Wednesday, Dec. 16
Gov. Scott Walker signs into law bills dismantling the state’s Government Accountability Board and overhauling campaign finance rules. Unlike most bill signings, this one is done in private.
Thursday, Dec. 17
As the Walker administration is facing criticism for blocking public access to “transitory records,” two former members of the governor’s cabinet tell the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism that the administration had a policy of communicating through private channels.
Friday, Dec. 18
Lisa Mitchell, a black transgender woman, is released from the Dane County Jail after being held there since May. The release comes after protests from the Young, Gifted and Black Coalition drew attention to her cause.
Saturday, Dec. 19
An altercation between teens at East Towne Mall results in one getting shot in the leg, which leads to panic in the mall that a mass shooting is underway. Madison Police put the mall on lockdown before allowing it to reopen after a few hours.
Monday, Dec. 21
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Hamilton Middle School discovered a time capsule buried in 1957 during a recent renovation.
Rep. Bob Gannon (R-Slinger) puts out a press release saying the shooting at East Towne Mall demonstrates the failure of “gun-free zones.” Gannon’s solution? Vigilantes. “Wisconsin does not have a death penalty law, but with significant practice and careful aim, law-abiding citizens can help clean our society of these scum bags.”
State Reps. Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) and Terese Berceau (D-Madison) are co-sponsoring a bill to restore shared governance at the UW, reestablishing faculty, staff and students as “active participants” in setting university policy.
