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WISCONSIN JOBS-MINING

Wis. Republicans looking to curtail mine protests

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin Republicans are looking to curtail public access to an iron mine site in far northwestern Wisconsin in hopes of stopping protesters from interfering with the project.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Rep. Mark Honadel is trying to persuade Republican leaders to make changes in the state budget limiting access. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Burlington Republican, told reporters Tuesday the changes won't appear in the spending plan and Republican leaders are working on other options with the state Department of Natural Resources, including a possible emergency rule. He did not elaborate on the details.

Authorities say mine protesters last week slashed tires, damaged equipment, destroyed a geologist's camera and stole her cellphone.

WISCONSIN-ECONOMY

Study raises concerns about Wisconsin's economy

MILWAUKEE (AP) - A new study raises concerns about Wisconsin's long-term economy, in part because it relies too heavily on industries that are now facing a decline.

A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report says 3 of the state's five largest sectors have to do with paper and printing. That could be a concern as the nation shifts its demand toward digital media.

The study also says Wisconsin's main industries aren't as globally minded as are manufacturers elsewhere. That could be another competitive disadvantage.

The study was commissioned by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the state's main job-creation agency. It was released Tuesday.

WEDC vice president Lee Swindall compares Wisconsin's paper-based economy to Michigan's auto sector. He says paper companies are adapting but they're still vulnerable.

HOME SALES-WISCONSIN

Wisconsin home sales rise 18% in May

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Home sales in Wisconsin continue to rise.

The Wisconsin Realtors Association says May sales are up about 18% compared to the same month last year. It's the 23rd consecutive month of growth.

Prices are up as well. The Journal Sentinel reports the median price last month was $144,000. That's up 4.3% from a year earlier.

The number of homes on the market has also increased. New listings rose by about 16% statewide, compared to May 2012. Marquette University economics professor David Clark says home owners who previously tried selling their property and were unsuccessful are getting back into the market.

LAKE SEARCH-KENOSHA

Man presumed drowned off Kenosha shore

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) - The U.S. Coast Guard says it's suspended its search for a man presumed drowned in Lake Michigan off the Kenosha shore.

Fire officials say the man jumped in the water Monday evening with two other people near the North Pier, but then disappeared. Battalion Chief Ken Schroeder tells the Kenosha News the water was choppy. Winds of 20 to 25 mph made the search difficult.

The Kenosha County Underwater Rescue and Recovery team also searched for the man. Kenosha firefighters suspended their search at dark, while the Coast Guard continued to patrol the area into the night.

SEMI HITS PEDESTRIAN-CHARGES

Teen accused of providing LSD in highway fatality

BARRON, Wis. (AP) - A 17-year-old is charged with providing a hallucinogen drug to a man who ran onto a Barron County highway and was fatally struck by a semi.

Dorian Hash faces a charge of first-degree reckless homicide in the death of 18-year-old Alexander Hill. A criminal complaint says Hill ran in front of a semi traveling on Highway 8 last Saturday about 4:30 a.m. and died of his injuries.

The complaint says Hash sold 25 hits of LSD to Hill for $200. It says a Barron County sheriff's detective interviewed Hash, who acknowledged that the LSD he provided to Hill could have contributed to the events that led to his death.

SPEED LIMIT REVERSAL

Wisconsin appeals court tosses speeding ticket

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A Wisconsin appeals court has tossed out a Superior man's speeding ticket because a tree branch blocked the speed limit sign.

Police in Superior issued Justin Bachinski a $175 citation in June 2012 for traveling 34 mph in a 25-mph zone. Bachinski argued a branch obscured the speed limit sign and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices says signs can't be obscured by shrubbery. Attorneys representing the city countered the manual's provision is a recommendation, not a requirement. A Douglas County judge sided with the city.

Bachinski argued on appeal that state law says traffic code provisions can't be enforced if a sign isn't legible enough to be seen. The 3rd District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday the sign wasn't legible.

The city's attorney didn't immediately return a message.

GOD COMMENTS

Wis. judge's God remarks didn't bias sentence

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A Wisconsin appeals court has rejected a sex offender's arguments that a judge improperly called his offenses as an abomination in the sight of God.

Prosecutors accused Robert J. Betters of having repeated sexual contact with his girlfriend's two teenage sons. Brown County Circuit Judge Donald R. Zuidmulder sentenced him in June 2011 to 25 years in prison and 15 years on extended supervision, remarking every child is a gift from God and his conduct was an abomination in the sight of God.

Betters argued the judge wrongly relied on religious considerations when he handed down the sentence. The 3rd District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday the judge's remarks were ill-advised but he still properly considered the seriousness and nature of the offense.

Betters' attorney had no immediate comment.

WISCONSIN-CHINESE SCHOOLING

Program to give Chinese students Wis. education

PITTSVILLE, Wis. (AP) - A central Wisconsin high school district is partnering with a Chinese school to teach the Chinese students a U.S. curriculum.

A News-Herald Media report says the partnership is between the Pittsville School District in Wood County and two schools in China.

Pittsville district administrator Terry Reynolds says about 400 Chinese students will begin studying toward a Pittsville High School diploma this fall.

The teachers will be employees of the Satellite Education Program. That's a cooperative project between U.S. school districts and the Chinese Ministry of Education in Beijing. However, the teachers will be certified by the state Department of Public Instruction, and they'll teach the Pittsville High School curriculum.

Officials say the goal is to help Wisconsin and Chinese students learn about each other's cultures and traditions.

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