Wisconsin
Charges dropped against Wisconsin man in fight at Butch McGuire's that critically injured man
CHICAGO (WLS) — Charges have been dropped against a man in a bar fight that critically injured another patron.
A 24-year-old of Mequon, Wisconsin, was arrested on Oct. 20 for allegedly breaking a glass on a 27-year-old man’s face.
The bar fight happened at Butch McGuire’s bar at State and Division streets.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
On Wednesday, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped the charged against the man after insufficient evidence.
The man was facing a felony charge for aggravated battery.
On Oct. 22, prosecutors said shards from that broken glass caused cuts to victim’s face and severed his jugular vein, which required surgery.
The man was released on the conditions to not have any with the victim or witnesses and that he stays away from Butch McGuire’s.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood
Copyright © 2024 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Wisconsin
Three Burning Questions: Wisconsin braces for No. 1 Oregon
Three Burning Questions: Wisconsin braces for No. 1 Oregon
Wisconsin has one more shot to shock the nation when the top-ranked Oregon Ducks come to Madison for a primetime showdown under the Camp Randall lights.
As the Badgers look to avoid a three-game losing streak, what questions surround this matchup?
1. Can Wisconsin’s secondary hold up against Oregon’s dynamic receiver trio?
Oregon’s passing attack, currently ranked 15th in the nation, boasts one of the most dynamic receiver corps in the entire country. It’s comprised of Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart and Traeshon Holden, all of whom figure to play on Sundays.
Johnson has 64 catches for 649 yards and eight touchdowns. Stewart has 37 grabs for 517 yards and five scores. Holden has reeled in 30 passes for 492 yards and three touchdowns. Oregon’s third-leading receiver has outpaced Wisconsin’s top receiver (Vinny Anthony).
Wisconsin has faced plenty of dynamic wideouts this fall. Alabama’s Ryan Williams and USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane come to mind. The Badgers didn’t fare well against either.
Williams reeled in all four of his targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Lane caught a whopping 10 passes for 105 yards and two scores. In both instances, the opposing receiver simply beat the Badgers’ defensive backs in coverage time and time again, and there were multiple offenders. Nyzier Fourqurean, Hunter Wohler and RJ Delancy are among those who fell victim to the aforementioned electrifying wideouts.
“They’re gonna be challenged in different ways, and that’s the beauty of college football, right? You can be challenged in a lot of different ways, and this would be one that maybe we haven’t seen really the entire year. The ability for them to throw the ball downfield, the dynamic of the wide receivers that they have, obviously the quarterback and the ability for him to make plays both with his feet and in the air,” head coach Luke Fickell said.
Fickell is right: Oregon poses a different test in terms of the sheer number of talented wideouts they deploy. With the Crimson Tide, Williams was by far and away the top receiving threat. In the USC game, Lane dominated the target share — and Wisconsin’s defensive backs. But the Ducks spread the ball to a variety of capable eligibles.
“We’ve got the utmost confidence, right?” Fickell continued. “We talked about Rico (Hallman) earlier; there’s gonna be a lot more opportunities this week for him to be in positions to have a chance to make some plays. And he’s gonna be challenged, no doubt.”
2. Can the Badgers inspire any confidence in the trenches?
In back-to-back games against Iowa and Penn State, Wisconsin’s play along the offensive line and from the defensive front seven has left much to be desired. The Badgers got dominated at the point of attack in both games, an area that’s particularly frustrating for Fickell.
The head coach is a noted traditionalist in terms of trench play being the most important aspect of the game. The entire season, he’s harped on how significant the action around the line of scrimmage is. But in Wisconsin’s losses, namely against Alabama, Penn State and Iowa, the trenches were owned by the Badgers’ opponents.
Oregon will pose yet another daunting test up front. On the Ducks’ offense, tailback Jordan James has been a stud. He’s racked up 946 yards on the ground on 5.7 yards-per-carry with 10 touchdowns. He was limited last week against Maryland with just seven carries, but should have little to no limitations Saturday night in Camp Randall. The Oregon offensive line has also allowed just 10 sacks this season.
The Ducks have a stout rushing defense that’s surrendered 117.4 yards-per-game. For reference, that’s about a yard more than Iowa. In consecutive games, Wisconsin will face an upper-echelon run defense. Oregon has also compiled 27.0 sacks this fall, tied for ninth in the nation.
Oregon brings a lot of glitz and glamour with its playmakers at the skill positions, but make no mistake — if Wisconsin wants to win this game, it needs to play better in the trenches. If the Badgers can bring pressure, for example, it won’t always matter how tightly the Ducks’ wideouts are blanketed.
3. What personnel adjustments will be made after the bye week?
Bye weeks are often used as a period of self-scouting and reflection, and for the Badgers, there’s plenty to clean up on both sides of the ball. But as the season begins to wind down, and decisions begin getting made for the future, it stands to reason that Wisconsin is in line for some personnel shuffling in its final three games.
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo spoke this week about an effort to get several players more involved schematically, and he named Trech Kekahuna, Vinny Anthony, Tucker Ashcraft and Darrion Dupree. Kekahuna especially makes since: after his 134-yard, two touchdown outing against Purdue, the slot receiver has just five catches across the following four games.
Dupree, meanwhile, makes plenty of sense as well as a player who could see his snap count spike. The Badgers are still committed to using Tawee Walker as their bell cow back, but Dupree looks like a very mature runner and feels like an underutilized weapon in this offense. He was the team’s leading rusher two weeks ago in Iowa City and had the Badgers’ longest run of the night.
On defense, I would expect linebacker Christian Alliegro to continue to be heavily involved. Especially against a quarterback like Dillon Gabriel, who can extend plays with his legs and stress defenses with his mobility, Alliegro’s closing speed will be of the utmost importance Saturday night.
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers’ Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45, @seamus_rohrer, @DonnieSlusher_
*Like us on Facebook
Wisconsin
Missing Wisconsin kayaker might have faked death, fled country: Authorities
MADISON, Wisc. (FOX 9) – When Ryan Borgwardt didn’t return home from a fishing trip on Green Lake in southeastern Wisconsin in early August, local authorities believed he had drowned.
But now they believe he is alive and well, instead of at the bottom of the lake.
“This one tops my 18-and-a-half-years of being sheriff. It didn’t turn out the way we thought it was going to turn out. It turned out completely different,” Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podell told FOX 9.
After Borgwardt disappeared, sheriff’s deputies found his van and trailer in a nearby park and then his capsized kayak in the lake, as well as his fishing pole and tackle box with his wallet, keys and ID inside.
But after scouring that section of the lake that is over 200-feet deep in some parts dozens of times over 54 days, investigators decided to look in a different direction.
“The pieces started adding up more and more that he is definitely not in our lake,” said Podell.
Investigators discovered Borgwardt had recently transferred money to a foreign bank account, replaced the hard drive on his computer and communicated with a woman in Uzbekistan.
He had also gotten a new passport, which was checked by Canadian authorities the day after he was reported missing, and had taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy earlier in the year, leading investigators to believe Borgwardt faked his death and fled the country.
“You don’t see this happening every day. It’s not normal to all of a sudden just leave your family,” said Podell.
Investigators believe Borgwardt is in Eastern Europe, but they aren’t sure where.
They say they won’t stop looking for him until they find him.
“We’re going to continue to follow through on this case until we can’t turn over any more leads,” said Podell.
Podell says he wants restitution for the resources they spent looking for Borgwardt.
He is also looking at whether Borgwardt broke any laws, but so far he hasn’t been charged with any.
Wisconsin
Sandhill crane committee poised to discuss findings, potential legislation in Wisconsin
The Legislative Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes will meet Wednesday in Madison to begin discussing potential bills to address crane-caused crop damage in Wisconsin.
But first it will likely talk about a pair of documents titled “SHC Findings of Fact” and “SHC Conclusions.” The items were emailed Nov. 1 to committee members by legislative council staff on behalf of committee chairman Rep. Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc).
The email said the documents were “prepared by Rep. Tittl” but didn’t mention the author for both was Bruce Ross, executive director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. Ross is not on the committee but testified before it and is a strong advocate for a crane hunting season in the state. The species is currently protected by state law.
The lack of transparency about the origin of the documents heightened tensions between those perceived to be working mostly to secure a committee vote in favor of a crane hunting season and those working to provide relief to farmers, according to several committee members.
“These documents were developed by someone who is not a scientist or a lawyer and who has a clear bias,” said committee member Meleesa Johnson, executive director of Wisconsin’s Green Fire. “I think it’s not a good look for the committee. I would hope we could do better.”
Tittl also has a record of supporting crane hunting in Wisconsin. He authored a 2021 bill to open a crane hunt in the state; it failed to get approved by the Legislature.
Tittl said Ross submitted the documents “unsolicited” and “aimed at helping the committee arrive at some agreed upon facts.”
“As I reviewed the documents I thought the approach would be a helpful first step for the committee to find areas of agreement, develop possible solutions and gain consensus on an appropriate path forward,” Tittl said in a statement. He did not say why he didn’t make it clear to committee members or legislative council staff that Ross had authored the documents.
Tittl said he has allocated a significant amount of time at Wednesday’s meeting to review the documents and suggest changes.
Ross said he submitted the documents as a “strawman” of items intended for discussion by the committee.
“It was my hope the committee will understand the logic, modify or create documents as they see fit, decide what they collectively can agree on, and make their final conclusions a part of the committee’s record,” Ross said.
The committee has become a stage for debate over sandhill crane management in Wisconsin, especially for providing relief to farmers for crane-caused crop damage and a potential crane hunting season.
The committee was formed in late spring and met Aug. 1, Sept. 4 and Oct. 1. Its goal is to “examine population trends and determine whether any changes to state law would effectively address the incidence and consequences of crop damage caused by sandhill cranes in this state,” according to the committee description.
Sandhill cranes were once threatened in Wisconsin but have recovered over the last century. Sandhills in Wisconsin are part of the Eastern Population which was estimated at 110,000 in 2023, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources report.
Three states in the Mississippi Flyway offer crane hunting seasons. Two previous attempts to allow sandhill hunting in Wisconsin (2011 and 2021) failed to garner support in the Legislature.
The agendas of the first three committee meetings were heavily weighted with presentations related to crane hunting.
However in the first meeting, Kent Van Horn, a retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources waterfowl ecologist who helped write the 2010 sandhill crane management plan for Mississippi and Atlantic Flyway Council, said while the sandhill population in Wisconsin is large enough to support a limited hunting season, such a hunt would be designed to have a small, if any, impact on the crane population.
“It’s structured to be sustainable, so you’re not going to lower the population in Wisconsin by adding a hunting season,” Van Horn said to the committee.
No scientific study has shown hunting has reduced crane-caused crop damage in any of the hunted populations in North America.
The crane study committee includes four legislators and eight public members. In addition to Tittl, the legislators are Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron), Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo).
Public members include representatives of agricultural and conservation organizations, including the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, Delta Waterfowl, International Crane Foundation, Wisconsin’s Green Fire and Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.
The restored population of sandhills in Wisconsin provides enjoyment for wildlife watchers and others but also causes an estimated $1.9 million in crop damage annually in the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of the crop damage occurs in spring when cranes eat newly-planted corn. Other losses occur later in the year to crops including peas and potatoes.
Those seeking solutions for farmers are frustrated with the amount of time the committee has spent discussing hunting.
“Advocates for a (sandhill crane) hunting season have long promoted it as the solution to crop damage, but we know a hunting season is not going to help farmers,” said Rich Bielfuss, president and CEO of the International Crane Foundation, in a statement. “The science presented in this legislative committee has made clear that hunting will not provide meaningful assistance to farmers, not by way of population management, nor financially.”
If hunting for cranes were approved, it would allow farmers to file for compensation through the state’s wildlife damage abatement fund.
In 2021 the DNR estimated that as many as 200 sandhill damage claims, with an appraised value of $1.6 million, could be filed annually in Wisconsin, more than all other wildlife damage claims made to the program. Annual revenue to the fund from hunting would likely be less than $50,000. Thus the added burden from sandhill damage claims could soon make the fund insolvent, pointing to the need for other means to provide lasting relief to the state’s agricultural producers.
“We all need to roll up our sleeves and work together to find real solutions for Wisconsin farmers,” Bielfuss said.
Wednesday’s meeting of the Legislative Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes begins at 10 a.m. in Room 412 East at the Capitol.
-
Culture1 week ago
Try This Quiz on Books That Were Made Into Great Space Movies
-
Health6 days ago
Lose Weight Without the Gym? Try These Easy Lifestyle Hacks
-
Culture5 days ago
The NFL is heading to Germany – and the country has fallen for American football
-
Business4 days ago
Ref needs glasses? Not anymore. Lasik company offers free procedures for referees
-
Technology1 week ago
Amazon’s Echo Spot alarm clock is on sale with a free color smart bulb
-
Sports5 days ago
All-Free-Agent Team: Closers and corner outfielders aplenty, harder to fill up the middle
-
News2 days ago
Herbert Smith Freehills to merge with US-based law firm Kramer Levin
-
Technology3 days ago
The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country