12.26 Wednesday
A fire causes at least $25,000 in damage to Subzero Freezer Company's warehouse on Hammersley Road. No one is injured in the blaze, which is doused by sprinklers.
12.27 Thursday
The state's Medicaid director reveals that a new computer system will cost $64.2 million - twice what was expected. The federal government will pay for 90% of the cost. The system likely won't be ready until October, nearly two years after its initial projected finish date.
12.28 Friday
J.D. Barber, a longtime morning disc jockey for Z104 and Q-106 in the '80s and '90s, dies of a heart attack. He was 65.
12.29 Saturday
Sun Prairie attorney Charlie Schutze withdraws from Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Schutze, 57, says two upcoming surgeries will prevent him from campaigning. He would have faced incumbent Louis Butler and Burnett County Circuit Judge Michael Gableman in a Feb. 19 primary.
Dane County District Attorney Tim Kiefer joins the race for state Rep. Dave Travis' seat. Travis, a Democrat who represents Madison's northeast side, is retiring after nearly 30 years in the Assembly. Three other Democrats have also announced: legislative aide Justin Sargent, pro-choice advocate Kelda Helen Roys and Mike Ryan Jr.
12.30 Sunday
A house fire on Cedar Street on the south side kills one man and injures a woman. The cause is under investigation. The death brings the total of people killed in fires in Madison to five in 2007.
1.1 Tuesday
Samariah Dickson, born at 2:01 a.m., is Madison's first baby of the new year.
The state's new tax hike on cigarettes kicks in. Smokers will now pay $1.77 in taxes per pack, an increase of $1. The tax will fund $30 million in statewide anti-smoking campaigns.
The UW Badgers lose to Tennessee, 21-17, in the Outback Bowl. UW coach Bret Bielema criticizes the game's officials for poor calls.
The city of Madison barely misses setting a record for snowfall in the month of December. Despite having a snowstorm practically every day, the city got just 33.4 inches of snow in December, short of the 35 inches that fell in 2000.
1.2 Wednesday
James Warren leaves his job of 10 years as head of the state's Division of Criminal Investigation. In a recent email to staff, Warren said his tenure under state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has been "very difficult," and he didn't expect things to improve.
Dane County Judge Steven Ebert denies Scott Jensen's request to move his re-trial to Waukesha County. Jensen, the former state Assembly speaker charged with misconduct in office, had requested the move. Ebert says the judge assigned to Jensen's trial could revisit the decision.
Compiled from local media
