Under $3 gas? It’s possible; Warmer temperatures expected; As war winds down, state takes big hit in federal-contract income; more briefs

Talk about it

Gas prices are heading downward in Wisconsin, and there’s a chance that regular unleaded could go below $3 a gallon for the first time in two years.

Pam Moen of the Wisconsin AAA told WKOW TV in Madison that it’s not out of the question that prices will dip below the $3 mark.

This morning, AAA’s statewide average is just over $3.32 a gallon for regular unleaded. That’s down almost a nickel from last Tuesday, and it’s seven cents cheaper than a month ago.

Milwaukeegasprices.com reports an average of $3.24 today in the state’s largest metro. That’s 13 cents less than a month ago. Milwaukee stations are charging as low as $3.16.

Experts say supplies exceed the demand in spite of shortages in the northeastern U.S. a month ago due to Hurricane Sandy.

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Warmer temperatures expected

It’s a little warmer than expected this morning in most of Wisconsin.

Only Superior and Osceola reported temperatures in the single digits as of 7 a.m. -- while the forecast called for readings below 10 degrees in about the northern half of the state.

Instead temps are in the teens and 20’s in the vast majority of Wisconsin. That’s mild considering the snow that fell Sunday and early Monday. The Eau Claire area got the most with Menomonie topping out at just over 16 inches.

Another light band of snow traveled across parts of the state this morning, and forecasters say all but far southern Wisconsin can expect some light flurries today.

Meanwhile, some of that heavy snow could start melting Wednesday with high temperatures expected in the low to mid-30’s statewide until Friday.

There’s a chance of snow or rain Saturday.

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As war winds down, Wisconsin takes big hit in federal-contract income

Wisconsin has suffered a big loss in the amount of money it gets from federal contracts.

The Wisconsin Procurement Institute said the state’s businesses received $3.4 billion in federal contracts in the last fiscal year which ended Sept. 30. That’s down a whopping 52% from the $7.2 billion they received in fiscal 2011.

As a result, Wisconsin is now 28th among the 50 states in the amount it receives in federal contracts – down from 22nd the previous year.

A major reason for the drop is that the war in Afghanistan is winding down. Preliminary figures show that the Army spent 75% less in Wisconsin this year than last.

The Oshkosh Corporation, famous for its military vehicles, saw its federal business drop from about $7 billion in 2010 to just under $4 billion this past year.

Aina Vilumsons, who heads the Procurement Institute, said the final figures for 2012 could go a little higher once all the agencies report their contracts. But she said the overall decline will not change, and more cuts appear to be on the way as Congress keeps slashing the federal budget.

The number of Wisconsin firms getting federal contracts dropped from about 2,950 last year to just under 2,400 in fiscal 2012.

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Judge: Parish funds off limits to priest-abuse victims

Those who are owed money in the Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy case will not get their hands on $35 million in parish investment funds.

Federal Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley said it was “fishy” that the Catholic Archdiocese transferred the funds to other accounts back in 2005 at a time when it was being sued for sexual abuse by its priests.

But Kelley ruled Monday that the Archdiocese never owned the money, and its 200 parishes either took the funds back or invested them in good faith. As a result, Kelley said the creditors could probably not recover the $35 million even if they could.

It’s the second major victory for the Archdiocese in the bankruptcy case it filed almost two years ago. Last week, Judge Kelley said the creditors could not touch the assets of the parishes themselves.

The committee for the creditors is expected to appeal the latest ruling. The creditors include almost 575 people who claim they were sexually abused by priests in Milwaukee Archdiocese.

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GAB: Cutting Election Day registration could costs millions

The state elections agency says it would cost millions of dollars to eliminate voter registrations at the polls on Election Day.

The Government Accountability Board says it would cost that agency $5.2 million once the change is made and almost another $2 million every two years after that.

That’s because the same-day registration exempts Wisconsin from federal voter registration laws. If the state system is eliminated, Reid Magney said the GAB would have to send federally required mailings to voters.

And he says same-day registration would not be totally eliminated because the federal law would still let Wisconsinites register their name and address changes at the polls if they had not moved to a new community.

It’s also been reported that Wisconsin would have to adopt a “motor voter” system in which people can register at other offices when they apply for a driver’s license or public benefits.

Magney said his report does not include what other agencies might have to spend, but that information’s coming.

Gov. Scott Walker has said he wants to see an end to Wisconsin’s 36-year-old policy of same-day voter registrations. Two GOP lawmakers are seeking sponsors for a bill to make the change.

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Wisconsin slips in ‘healthiest’ ratings

More states are becoming healthier than Wisconsin.

The United Health Foundation says the Badger State ranked 16th in the overall health of its residents this year. That’s down from 12th a year ago.

The report gives Wisconsin high marks in some areas, including the nation’s top high school graduation rate at 91%.

The state also has the nation’s sixth-lowest percentage of uninsured residents and it has the 11th-lowest rate for diabetes.

But the Health Foundation says Wisconsin also has the country’s highest rate for binge drinking, and it has the highest obesity rate for African Americans, at just under 50%.

Also, Wisconsin has the largest increase in the percentage of kids living in poverty – 21% this year, compared to 13% in 2011. And Wisconsin spends the lowest per person on public health functions.

The report says Americans are living longer due to medical advances, but unhealthy behavior and preventable illnesses still threaten the nation’s quality of life.

Vermont is the healthiest state in this year’s rankings. Mississippi and Louisiana are tied as the least healthy.

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Air bags obstruct driver’s view

Police say a suspected drunk driver they stopped early Sunday was having a hard time driving.

Not only do they think she was impaired, she also couldn’t see because the air bags had deployed in her car.

Kelly Rodger, 26, of Madison faces several charges. She was initially pulled over for speeding, but then she tried to get away.

Officers say she ran a red light, drove over two curbed embankments and, at some point, activated the side airbags. An officer reached around the airbag and pulled Rodger from the car.

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Woman gets 7-year sentence for buying heroin that killed friend

A 20-year-old Waukesha County woman will spend just over seven years in prison for providing the heroin that killed a long-time friend from Hartland.

Kandice Essmann of Oconomowoc must also spend seven years under extended supervision once she’s no longer behind bars.

Authorities said Essmann bought heroin for her and Dustin Williams in July of last year, and they took the drug at his house. After she left, authorities said she dumped the needles along a roadside.

Essmann pleaded no contest in October to reckless homicide. Waukesha County Circuit Judge William Domina sentenced her to eight years in prison, but she was given credit for 220 days she spent in jail during her court case.

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Fewer youngsters smoking

Smoking is at an all-time low by Wisconsin’s middle and high school youngsters, according to an annual survey released Monday by two state agencies.

Thirteen percent of high school students say they’ve smoked cigarettes, and 2.5% of middle school youngsters also admit to it. That’s down from the previous survey in 2010, which showed that 5% more high school students smoked as did 1.5% more middle schoolers.

The new numbers come from the 2012 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the state departments of Public Instruction and Health Services.

It shows that the numbers of smokers are way down from 2000 when 33% of high school youngsters admitted smoking, along with 12% of middle school students.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids says there’s been a welcome decline. It means that about 200,000 fewer Wisconsin children will become smokers as adults.

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Some areas seeing cut-your-own tree shortages

Wisconsin families are just now finding out that the drought did a lot of damage to the state’s supply of Christmas trees.

Many tree lots still have good supplies, but those who like to chop their own are seeing a harsh reality. The state Agriculture Department said over one of every five Christmas tree farms in the state was damaged by the lack of precipitation.

State inspectors said 97 fields of the 446 they inspected had some kind of drought damage. Just over 210 people own those businesses.

Much of the damage was in southern Wisconsin, which had the most severe drought conditions in the state this summer.

Christopher Deegan of the agriculture department of plant protection division said over 40% of Christmas trees died in the Central Sands counties of Adams, Marquette, Waushara and Waupaca.

John Riehle of Dousman figures that he lost 90% of his plantings from the last three years, and he’ll have to burn damaged trees that are over four feet tall.

UW-Extension forestry specialist John DuPlissis said the upcoming winter could also produce a major killing of Christmas trees – depending on their condition when they go into dormancy.

Wisconsin is the nation’s fifth-largest Christmas tree producer. Almost one million trees are normally harvested each year on 1,100 tree farms.

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Work begins to get hospitalized boy back in school

School officials in Kimberly will meet today with the family of Charlie Knuth to discuss the possibility of getting him re-enrolled there.

The six-year-old boy has been hospitalized for months in Minneapolis where he received a second stem cell transplant in July to treat a rare skin disease known as EB.

Charlie’s family lives at Darboy in the Kaukauna School District. He was taking classes at Kimberly as part of the state’s open enrollment program, but he lost his place there during the time he was hospitalized.

His mother met with the Kimberly School Board last night. Superintendent Bob Mayfield told WLUK TV in Green Bay that he wanted Charlie to return, but he had to follow the state’s enrollment rules.

Still, Mayfield said there’s an exception that could be explored. He’ll discuss it with the family today.

This is not the first time that Charlie’s had to face bureaucratic red tape. State Medicaid officials had refused to pay for his initial operation, calling it an experimental treatment. But the state changed its mind after officials that included Congressman Steve Kagen went to bat for the youngster.

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Third candidate announces for Supreme Court seat

Marquette law professor Ed Fallone has become the third person to announce his candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court next spring.

Fallone said promises to be fair and impartial if he’s elected. He said he’s running at the request of people around the state who believe the Supreme Court is dysfunctional.

Incumbent Justice Pat Roggensack plans to seek another 10-year term on the state’s highest court. Milwaukee Lemon Law attorney Vince Megna is also running. Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi has also said she’s considering a bid.

If three or more candidates file enough valid nominating signatures to get their names on the ballot, a primary will be held in mid-February. The two top vote-getters would then advance to the general election in April.

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Snowmobile trails starting to open

If you’re anxious to ride your snowmobile, trails are starting to open in the wake of the weekend’s heavy snows.

In Eagle River, Vilas County officials said their state-funded snowmobile trails were to open at noon Monday. State tourism officials say trails are also opening up in Bayfield, Douglas and Burnett counties.

Up to 10 inches of snow fell in parts of far northern Wisconsin Sunday and Monday morning.

Vilas County officials urged snowmobilers to watch for icy patches, wet stretches and other rough spots in low-lying areas.

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