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Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer active in Wisconsin politics, is shot at Utah event

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Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer active in Wisconsin politics, is shot at Utah event


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A prominent conservative activist who has campaigned heavily in Wisconsin in recent election cycles was shot Wednesday, prompting state Republicans to call for prayers across the state.

Charlie Kirk, leader of Turning Point USA, was shot during a question-and-answer session with students at an event held on Utah Valley University’s campus. Utah Valley University was the latest stop on Kirk’s The American Comeback Tour with his organization. The event was scheduled for 12 p.m. local time on Sept. 10.

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“Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk, the students in attendance, and our first responders. There’s no place for political violence,” Republican candidate for governor Josh Schoemann said in a post on X.

Details of the shooting, including a motive, has not yet been released by police. Kirk’s shooting comes about a year after President Donald Trump was shot at a rally ahead of his reelection in November 2024.

Aubrey Laitsch, the public relations manager for Turning Point USA told CNN Kirk was in a hospital but did not release any other details about his condition.

U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a Republican who represents the 3rd Congressional District, said “this leftwing political violence must stop now.” “I am praying fervently for @charliekirk11 and his family,” Van Orden said in a post on X. “Whoever does not condemn this is part of the problem. The gloves are off.”

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Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming said in a statement that the “political violence that we have seen in recent years must come to an end.””We at WisGOP are holding Charlie Kirk in our thoughts and prayers. As Americans, we need to stand against these violent attacks,” he said.

State Sen. Julian Bradley, a Republican from New Berlin, said “Political violence is against everything our country stands for.”

“We settle our disagreements through discourse and debate. Choosing violence is never the answer!!! Join me in praying for Charlie.” he wrote on X.

Democrats condemned the shooting, too.”There is no two ways about this: political violence has no place in America. I am keeping Charlie and his family in my thoughts in this truly horrifying moment,” U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison, said in a post on X.

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Kelda Roys, a Democratic state senator who is expected to run for governor in 2026, said, “I don’t agree with Charlie Kirk on virtually anything, but I fully support his right to speak freely. “Violence is NEVER an acceptable way to solve our political disputes.”

Ben Wikler, the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said political violence “deserves universal condemnation, every time.”

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a Democrat who this week announced a campaign for governor, said “there is no justification for political violence—period.”

“What happened to Charlie Kirk in Utah is unacceptable. We don’t have to agree, but we must reject hate and violence in every form,” Crowley said.

Kirk’s organization Turning Point began as a youth-focused group active on college campuses and has since expanded its voter outreach operations, particularly in Wisconsin. The group was criticized earlier this year by some state Republicans for attempting to have more influence in how Republicans handle campaigns.

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Kirk has been present in Wisconsin during past campaign seasons in the battleground state. He and Donald Trump Jr. visited Oconomowoc in March to rally for Brad Schimel, a conservative state Supreme Court candidate who lost the race.

He also delivered remarks at the 2024 Republican National Convention held in Milwaukee and appeared at events for conservatives around the city during the week-long event.

Kirk visited the University of Wisconsin-Madison in September 2024 as the first stop on his “You’re Being Brainwashed” tour, according to the Daily Cardinal, a student newspaper at the university.

About 150 people attended that event, where Kirk debated with students on issues like abortion, gay marriage and affirmative action. No counter-protestors were present, according to the Badger Herald, another newspaper at the university.

Other conservative speakers that visited the campus in previous years, including Matt Walsh, which drew protests and vandalism on university property.

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The College Republicans chapter at UW-Madison in a statement said Kirk’s work has “injected life into the conservative movement and made free thinkers on campus feel that they are not alone.”

“Charlie Kirk has dedicated his life to changing the culture and helping young conservatives make a difference on college campuses,” the chapter said.

This is a developing story and will update.



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Stepmom from hell accused of starving 35-pound teen daughter enters plea — could spend the rest of her life behind bars

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Stepmom from hell accused of starving 35-pound teen daughter enters plea — could spend the rest of her life behind bars


The Wisconsin stepmother from hell accused of abusing her 35-pound 14-year-old daughter by depriving her of food and water has entered a no-contest plea in the twisted case.

Melissa Goodman, 52, now faces up to 46 years in prison if she’s handed the maximum sentence for charges of chronic neglect causing great bodily harm, chronic neglect causing emotional damage and false imprisonment.

She’s set to be sentenced on July 1.

Goodman, along with husband Walter Goodman, have been accused of starving her autistic stepdaughter. Outagamie County Jail

Goodman, along with husband Walter Goodman, has been accused of starving her autistic stepdaughter.

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Goodman’s daughter Savanna Goodman and her girlfriend Kayla Stemler were also charged over the alleged abuse, People reported.

The family is accused of locking the teen in a bedroom without a mattress, restricting her to only her room for years and depriving her of food and water, according to Wisconsin prosecutors.

The mobile home they lived in became a house of horrors for the teenager, who was mistaken for a 6-year-old when she was found by cops in August 2025 and rushed to the hospital.

Walter Goodman, the victim’s father, called 911 to report that his daughter was lethargic and ill.

Responding officers found her weighing just 35 pounds; she was hospitalized with multi-organ dysfunction, including respiratory failure and pancreatitis.

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Melissa Goodman
Walter Goodman, the victim’s father, called 911 to report that his daughter was lethargic and ill. WBAY TV-2 | Green Bay, WI/YouTube

From 2020 until August 2025, the victim, whose name is not disclosed because she is a minor, was allegedly isolated in a trailer on Hattie Lane, in Oneida, Wisconsin.

Extended family members were told she was away on vacation or with other relatives to explain her absence.



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‘Song Sung Blue’ subject Claire Sardina playing Wisconsin State Fair

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‘Song Sung Blue’ subject Claire Sardina playing Wisconsin State Fair


When “Song Sung Blue” – the biopic about Milwaukee Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning & Thunder – had a premiere at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee last December, star Hugh Jackman gave Claire Sardina (played in the film by Kate Hudson) an engraved bench honoring Lighting & Thunder to be installed at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

In August, Sardina will get to have a seat on that bench – and sing again on a State Fair stage.

Sardina will perform with tribute act So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience Aug. 9 at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater, the largest stage at the fair featuring free concerts with admission.

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For Sardina, it will be a return to a place central to Lighting & Thunder. The band performed in the Milwaukee area from 1989 until Mike Sardina, aka Lightning, passed away in 2006. The State Fair was one of their favorite places to play, and the couple got married there in 1994.

The couple’s wild story – from a performance at a Pearl Jam Summerfest concert to major health issues – was the subject of the documentary “Song Sung Blue” that inspired the biopic, and earned Hudson an Oscar nomination for portraying Claire Sardina.

Fair officials May 8 revealed the full headliner lineup for the stage, which includes:

  • Aug. 6: Sixteen Candles
  • Aug. 7 and 8: Here Come The Mummies
  • Aug. 10 and 11: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
  • Aug. 12: Hairbangers Ball
  • Aug. 13: Too Hype Crew
  • Aug. 14: The Gufs
  • Aug. 15: Let’s Sing Taylor – An Unofficial Live Tribute Show
  • Aug. 16: Pat McCurdy

All Bank Five Nine Amphitheater concerts are included with fair admission.

The lineup is also nearly complete for the Bank Five Nine Main Stage, with just a show on Aug. 11 to be announced.

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Tickets are on sale for these shows at wistatefair.com and include same-day fair admission:

  • Aug. 6: Hairball
  • Aug. 7: Nelly
  • Aug. 8: Bailey Zimmerman with Chandler Walters
  • Aug. 9: Wynonna Judd and Melissa Etheridge
  • Aug. 10: For King + Country with Rachel Lampa
  • Aug. 12: John Mulaney
  • Aug. 13: The All-American Rejects with Joyce Manor
  • Aug. 14: Lindsey Stirling with PVRIS
  • Aug. 15: AJR with Em Beihold
  • Aug. 16: The Beach Boys



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Wisconsin universities and schools impacted by Canvas data breach

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Wisconsin universities and schools impacted by Canvas data breach


WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW/GRAY NEWS) – A ransomware group has claimed to have breached the learning management system Canvas, possibly exposing the personal information of students, teachers and staff across the country.

According to a statement from the Universities of Wisconsin website, they were notified of a nationwide security breach experienced by Instructure, the provider of Canvas. Universities of Wisconsin schools use the cloud-based management system.

UW-Stevens Point tells NewsChannel 7 they have not confirmed UWSP was involved in the breach, but did send communication that Canvas was down and students should not perform any asked actions if prompted, as it may not be legitimate while Canvas is down.

Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, posted on May 1 about a cybersecurity incident that had been reported and was under investigation.

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The next day, Chief Information Security Officer Steve Proud wrote that the information involved in the attack included names, student ID numbers, messages between users and email addresses.

“At this time, we have found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were involved. If that changes, we will notify any impacted institutions,” he wrote.

The Wausau School District sent a letter to parents Wednesday regarding the cybersecurity incident. They said there is no evidence that passwords, single-sign-on credentials, financial information or social security numbers were impacted. They stressed that type of information is not stored in Canvas.

Wausau School District email to parents regarding Canvas data breach(WSAW)

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