Wisconsin
‘Play is the work of a child’: Wisconsin parents back bill that would double daily recess
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A proposal at the state Capitol would require Wisconsin schools to increase daily recess time for students in kindergarten through sixth grade, with supporters saying more opportunities for unstructured play could improve focus, behavior and overall well-being.
Assembly Bill 810 would require public schools to provide 60 minutes of recess each school day for K-6 students, doubling the amount many schools currently offer. The bill has been referred to the Legislature’s education committee.
The bill’s author, State Rep. William Penterman of Hustisford, said the proposal is based on research showing physical activity supports learning and child development.
“Especially younger kids, like our elementary kids, it’s so important that they get moving throughout the day,” Penterman said. “We’re trying to get our kids to learn and develop mentally, emotionally, but also physically.”
Penterman emphasized the bill is not intended to extend the school day or reduce instructional time. Instead, he said schools could restructure existing schedules to include more frequent movement breaks.
“We’re not looking to expand the school day. Absolutely not,” Penterman said. “It’s already set. We’re going to leave it at that. It’s about increasing efficiencies.”
The proposal would give schools flexibility in how the time is scheduled, allowing recess to be broken into multiple shorter periods throughout the day.
“But 60 minutes of play a day — it could be three 20-minute recesses. It could be two 30-minute recesses,” Penterman said.
Parents in the Madison Metropolitan School District say concerns about limited recess became apparent once their children came home from school.
“I saw that we only had 30 minutes of recess at our school, and I felt like that wasn’t enough,” said Victoria Carey, a parent with a child in elementary school.
Carey said she initially assumed recess policies were determined by individual schools or districts, but later learned minimum requirements are set at the state level.
“So I looked into — is that our school’s policy? Is that our district’s policy?” Carey said. “And then I realized that it wasn’t either of those. Really, it was the state.”
Ally Grigg, another MMSD parent and former teacher, said a lack of movement during the school day can lead to challenges with emotional regulation and behavior at home.
“If that need is not being met at school, they come home, and my experience is my child frequently has meltdowns as soon as she gets home,” Grigg said. “A lot of times they have a lot of energy and they’re bouncing off the walls because they didn’t get that out during the day.”
Grigg and Carey are part of a parent-led advocacy effort ‘Say Yes to Recess’, pushing for increased recess time statewide. They say their goal is not to burden teachers or administrators, but to recognize play as a meaningful part of the learning process.
“They are great tinkerers, little scientists, as they’re referred to often,” Carey said. “And they do that through play. I think recess is a great opportunity for play to practice what they’re learning in the classroom and with each other.”
Carey said parents they’ve spoken with, including some educators, often share similar concerns, even if there are questions about how additional recess would fit into already packed schedules.
“Most of the reaction is very positive,” Carey said. “Everybody agrees that kids need recess. It’s really about finding the balance between instructional time and what kids need developmentally.”
Penterman said the bill was shaped after an earlier proposal focused on increasing overall physical activity faced pushback over concerns about unfunded mandates.
“So we kind of revamped it and looked at it,” he said. “What’s something we already have existing in place now that we can just expand?”
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction said it is in the process of analyzing the legislation and does not yet have an official position.
The bill is still early in the legislative process. Penterman said he hopes the proposal encourages broader discussion about how schools balance academic demands with students’ physical and mental health.
“Play is the work of a child,” Penterman said, quoting educator Maria Montessori. “And it’s so important to their development.”
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Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 9, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 9 drawing
15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 2-4-4
Evening: 8-4-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 7-3-4-7
Evening: 3-3-5-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 9 drawing
Midday: 03-04-05-06-07-09-12-13-14-16-19
Evening: 03-08-09-12-13-14-15-17-20-21-22
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 9 drawing
05-14-18-25-27
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from May 9 drawing
02-09-16-28-32-35, Doubler: Y
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks numbers from May 9 drawing
02-20-36-39-40-41
Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **
WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office
FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. – Two people from Illinois were arrested following a police chase that started in Fond du Lac County and ended in Winnebago County on Friday, May 8.
Initial traffic stop
What we know:
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, just after 1 p.m. the sheriff’s office got an alert for a stolen vehicle out of Illinois heading northbound on I-41 from County Road Y.
It was learned that the vehicle was involved in two different police chases in the past week in Illinois, but had eluded officers each time.
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A short time later, a deputy spotted the vehicle on I-41 near Winnebago Street. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle northbound, waiting for more deputies to get into position to attempt a high-risk traffic stop. Once those deputies were in position, a high-risk traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle initially pulled over and stopped, but right after deputies got out of their squad cars and started telling the people to get out of the vehicle, it instead fled northbound on I-41.
Chase into Winnebago County
What we know:
The chase went into Winnebago County, with the vehicle failing to pullover and instead speeding up. As the chase continued, the vehicle continued driving recklessly, passing by other vehicles on the interstate, including passing on the shoulder and weaving between vehicles, all at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle exited I-41 and ran three red lights. The chase continued southbound on State Highway 26, with the vehicle continuing to pass vehicles at a high rate of speed on the two-lane highway.
The vehicle then went off the road and drove through the yard of a home before circling around in the yard, traveling through the ditch, and reentering the highway going northbound. It then went into a field near County Road Z and Clay Road.
As a sergeant with the sheriff’s office was moving in to perform a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver), the suspect vehicle went into reverse and rammed the front of the squad. The vehicle then attempted to leave the field by traveling through a ditch and back up onto the road, where another sheriff’s squad ended the chase by intentionally striking the vehicle and pushing it off the road and back into the ditch.
The vehicle rolled over in the ditch, came to rest upright, but was then disabled and could not move. Two people got out of the vehicle and were taken into custody. The vehicle started on fire and a fire department had to respond to extinguish the fire. Both people from the vehicle were evaluated by medical personnel on scene.
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Facing charges
What we know:
The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old man from Des Plaines, Illinois. He was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:
- Fleeing/Eluding an Officer
- 1st-Degree Reckless Endangering Safety (2 Counts)
- Resisting/Obstructing Officer
- Delivering Illegal Articles by Inmate (Ecstasy Pills).
The driver’s criminal history in Illinois was flagged as armed and dangerous with previous weapons offenses, dangerous drug offenses, and criminal damage to property.
The passenger of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old woman from Franklin Park, Illinois. She was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:
- Fleeing/Eluding—Party to a Crime
- 1st Degree Reckless Endangering Safety—Party to a Crime
- Possession of THC
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Resisting and Obstructing an Officer
The Source: The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office sent FOX6 a press release.
Wisconsin
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, has been accused of starving her autistic stepdaughter.
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.
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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