Thursday 3.15
A 30-year-old woman is sexually assaulted in her town of Madison home by a stranger who forced his way inside. Police are looking for the suspect, described as Asian or Hispanic, between 20 and 25 years old.
Saturday 3.17
Lance Cpl. Harry Timberman, 20, of Minong dies from battle wounds in Iraq. He is the 70th soldier from Wisconsin to die in the war.
Sunday 3.18
The Recording Industry Association of America sends a letter to UW System President Kevin Reilly and UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, saying that 68 people in the UW System may be sued for downloading music. The UW-Madison had earlier declined to pass along 'pre-litigation' warning letters to those who used its computer system to download music.
A Dane County jury finds Elwin Serate-Andino, 30, of Madison, and Luis Estrada-Jimenez, 31, of Puerto Rico, guilty of first-degree murder. The men are the third and fourth persons to be convicted in the shooting death of 20-year-old Alex Ortiz in 2003. A drug dealer wanted Ortiz killed, saying he stole drugs and money.
Monday 3.19
More than 100 residents pack a meeting of the Madison school board, many of them east-side residents opposing a proposal to consolidate Marquette and Lapham elementary schools. The school board will vote on the proposal next month.
The Monona City Council votes 4-1 to offer domestic partner benefits to nonunion city staff. Ald. Dale Suslick dissents.
Madison Police Chief Noble Wray releases new statistics showing the city had 435 reported robberies last year, an increase of 32%. The overall crime rate, however, declined by about half a percent.
Tuesday 3.20
The Madison Common Council creates a committee to study full public financing of municipal elections. The council also approves $4.9 million in tax-incremental financing for the Union Corners development on the east side.
The Dane County Humane Society reaches a deal with Robbie Lowery over the fate of 47 pit bulls seized from Lowery's town of Dunn farm last summer. Under the settlement, the Humane Society will pay Lowery $9,000 for ownership of all the dogs. Many of the animals have behavioral problems and will be euthanized. The Humane Society estimates it's spent $200,000 caring for the dogs.
Wednesday 3.21
LaMarr Billups, special assistant to the UW-Madison chancellor, announces he's leaving to accept a job at Georgetown University.
Compiled from local media