1410 WIZM

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.

Last April, Tammy Cole, of Illinois, put a gun to the back of Lance Evans' head and shot him to death. She then kicked a gas line out in the house and tried to blow the Tomah house up to cover up the evidence. All because he was breaking up with her, his part-time girlfriend. Today was Cole's sentencing in Monroe County.

Cole stated throughout the trial that she was Evan's girlfriend and the shooting was an accident, even though Evan's had just told Cole he was not going to see her anymore. Before sentencing, Evan's OTHER girlfriend, Mary McClain spoke to Cole, who sat emotionless. She told Cole that she took her life away and if she thinks the nightmares she has about the shooting are rough.....try having the one's that she does. McClain found Evans dead body in a pool of blood last April. Cole fled the state and was gone until Illinois police busted her in June of 2010.

Monroe County Judge Todd Ziegler, on the state's recommendation, sentenced Cole to life in prison without the chance of parole for 30 years. He tacked on another 7 years for Cole's efforts in trying to blow up the house after she shot Evans. Cole will be 84 before she would get a chance at seeing the outside of prison walls.