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A Republican Assembly leader says he’ll consider Governor Tony Evers’ plan to increase the gas tax.  Yesterday, the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairman John Nygren said the plan could be “an opportunity for us to find common ground.”  When pressed by reporters before a hearing on Evers’ transportation budget, the Marinette Republican stressed that he’s not going to say yes or no right now.  But, he noted that the Assembly has been in favor of funding solutions for transportation.  Evers’

Baby penguins are learning how to swim at Henry Vilas Zoo.  Visitors will be able to see the newest members of the African penguin family, two tiny chicks, take a dip in the upcoming weeks.  The babies are named Robben and Dassen after two islands off the coast of South Africa.  Zoo staff will teach the baby penguins how to swim and then they will be let loose into the greater penguin population.  

Marian University in Fond du Lac is offering a class based on the documentary “Making of a Murderer.”  Netflix released the series in 2015, chronicling the case against Brendan Dassey and his uncle Steven Avery.  The two are serving life terms for killing freelance photographer Teresa Halbach.  The online class is titled, Did We Make a Murderer?  It’s taught by retired Milwaukee Police Lieutenant Allen Johnson. 

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Wisconsin is up a nickel-a-gallon from a week ago.  Triple-A says the average price statewide is two-dollars-and-74-cents today, while the national average is two-72.  The lowest prices are posted in Sheboygan at two-63-a-gallon.  Drivers in Kenosha County are paying the most at the pump at two-85 for regular gas. 

About 25 acres of land in Eau Claire are burned after a grass fire.  The Township Fire Department says the fire started around 4:30 yesterday afternoon near Schultz Road and firefighters responded to find another fire north of the railroad tracks on both sides of Schultz.  The fire was put out by the evening and the cause is still under investigation.

A man already in prison for breaking into an Eau Claire business is now convicted of child pornography.  Reports say Davy Cole recently pleaded no contest in Eau Claire County Court to two felony counts of possessing child porn and had fifteen additional charges including other sex charges dismissed.  Cole will have a pre-sentence sex offender assessment and his sentencing date hasn’t been set.

An Onalaska man is facing new criminal charges after violating his bond three times in the same day.  A criminal complaint says John Young was taken back to jail early Sunday morning for violating a no contact order, bonded himself out, went back to the house of the no contact order, and did the same thing two more times.  Young was originally arrested for felony possession and domestic abuse.  He’s now charged with felony domestic abuse and multiple counts of

Eau Claire police are cleaning up vandalism at Buffington Park in west Eau Claire.  Police say the park was targeted last week and that the damage will cost anywhere from 50 to 100 dollars to clean up.  Police say vandalism picks up as it gets warmer outside and the city usually has several different people competing to see who can do the most damage.  Vandals could be charged with a felony if they’re caught doing over 25-hundred dollars in damage.

The Altoona School District is officially working on construction for a new multi-million-dollar sports complex.  Ground broke at Altoona High School yesterday.  New turf is being laid that will include a football and soccer field combination, eight lane track, and concession stand building with bathrooms.  The project is expected to be complete before the start of football season. 

Judge Lisa Neubauer’s campaign is pointing to Wisconsin’s last recount in a race for Supreme Court as proof that she still has a chance.  Neubauer’s campaign yesterday said election managers found 14-thousand votes in 2011 to give Justice David Prosser the win.  Those votes were miscounted on Election Day in Waukesha County, and were reported the next day.  Neubauer is trailing Judge Brian Hagedorn by almost six-thousand votes in this year’s race for the court.