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One of the top-ranking Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol is calling it quits.  State Rep. Jim Stieneke, the second highest ranking Republican in the Assembly, yesterday said he is not running for re-election this fall.  Stieneke has been in the Assembly since 2010, and has been a leader since 2014.  He says it’s time to pass the torch to someone else to represent Kaukauna and his part of the state.

Milwaukee has a mask mandate in name only.  The city council yesterday reinstated a mask requirement for all businesses until March 1st, but city leaders immediately said they will not enforce it.  Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson says Milwaukee simply doesn’t have enough people to make sure businesses are requiring people to mask-up.  Johnson says the city will add a letter to a business’ file if there are enough complaints.  But she’s not saying what that will mean for the businesses’

The Ice Castles are back in Lake Geneva.  Tickets go on sale today, and the first tours are scheduled for Saturday.  This is the fourth year for the Ice Castles at Lake Geneva, though last year they closed early because of a warm February.  You can find tickets and more information at the Ice Castle’s website. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE ICE

The Betty White Challenge meant thousands of dollars for animal groups in western Wisconsin. Managers at Bob’s House for Dogs in Eau Claire County say they received over 12 thousand-dollars in donations during the challenge. That’s the same amount that the Eau Claire County Humane Association is reporting as well. The Betty White Challenge asked people to donate five dollars to their favorite animal welfare group in White’s name on what would have been her 100th birthday. On a state level,

A juror in the Chandler Halderson trial tests positive for coronavirus and is removed from the jury.  Judge John Hyland says the juror was tested for coronavirus last week when Halderson tested positive but their PCR test came back negative.  Hyland says the juror developed symptoms several days later and tested positive.  There all still 17 jurors seated in the trial.

Two people are dead and several others are hurt after an apartment fire in Kenosha.  The fire department says the fire broke out Monday night at the Saxony Manor, an apartment complex for seniors.  The fire department says a man and woman died in the fire and five people were taken to the hospital, two in life-threatening condition.  Around a dozen other people are now without a place to live.  The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison are working on a coronavirus vaccine that will cover all strains of the virus.  The school recently got seven-million dollars in federal money to fund the research.  Researchers say the goal is for the vaccine to be able to train the immune system to fight off most coronaviruses, including the one causing the pandemic.  They say the vaccine is likely five years from being ready.

Gas prices are slowly on the rise in Wisconsin.  Triple-A says the average price for regular unleaded is three dollars and six cents per gallon, up four cents from last week and up seven cents from last month.  Some parts of Wisconsin are see gas prices go up quicker than others.  In Madison gas is up just three cents from last week, but in La Crosse gas has gone up ten cents since yesterday and nearly 20 cents since last month.

Today, Senate Bill 371, designating Colby the official state of cheese, had a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection. State Senator Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls)and Representative Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield), the authors of the bill, issued the following statement after the public hearing. “In just a few generations Colby has gone from a farm family recipe to world famous, driving America’s love for cheese and putting Wisconsin on the cheese making map”, Senator

Jurors in Chandler Halderson’s trial are getting back to work today.  Halderson is facing life in prison for allegedly killing, then dismembering his parent’s bodies last summer. The judge in the case paused the trial last week after Halderson tested positive for the coronavirus. Prosecutors are expected to finish their case in the next few days. It remains to be seen what kind of defense Halderson’s lawyers are planning.