Wednesday, 2.11
Courtney M. Cowins, 28, surrenders to police and is tentatively charged with multiple offenses, including armed second-degree sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree reckless injury, for a savage beating and rape in December 2006. This occurs a day after Madison police enlisted the media's help in naming Cowins as a suspect. You're welcome.
The state Supreme Court affirms the appropriateness of actions taken by Madison attorney Stephen Hurley in his defense of businessman Gordon Sussman ("Report Clears Hurley But Not the Cops," 2/6/08). It even supports Hurley for suspecting Madison police might destroy evidence favorable to Sussman had he asked them to obtain it! For the court's order, see the related downloads at right.
Thursday, 2.12
A federal judge in Milwaukee strikes down the state's minimum mark-up law on gasoline. The law was meant to keep larger operators from using predatory low pricing to put smaller competitors out of business.
Saturday, 2.14
For (at least) the second time (so far) this month, a thief relieves a retail outlet of its cash register, at the Pier I at East Towne; on Feb. 4, a register was swiped from an east-side Open Pantry. The suspect descriptions don't match. Even non-great minds sometimes think alike.
Sunday, 2.15
Cambridge native Matt Kenseth wins the Daytona 500 - or, as it's being called, the Daytona 380, cut short by rain. Kenseth won with a back-up car after a year of poor showings. Take that, Brett Favre!
Jerry C. Vogt, 60, a local disabled-rights activist, dies after his car crashes into a tree on the city's east side.
Monday, 2.16
Dane County says it will buy nearly 400 acres for a new park in the town of Oregon from the family of former county Supv. Lyman Anderson, who died in 2005. Phase one is a 127-acre land buy for $1.5 million.
Tuesday, 2.17
Four local TV stations - Ch. 15, 3, 27 and 57 (yes there is a Ch. 57) - suspend analog broadcasts, terminating the feed to anyone still unprepared for this change after years of forewarning. The State Journal's front-pager: "Why Is Your TV Full of Static?" Um, those who don't know probably don't read the newspaper. Or watch TV.
In a low-turnout primary election, Tony Evers and Rose Fernandez make the cut for state school superintendent. Locally, Julie Genovese and Stephen Ehlke will square off for Dane County judge, and Bridget Maniaci will face Ald. Brenda Konkel. These and other match-ups will be on the April 7 general election ballot.
Gov. Jim Doyle lays out his budget, including tax hikes on smokers and the rich, cutting $900 million from state agency budgets and closing dozens of offices and service centers.
Some 3,200 members of the Wisconsin National Guard converge at the Coliseum before being shipped off to Iraq, the largest such deployment since World War II. Wasn't this thing supposed to be winding down?
Compiled (in part) from local media