STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) -  Skyward in Stevens Point has another ally in the battle against the State of Wisconsin. That’s Portage County Executive Patty Dreier.  Dreier commented in an interview that several observations point towards mistakes being made by the state.

Dreier has a great deal of experience handling request-for-proposals (RFP’s) and evaluating vendor offers from long before becoming the County Executive. She says Skyward allowed her and Portage County’s procurement director the opportunity to privately review the documents and judge for themselves... and she’s not impressed with the State of Wisconsin’s actions. “I have seen the protest documents. There’s no surprise. There’s obvious flaws in this procurement process.”

Dreier says the issues she noticed in the RFP and the evaluations raised a red flag. Now, she wonders if the state needs to review it’s entire procurement process. “If this is happening on this particular high visibility case, what’s happening to all of the other cases in the background who don’t come with 15-million dollar price tags.” Dreier adds, “Processes that we believe should be transparent, should be fair, should be following the rules and should make sense, and this particular RFP and evaluation process is full of multiple issues.”

The state announced February 1st their intent to award a statewide student information software contract for every school in the state to Minnesota based Infinite Campus.

Skyward has filed a protest in an effort to show Wisconsin what they believe are several errors in scoring the vendor proposals. They also contend that the state is severely underestimating the real cost to taxpayers for implementing their chosen system statewide. Skyward already has half of the state’s school districts as customers.

Assistant State Superintendent-Division for Libraries and Technology Kurt Kiefer is known to favor Infinite Campus, but it’s not clear if he had any influence in scoring the vendors. Kiefer’s endorsement of the product was listed on the Infinite Campus website when he worked at the Madison Metropolitan School District. Infinite Campus has removed Kiefer’s comments from their website.  The Department of Public Instruction has not yet responded to several questions posed by WSAU Radio.

WAUSAU, Wis (WSAU) - The Marathon County board is exploring whether or not they can prohibit their members from recording closed session meetings.

The county's executive committee approved a request this week to draft up a policy that would keep their own members from using audio or video recorders inside of closed session. The issue came up after Supervisor Oliver Burrows brought a recorder to a session of the county board and left it on during closed session.

Burrows says he is trying to cover his legal bases. "If I'm going to potentially faced being called to testify, I want an accurate record of what occurred." Burrows says there have been inaccuracies in the minutes and resolutions passed from committees to the county board.

County board chair Gary Wyman says the issue is one of privacy for the county, and that sessions are closed for legal and personnel issues. "Those items obviously should not be made public until the issue is resolved and then we'd be happy to open up those to public record." Wyman says the vote at executive committee means the county will start looking at that policy in order to protect itself. "I don't want to come home from a 3 o'clock closed session meeting and see what was discussed on the news already."

County corporation counsel Scott Corbett says state statute is silent on the issue of recording closed session. "There is a statue that lets the public or anyone record an open meeting, but it's silent on closed meetings." He says the policy will take some time to research.

The executive committee will take a look at the proposed policy at their meeting in March. Burrows says he will file legal action if the county approves the policy.

MARSHFIELD, Wis (WSAU) There was a fatal crash involving an elderly driver in Marshfield on Wednesday afternoon.

The 86-year-old woman was driving on Highway 10 near Lincoln Avenue. Police reports say the driver didn't yield, and was crashed into by a tractor-trailer around 1:30pm.

The victim died at the scene. Her name will be released later today.

WAUSAU, Wis (WSAU)   Randlin Homes, a charity that helps homeless veterans, will close one of its two used furniture and thrift stores in Wausau. Their Bridge Street location will shut down on Friday. Their other location, on 6th Street in Wausau, will stay open. Randlin Homes owns that building. They'd rented the Bridge Street location.

The thrift stores repaired and refurbished donated furniture, helping vets learn valuable job skills. Donated items were then sold to cover costs.

Randlin Home's leadership said it didn't make sense to have two locations within walking distance of each other. They'd also closed a west-side warehouse a year ago to cut costs.

FRIENDSHIP, Wis (WSAU) A man involved in the shooting of an Adams County sheriffs deputy has died. The sheriffs department says 55-year-old Thomas Costigan of West Allis died from complications from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday night. The deputy he shot, 43-year-old Todd Johnson, is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.  He is in "fair" condition at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.

Sheriff Todd Wollin said the incident started after someone reported a 52-year-old woman from West Allis missing under unusual circumstances. The missing woman and her spouse had been ordered by the court not to contact each other after a previous incident. West Allis authorities knew the family had the Adams County residence in the Town of Big Flatts and that they frequently went there.

Wollin said officers made contact with the man inside the residence and gave verbal commands, but the man fired several rounds from a handgun. One of those rounds struck the deputy.

Law enforcement did not return fire, and Wollin says the shooter sustained a self-inflicted wound.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  Today’s the second day of a central Wisconsin radio station’s fundraising effort for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. 101.9 WDEZ is broadcasting live from Trig’s in Wausau for the event, as volunteers help man the phone bank and people stop by to make donations and lend their support.

This is the twelfth year of raising money for a this cause. The Country Cares for St. Jude’s radiothon has raised 1.1 million dollars locally in the first eleven years.

WDEZ’s Joe Cassady says it’s important to give what you can, since the cost of care given to patients and families is expensive, adding it takes 1.7 million dollars to operate St. Jude's Children's Hospital every day.

Several central Wisconsin patients have benefited from treatments and research at St. Jude’s.

If you can’t stop by in person to help or donate, you can do so online at WDEZ.com.

MARSHFIELD, WI  (WSAU)  -  Work on the city of Marshfield’s capital improvement plan for 2014-2018 has started with a series of workshop-style meetings this week. The C.I.P. committee is made up of both city officials and community members, who consider requests from city department heads for project funding.

According to City Administrator Steve Barg, there are about $41 million in proposed projects that are being discussed. Funding for an emergency vehicle stoplight pre-emption system, maintenance projects at the UW-Marsshfield / Wood County campus, and repairs to Marshfield’s famous round barn are among the projects being considered.

Finance director Keith Strey says that the city could borrow up to $2.5 million annually, coupled with $3-million in borrowing for the library / senior center project in 2015, without raising the city’s current tax rate.

The committee will meet on the proposed funding plan again next Tuesday, and also on March 5th and 7th. Then in April, the city’s Common Council will vote on the committee’s recommendations.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  Marathon County’s Board of Supervisors has an additional option on the table for future courthouse space and department facilities. The county’s Executive Committee narrowed down the options to two in early November, but now their consultant has put a new option on the table.

County Board Chairman Gary Wyman says it’s a long term process designed to get the most efficient use of space and convenience for everyone that uses county services.

He says the board will probably discuss all three options at Tuesday’s meeting.  Wyman says actual construction may not start for years, but they want to develop a plan now based on what is needed.

Preliminary plans call for tearing down the older southern section of the existing courthouse and adding more space on top of the courthouse and to the east and west sides. Early estimates put the construction costs around 65 to 70 million dollars.

Plans also include a new two story jail addition and several security features for court-related areas of the building.

MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU)  -  There’s a new face at Marshfield’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.

It’s the first week on the job for Matt McClean, the agency’s new director who’s got both hospitality and sports marketing experience.

McClean has worked in sales and marketing for several hotel chains in Seattle and Atlanta, and also has experience in sports event marketing. McClean says he’s, “really excited about being here in Marshfield, I want to get out and meet everybody.”

Under McClean’s watch Marshfield, will host the National Fur Takers Show this coming June.

McClean replaces the longtime CVB director Sharon Kern who retired in January after 20 years on the job.

MEDFORD, WI (WSAU) -  A north central Wisconsin school is taking extra precautions after finding evidence of a threat to safety Thursday. 

Medford students will see more police today, and they will have their backpacks and coats checked. That’s because of a threat found yesterday in a girl’s bathroom at the high school.

Neither the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department or the Medford Police would say exactly what they observed in the bathroom other than to say it is an issue affecting the safety of students and staff.

The Medford school district sent a letter home to parents saying they take these threats very seriously. Parents in the district have the option of keeping their children home today as an excused absence.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) - Recent reports criticizing Marathon County Sheriff Randy Hoenisch’s attendance have the attention of the County Board. Chairman Gary Wyman knows supervisors have been getting calls from county citizens about the Sheriff’s alleged poor attendance.

Wyman has heard that Hoenisch has granted interviews today to at least two media outlets, and he’s anxious to see what transpires during the interviews.  "I think that it's appropriate that he has an opportunity to respond to the reports that have been published, and it's my understanding in talking with reporters that he has scheduled meetings, at least two of them, and I told reporters that the board and I will be looking very closely at the questions they ask and the answers he gives.”

WSAU has written and left messages requesting an interview, but so far, there is no response.

An open records request by the Wausau Daily Herald found that Sheriff Randy Hoenisch has put in under two hours at the office so far this year, and only 82 days during 2012 based on logs from his electronic door card. Hoenisch has said those totals do not accurately reflect his time on the job.

ELDERON, Wis (WSAU) There was a double-fatal crash on Highway 49 in Elderon in eastern Marathon County. A tractor trailer carrying a load of grain skidded off the road and crashed into a car. The car overturned and landed on its roof. A driver and passenger inside were killed.

The crash happened around 11:30am near Elm Road.

Traffic was down to one lane for most of the day while an accident reconstruction team investigated the crash. Power was out to neighboring homes for several hours.

The truck driver's name hasn't been released. It's unclear if he'll be charged. The victims were a 32- and 75- year old man from Shawano County. Their names will be released later today.

WAUSAU, Wis (WSAU)  Marathon County sheriff Randy Hoenisch will retire amid reports that he's been a no-show at his office. Hoenisch said he was planning to announce his retirement in April. Instead he will leave office earlier - as soon as his retirement paperwork is complete. He says the process will take about three weeks.

There have been recent news reports over the limited hours he’s been working since last August when his wife was charged with a series of prescription-drug charges. Kim Hoenisch was dismissed as a corrections officer, and had recently pled no contest to burglary and theft for taking pills from probationers under her supervision. She’ll be sentenced in April. 

An investigation by the Wausau Daily Herald found that Sheriff Randy Hoenisch has put in under two hours at the office so far this year.

Sheriff Hoenisch says those totals do not reflect time he is responding in the community or at training sessions. He also told WSAW television that he often enters the law enforcement center with a regular key and not the electronic swipe card, which doesn’t automatically record who is using the door.

The sheriff will be up for reelection in 2014 but is considering retirement before then. As sheriff, his salary was just under $98,000 last year plus benefits.

Hoenisch’s absence hasn’t crippled the department’s day-to-day operations. Second in command Chief Deputy Scott Parks has been managing sheriff’s business when Hoenisch is gone.

MEDFORD, WI (WSAU) -  The Medford mystery message in the school bathroom has been solved.

On Thursday, a threatening message was found by students and school officials. Friday found more police on campus with law enforcement and school officials checking backpacks and coats for suspicious objects or evidence. Late Friday afternoon, Medford Area Elementary School’s Facebook page had the following notice:“As a result of the investigation, an arrest has been made. In conjunction with law enforcement, we no longer feel student safety is in question. We look forward to all of our students returning to school on Monday and getting things back to normal. Enjoy your weekend.”

No names have been released. School officials are confident there is no need for further concern and activities can resume Monday as normal.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  A central Wisconsin fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital was very successful.  Midwest Communications 101.9 WDEZ Radio hosted Country Cares for St. Jude’s this past weekend from Trig’s in Wausau. The radiothon brought in donations from listeners and supporters totalling $128,045.

WDEZ’s Joe Cassady says several Partners in Hope special event coordinators, advertisers, clients, and listeners made it possible.

This is the 12th year WDEZ has hosted the Country Cares radiothon in central Wisconsin.  MIdwest Communications is based in Wausau and operates over 50 radio stations in several states including 101.9 WDEZ, 95.5 WIFC, Rock 94.7, Fox Sports 1390/93.9, and 550/99.9 WSAU.

MERRILL, WI (WSAU) -  A drug case involving four family members plus another person in Lincoln County may come to a close today. 44-year-old Allen Lemke is scheduled for a plea and sentencing today in Lincoln County court. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, along with maintaining a drug house and several related charges.

Allen Lemke, along with 27-year-old Mark Lemke, 24-year-old David Lemke, and 22-year-old Kyle Lemke of rural Merrill and 42-year-old Eugene Crass of Tomahawk were arrested after a drug sniffing dog led officers to evidence in December of 2011.

Allen Lemke is the last of the group to complete the court process.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  Travelers can expect more lane restrictions on Highway 51 around Wausau starting Monday. Work crews will be repairing guardrails between Marathon County Highway NN and Sherman Street in the northbound lanes, and between Bridge Street and Stewart Avenue in the southbound lanes.

All of the repair work will be done during daytime hours, and is expected to wrap up by the end of the day Friday, March 1st.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAU) -  A federal elected official has weighed in on the state’s conflict with a Stevens Point business. 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind has made it clear he is concerned about Wisconsin’s award of a single source student information software contract to Minnesota based Infinite Campus over Stevens Point based Skyward.  "I've wanted to weigh in.  I've had conversations with (State Superintendent) Tony Evers as well as DOA (Department of Administration) to make sure that as they go through this appeal process, that it's on the level, that it is factualy and objectively based, and that they also take into consideration something I think they may have missed in the first go-around, and that is the implementation cost of switching to a new outside vendor."

Skyward filed an official appeal and protest February 15th, claiming the scoring process did not evaluate the vendors properly.

Kind is one of the elected officials that questions why Wisconsin would choose a single vendor for such a costly and long term contract.  "Why are we not exploring a multi-vendor situation in Wisconsin, and allow the school districts to make the determination?  They're the ones that are facing spending cuts.  They're the ones that have to stretch the dollars.  They can make logical decisions working with the board and the community leaders to determine what is in their best interest.”

Wisconsin passed Act 32 two years ago which removed language allowing government procurement agents to give preference to Wisconsin-based suppliers. Kind believes it’s a mistake to not have the option of supporting state and local businesses when the cost difference is less than the damage to the Wisconsin economy.  "When we're trying to think creatively of how we can attract and retain good businesses that can create jobs, and good paying jobs on top of that, there should be certain advantages for those companies that were either grown in Wisconsin or located in Wisconsin so that there's an incentive to bring even more business to our state.”

The state legislation urging Wisconsin to get away from single vendor contracts was authored by State Senator Julie Lassa, and has support from Republicans and Democrats.

The Department of Administration and the Department of Public Instruction have not yet ruled on Skyward’s appeal and protest.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU) -  Wood County employees may see fewer job descriptions and pay grades that are more in line with the private sector. With enactment of Act 10,

A wage study was performed by the Carlson-Dettman consulting firm beginning in October, and the full county board turned down implementing their recommendations before Christmas. Now, County Board Chairman Lance Pliml says the Ad Hoc Committee is continuing to examine the data to see what can be gained.  "Some employees bring more to the table than some others.  There has to be a mid point and there has to be some people who excel, and we're trying to figure out a way to compensate those people who excel at a level commensurate with what they bring to the table.”

Pliml says there’s mixed feelings on the board about pay-for-performance and longevity pay issues, but understands everyone comes from different business backgrounds. He believes people should be paid based more on performance and at levels competitive with the private sector.  "If you excel at what you do, you should get paid accordingly and if you don't, you shouldn't continue to get paid more money year after year.  Also at the same time, take a look at what the comparative wages are in and around our community.”

The Wood County Compensation & Wage Study Ad-hoc Committee will meet again Wednesday morning. They are expected to discuss any possible policy changes and report to the March county board meeting.

FRANKFORT, Wis (WSAU)  A snowmobiler suffered a head injury on Sunday on a trail in Frankfort. The Marathon County sheriffs department says the driver struck a tree around 3am while traveling with a group near County Highway N and Huckleberry Road.

The man's been transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield. His condition is not known, and his name hasn't been released.

Investigators say alcohol was a factor in the crash. When he's out of the hospital, the operator will be cited for OWI.