Wisconsin
Waukesha apartment arson, West Bend woman committed
WAUKESHA, Wis. – The West Bend woman accused of setting a fire at her mother’s Waukesha apartment building has been committed to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for 25 years.
Alexandra Steinmetz, 30, was found guilty of arson but not guilty due to mental disease/defect. Additional charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety were dismissed.
Firefighters were called to the fire near St. Paul and Fairview on Oct. 7, 2021. According to a criminal complaint, multiple people who lived in the apartment building evacuated before firefighters arrived on the scene.
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The complaint indicates the fire started near a rug that was on an enclosed porch. It was apparent to one officer that “the rug was clearly burned with a towel on top of it.” The officer was unable to find any articles that would indicate a cigarette butt or anything else was used to start the fire, and nobody at the scene had information that would indicate how it started either.
The same day as the Waukesha fire, the complaint states “approximately 17 fires” had been set in the Children’s Wisconsin parking lot in Wauwatosa. Detectives met the next day regarding those fires, and surveillance footage “recorded a vehicle being driven by a woman, as being the individual who was setting these fires.” A check on the license registration shows it was registered to Steinmetz and her mother.
Detectives spoke with the mother about the fires set in Wauwatosa. The mother showed law enforcement text messages between her and Steinmetz that were “confrontational.”
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Almost a week after the fires, detectives requested a search warrant for Steinmetz’s address in West Bend. Prior to executing that search warrant, detectives received information from Wauwatosa police that “they had conducted a search of the defendant’s vehicle” and a “strong odor of gasoline” was coming from inside.
Steinmetz was taken into custody and shown photos from Children’s Wisconsin. The complaint states she “acknowledged that the vehicle in the photos was hers and that it was her in the photos,” but she couldn’t remember anything else.
Later that month, during a conversation between Steinmetz and a detective, the complaint states she admitted to setting the hospital fires and also admitted to setting fires at her mother’s Waukesha home. When asked how she set the fires, she said she used a towel and gasoline. She ended the conversation saying “she knew she had done wrong.”
Wisconsin
How much does a Thanksgiving meal cost in Wisconsin this year?
MILWAUKEE – Some good news for Wisconsinites this year: According to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, the traditional Thanksgiving meal will cost 2% less than last year.
According to the WFBF’s survey, the price tag for a typical Thanksgiving meal in Wisconsin is $57.61 this year. The survey tabulated the total cost at $58.86 a year ago.
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That meal includes turkey, green beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and more.
For comparison, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s survey of the same items showed a 5% decrease from 2023 with prices nationally at $58.08 this year.
Wisconsin
Minnesota leading nation in voter turnout, with Wisconsin still counting votes
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
The State Canvassing Board said 3,272,414 Minnesotans cast ballots in the 2024 general election, which is 76.41% of eligible voters in Minnesota.
According to the University of Florida, that’s the highest turnout rate in the country right now. Wisconsin, which is currently ranked second with a 76.37% turnout rate, is still working to certify its election results.
The turnout rate for Minnesota this election is slightly lower than the 2020 election, in which 79.96% of eligible voters in Minnesota voted.
On Thursday, the board certified the election results of contests for president, vice president, U.S. senate and the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota.
The board also approved plans for Monday’s recount in the race for Minnesota House District 14B and noted the publicly funded recount that took place Thursday in Scott County for House District 54A.
After all recounts are complete, the board will meet and certify the results of the two house races.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Weekend in a Minute: Trainfest, SnowGlobe Holiday Festival, Domes Holiday Parade and more
Winter has finally shown up here in southeastern Wisconsin and that might have you in the holiday spirit! Check out Adriana’s complete list of fun things to do for the entire family.
FRIDAY
2024 Holiday Folk Fair International
Exposition Center at the Wisconsin State Fair Park
8200 West Greenfield Avenue,
West Allis, WI 53214
Country Christmas Illuminated Walking Nights
The Ingleside Hotel
2810 Golf Road,
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers
Fiserv Forum
1111 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue,
Milwaukee, WI 53203
SATURDAY
Domes Holiday Parade
524 S Layton Blvd,
Milwaukee, WI 53215
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Marcus Performing Arts Center
929 N. Water Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Trainfest 2024
Baird Center
400 W. Wisconsin Avenue,
Milwaukee, WI 53203
SnowGlobe Holiday Festival
Franklin Field7035 S. Ballpark Drive,
Franklin, WI 53132
USS Beloit Commissioning
Veterans Park
1010 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive,
Milwaukee, WI 53202
SUNDAY
Paint Your Own Pet Bowl
Black Husky Brewing
909 E. Locust Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53212
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