1410 WIZM

Kale Kvistad and Connie DeGeorge, both of Sparta, were shot and killed on Easter Sunday 2002 by 42 year Larry Schaeffer of Neilsville. That's what Larry's sister testified in Monroe County this morning. Eunice Shaeffer told the court that she was with her brother and ex-husband, Troy Hogan, the night they picked the couple up and drove them to a wooded area near Cataract. The woman stated that her brother shot and killed both of them. But she says Larry raped DeGeorge before killing her.

This is the first testimony heard since the couple was murdered in 2002 and Schaeffer was arrested last year. During a 2005 interview, Eunice Schaeffer told police she knew nothing of the murders but when re-interviewed a couple of months ago, she told police her brother threatend to kill her if she ever told anyone about the murders. D.A. Dan Cary says he has a strong case against Schaeffer, even though the murders occurred 9 years ago.

Schaeffer is currently in an Oshkosh prison serving 3 years on a different matter. Judge David Rice ordered that Schaeffer be moved to Monroe County where his lawyer can have closer contact with his client. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.

A Wisconsin judge has struck down a law taking away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most state workers.

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi ruled Thursday that Republican legislators violated Wisconsin's open meetings law during the run up to passage. She says that renders the law void.

The law pushed by Gov. Scott Walker takes away all bargaining rights except over base salary for teachers and other public workers.

The decision is not the end of the legal fight. The state Supreme Court has scheduled arguments for June 6 to determine whether it will take the same case.

Lawmakers could also pass the law again in order to nullify open meeting concerns that led to the judge's ruling Thursday.

A smaller La Crosse county board is bound to cause complications if the city council stays at the same size. County clerk Ginny Dankmeyer says voting will definitely be more messy if the city doesn't decrease to the recommended 13 members.   She says that would result in multiple ballots at each polling place.   Color-coded to keep everything separated.  Something that's done already in certain parts of the county.

Dankmeyer denies a claim that voters would have to go to different polling places to cast ballots. Dankmeyer says she can't imagine a situation in which that would happen.

Recovery and clean-up of storm damaged debris in the tornado area is continuing. This effort will continue for some time. The tornado damage areas generally affected include: South 7th, Cook Street, Miller Street, Wollan Place, Steele St, Bundy Street South Avenue from Green Bay & 9th to West Avenue & from 9th to Farnam, east to West Avenue West Avenue, with the north boundary of Farnam Street, and the south boundary of Travis Street, east to 27th Street 28th Street east to 31st Street, with the north boundary Blackhawk Place and the south boundary Green Bay Street. The City will continue to pick up tree debris from street boulevard trees and also tree debris from private, storm damaged trees through June 3, 2011 The City will also pick up limited amounts of storm damaged building materials including siding, lumber, insulation, wood waste, and shingles from only the storm damage areas identified above.

Debris should be piled alongside the city street and will be limited in size to a pile approximately 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 4 feet long. The amount of debris the City will remove is not intended for properties where garages, yard sheds, or roofs were damaged or where more extensive damage to the home was incurred. Those properties will have to provide for their own disposal of storm damaged building materials. Properties with debris piles larger than that indicated above will not be picked up by the City. Building material piles must not have garbage, household hazardous waste, brush, or tree debris mixed in. Mixed piles will not be picked up. Pick-up of storm damaged building materials from the areas identified above will continue through June 3, 2011. Residents are reminded that they can place large items and limited amounts of lumber and building materials out with their ‘normal’ recycling collection following the guidelines in the 2011 Recycler information calendar.