• Minneapolis-area center Jack Thelen committed to the Badgers on June 13.
• Thelen, a 7-foot-1 center, received his first high-major scholarship offer from Wisconsin on June 10.
• Wisconsin’s 2027 class also includes in-state standout Jalen Brown.

Wisconsin men’s basketball has quickly gone from zero commitments to two in its 2027 recruiting class.

Eight days after in-state star Jalen Brown’s commitment, Minneapolis-area center Jack Thelen committed to the Badgers as well, he announced via Instagram on June 13.

Thelen’s choice of the Badgers followed UW’s scholarship offer on June 10. It was his first reported offer from a high-major program. His other offers included Miami (Ohio), Murray State and Montana.

The 7-foot-1, 235-pound center is from Maple Grove, Minnesota, which also is where UW alum Brad Davison went to high school. Thelen is high school and AAU teammates with fellow 2027 recruiting target Baboucarr Ann. Thelen does not have a rating yet from 247 Sports or Rivals.

UW now has two commitments in its 2027 class, which is ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 12th nationally by 247 Sports. Rivals has similarly ranked the class fifth in the Big Ten and 18th nationally.

A St. Paul man convicted in Wisconsin’s 2004 tree stand killings has died in custody.

Wisconsin corrections officials said Friday that 57-year-old Chai Vang died at a hospital.

Vang was serving six life sentences in the case.

The shootings happened Nov. 21, 2004, on private hunting land south of Hayward near Exeland. Six hunters were killed and two others were wounded.

Prosecutors said the group confronted Vang for trespassing before he opened fire. Vang claimed he acted in self-defense.

A jury convicted him in 2005 of six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and three counts of attempted homicide.

Sunday is Flag Day — and in the small Ozaukee County community of Waubeka, Wisconsin, it is more than just another day on the calendar. It is recognized by Congress as the birthplace of Flag Day.

Neighbors are already getting ready for the big day, cutting grass and touching up fences ahead of the celebration.

John Finch owns the town’s Stony Hill Pub and Grill and knows firsthand how much the day means to the community.

“Flag Day is just a day for the community to all come together,” Finch said.

Watch: Waubeka, Wisconsin, celebrates Flag Day as the birthplace of an American tradition

Waubeka, Wisconsin celebrates Flag Day as the birthplace of an American tradition.

The tradition draws visitors from far beyond Waubeka’s borders.

“People come from all over, and people that used to live here and moved away, they come back every year for it,” Finch said.

It all started at the one-room Stony Hill School, where Bernard J. Cigrand gave his students an assignment on June 14, 1885.

David Janik, President of the National Flag Day Foundation, described how it began.

“He set a 38-star flag, in an inkwell on a desk, and had them write an essay on what the flag means to me, an exercise that we still carry on today,” Janik said.

The birth of the American flag dates back to June 14, 1777. The tradition of honoring the flag is rooted in this rural Ozaukee County community, which is home to a museum that tells the story of those who served and their famous schoolteacher.

June 14 is packed with events, including a parade featuring more than 100 units.

“After the patriotic program, we’ll have over a 100-unit parade go through Waubeka, including our Waubeka Fire Department, which you met earlier today,” Janik said.

The fire department also showed off their 40 by 60 foot flag that will fly on Sunday.

Flag Day kicks off with a military tribute, followed by a patriotic parade at 1:30 p.m. through downtown Waubeka.

Sunday’s celebration will be held at the Flag Day Foundation Americanism Center, 4200 Valley View Drive in Waubeka. Events include:

10:00 a.m. Veteran/Honored Guests Sign In, Welcome Reception, VIP Package, Drawings
Prior to 1:00 p.m. Parade Line-Up – Check in with Parade Team
10:00a.m Food Stands & Trucks (No service during the program)
11:00 a.m. Music Prelude under the Pavilion
11:30 a.m. Uplifting Program, Essay Contest Winners, Guest Speakers, VIP Drawing
1:30 p.m. Patriotic Parade thru Waubeka
3:00 p.m. Family Day Events, Museums Open, Special Displays, Music, Games, Prizes
5:00 p.m. Live Music by “Liquid Crush”
9:00 p.m. Famous Fireworks

This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error