Wednesday, 12.26
Marsh Shapiro, owner of the Nitty Gritty Bar and a former WKOW-TV anchor, dies after a long battle with cancer. Read Fred Milverstedt's tribute on TheDailyPage.com.
Authorities charge Capitol protester Jeremy "Segway" Ryan, 24, with receiving stolen property after his mother allegedly finds the jacket of a Capitol police officer in his apartment while cleaning it for him.
Thursday, 12.27
Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne announces that Madison police officer Stephen Heimsness will not face criminal charges for killing Paul Heenan on Nov. 9 while responding to a call about a possible home invasion. Heenan had a blood-alcohol level of .208 and had charged Heimsness on the 500 block of South Baldwin Street after the officer found him struggling with a neighbor. Heimsness could still face discipline from the department.
The Wisconsin Claims Board announces it will compensate William Avery $25,000 for six years he spent in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Avery was wrongfully convicted of killing a prostitute in 1998 but cleared in 2010 with DNA evidence. However, the board denies any compensation for Forest Shomberg, who was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and later cleared with DNA evidence. Shomberg was freed in 2009 after serving six years in prison.
Consumer Reports and the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality rank Dean Clinic doctors the third best in the state, tied with two other doctors groups among the state's 19. UW Health ranked seventh in the state.
Friday, 12.28
Supreme Court Justice Pat Roggensack submits petitions to run for reelection on the state Supreme Court and tells reporters that the court is working "just fine." Roggensack faces two opponents in the election for a 10-year term.
Saturday, 12.29
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that UW Hospital has bought the Best Western InnTowner Hotel, 2424 University Ave., for $14.5 million. In an attempt to reduce hospital admissions, the hotel will house patients preparing for surgeries, undergoing longer treatments or recovering.
Tuesday, 1.1
The UW Badgers football squad loses its third straight Rose Bowl, this time to Stanford, 20 to 14. It's the first Rose Bowl loss for UW athletic director Barry Alvarez, who came out of coaching retirement after Bret Bielema left for a job at Arkansas.
The Associated Press reports that state Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) will try to criminalize some first drunk-driving offenses and establish mandatory sentencing requirements. A similar proposal failed last session.
McFarland firefighters find two bodies inside a burning car at Holscher Road and Prairie Wood Drive. Foul play is not suspected.
Compiled, in part, from local media