course work using a new flexible degree option through the University of Wisconsin System, but there are no immediate plans to offer classes in the fields he's interested in.
Walker made waves this week when he said he wants to finish his degree, which would plug a hole in his resume if he runs for president in 2016. He left Marquette University 34 credits shy of graduating in May 1990. He studied political science, economics and philosophy. Walker last week said he would like to complete his degree through the UW System's new Flexible Option Degree Program, launched in January.
The program, the first of its kind for a public university in the United States, is designed for people like Walker who have some college experience but left to take a job or start a family and never returned to finish their classwork. The program allows applicants to apply previous work skills, knowledge or course work toward completing a degree.
The program's initial focus was on filling the largest skills gaps in Wisconsin: information technology, health care, and business and management. Walker has been an outspoken advocate of growing the program.
"We'd like to see it broadened, not so much for me but for others who are interested in the program," Walker said. "If I could find the right course load, I would do it."
Course offerings are continually evaluated, said Aaron Brower, interim chancellor for UW Extension, which oversees the program. Political science and economics are two of the most popular college majors; offering flex degrees in those areas has been looked at but there are no immediate plans to do so, he said.
Four new degree offerings are in the works now: a drug and alcohol certification program at UW-Madison, a geographic information certificate program at UW-Stevens Point, a bachelor's degree in general studies at UW-Parkside and a projects management certificate program at UW-Stout.
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Flood watches issued for southern Wisconsin MILWAUKEE (AP) — The National Weather Service is issuing flood watches for southern Wisconsin — a day after thunderstorms knocked out power to some areas and caused damage in Manitowoc County.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Saturday storms tore a roof of an elementary school in the Town of Cleveland in Manitowoc County. There were also reports of trees and power lines down, and a garage was blown off its foundation.
With heavy rains in the Sunday forecast, flood watches were issued for southern Wisconsin. The threat of flooding is expected to continue into Monday.
A flood warning was issued along the Wisconsin River at Portage. The National Weather Service says the river was 17.5 feet on Sunday morning — a half a foot above flood stage. The river is expected to begin receding Monday afternoon.
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