Wolves and Championship rivals Fulham are locked in a tug-of-war after both put in bids for Derby striker Chris Martin.
Wanderers had a £5million offer for Martin rejected by the Rams earlier in the window and have maintained their interest.
Cottagers’ boss Slavisa Jokanovic, meanwhile, has identified Martin as a personal target and is set to lose out on another striker in Asamoah Gyan, who is having a medical at Reading.
It is understood Derby are yet to give an official response to the two bids and are considering the offers.
Martin joined Derby in January 2013 on loan before joining the club permanently that summer on a free transfer. He has since scored 53 goals in 117 appearances.
One deal that has gone through at Molineux, however, is the signing of Bury goalkeeper Jack Ruddy.
Ruddy, 18, has penned a two-year-contract with the option of a third year and will initially join the club’s Under-23 squad.
He is a Scotland U19 international and joined Bury from Spanish side Real Murcia in 2014, going on to make one senior appearance for the Shakers.
“I’m over the moon to be here and to have joined such a big club with really big ambitions,” said Ruddy.
“I have really enjoyed my time at Bury and want to thank everyone there for what they have done for me but the interest from Wolves was always going to be very exciting.
“This is a club which has brought through goalkeepers like Matt Murray, Wayne Hennessey and Carl Ikeme , and that is a big thing to see that pathway for a young keeper coming through.’’

Wolves battling it out with Championship rivals to sign striker


Wolves and Fulham are battling it out to sign Derby striker Chris Martin


Theresa May holding the first Cabinet meeting of the new government
THERESA MAY TO MEET CABINET MINISTERS FOR BREXIT DISCUSSIONS
Theresa May is set to meet senior Cabinet ministers to discuss department-by-department Brexit action plans.
The meeting is due to take place at the Prime Minister's country retreat Chequers and working on the UK's divorce from Brussels will be at the top of the agenda.
Mrs May has tasked her colleagues with setting out the opportunities that leaving the European Union will create in each of their portfolios.
'UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATION' AGAINST PREGNANT WOMEN IN WORKPLACE
Urgent action is needed to give pregnant women and new mothers more protection at work, after research revealed a "shocking" increase in discrimination over the past 10 years, a parliamentary report has said.
MPs on the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee called for a German-style system which would ban employers from making women redundant during and after pregnancy except in specific exceptional circumstances.
The committee also called for a "substantial" cut in the £1,200 fee for women taking a pregnancy-related discrimination case to an employment tribunal, and said rights to paid time off for antenatal appointments should be extended to casual, agency and zero-hours workers.
BUSINESSES SHOW FLICKER OF CONFIDENCE AFTER POST-BREXIT VOTE SLUMP
Business confidence has shown signs of recovery from the slump seen in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, a report has revealed.
The Lloyds Bank business barometer found that UK business confidence dropped by 13 points to 16% in August, but remained higher than the reading taken in the days after Britain's voted to leave the European Union.
It said the net balance for companies expecting trading to improve slipped to its lowest level since December 2011, falling 22 points to 19% in August.
POLL BOOST FOR JEREMY CORBYN IN LABOUR LEADERSHIP BATTLE
Jeremy Corbyn has a 24-point lead over Owen Smith in the Labour leadership contest, according to a poll.
A YouGov survey for The Times of those entitled to vote in the contest puts the current Labour leader on 62% with Mr Smith trailing on 38%.
Mr Corbyn received just shy of 60% of the vote when he was elected to the job in September 2015.
CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS THREE 'WORRY ABOUT BEING FAT OR UGLY'
Children as young as three are showing signs of being unhappy with their appearance and bodies, a survey of childcare professionals has suggested.
Almost a third of nursery and school staff said they had heard a child label themselves fat while 10% said they had heard a child say they felt ugly.
Nearly a quarter said they had "seen signs" that children aged between three and five were "unhappy with their appearance or bodies" and this figure almost doubled to nearly half of six to 10-year-olds.
NINETEEN NHS TRUSTS TO REVIEW CHEMOTHERAPY OVER HIGH DEATH RATES
Nineteen hospital trusts have been told to review their cancer treatment after data showed too many patients died within a month of receiving chemotherapy.
The research, published in The Lancet Oncology Journal, found the trusts had higher rates of 30-day mortality after chemotherapy for lung and breast cancer than expected.
Age, general wellbeing and other factors affected the death rate following treatment, the study of more than 30,000 patients in England suggested.
ISLAMIC STATE SPOKESMAN 'KILLED IN SYRIA BY US AIR STRIKE'
Islamic State has said that its spokesman and senior commander has been killed while overseeing military operations in northern Syria.
The IS-run Aamaq news agency said Abu Muhammed al-Adnani was "martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns in Aleppo".
His death, if confirmed, would be the latest blow to the group, which has been on the retreat in Syria and Iraq, where it declared a self-styled Islamic caliphate straddling both countries.
CHRIS BROWN ARRESTED IN LA ON SUSPICION OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON
Singer Chris Brown has been arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Chris Ramirez said Brown was being taken to central Los Angeles for booking after a lengthy search of Brown's home.
Baylee Curran told the Los Angeles Times that Brown pointed a gun at her face in his home early on Tuesday. She said another man at his home and Brown became angry with her when she admired the man's diamond necklace.
HOSTEL KNIFE ATTACK HERO TOM JACKSON NOMINATED FOR POSTHUMOUS BRAVERY AWARD
A British backpacker who died a week after he was stabbed trying to save a fellow traveller as she was attacked at an Australian hostel has been nominated for a posthumous bravery award.
Tom Jackson, 30, died a week after he was critically injured as he tried to shield Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, during a knife attack at Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill, Queensland.
Mr Jackson, from Congleton, Cheshire, died in Townsville hospital on Tuesday, and his family said they were "indescribably proud" of what he had done.
CHALLENGE TO DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE SIR CLIFF RICHARD IN ABUSE CASE
The decision not to press charges in the abuse case against Sir Cliff Richard is being reviewed.
The singer was the subject of a long-running South Yorkshire Police investigation which centred on sexual assault accusations dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men.
The 75-year-old was never arrested or charged and his case was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service in June on the grounds of insufficient evidence, but at the beginning of August an application under the victims' right to review scheme was lodged by an accuser, challenging the decision by the CPS not to pursue the case.

Morning news headlines: Theresa May to meet Cabinet Ministers for Brexit discussions; 'Unacceptable level of discrimination' against pregnant women in workplace


The latest news from Briton and around the world


Prime Minister Theresa May has set her face firmly against a second referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, telling Cabinet colleagues that "Brexit means Brexit" and there will be no attempt to stay in the EU "by the back door".
Mrs May was speaking at her country retreat Chequers as Cabinet met for the first time after the summer break.
As work continues on preparations for withdrawal negotiations, each Cabinet member has been told to use the meeting to set out what opportunities leaving the EU presents for their department.
Speaking at the start of the all-day meeting, Mrs May said: "We'll be looking at the next steps that we need to take, and we'll also be looking at the opportunities that are now open to us as we forge a new role for the UK in the world.
"We must continue to be very clear that 'Brexit means Brexit', that we're going to make a success of it. That means there's no second referendum; no attempts to sort of stay in the EU by the back door; that we're actually going to deliver on this."
Mrs May said "quite a lot of work" had already been done over the summer on preparing the way for exit negotiations under Article 50 of the EU treaties.
She told colleagues it was "a very significant moment for the country, as we look ahead to the next steps that we need to take".
The PM said: "We have the opportunity to forge a new positive role for the UK in the world, to make sure that we are that Government and country that works for everyone - that everyone can share in the country's prosperity.
"So there are challenges ahead but it's an important and significant moment for us and I think we have real opportunities to develop the United Kingdom and ensure that it does work for everyone in the UK."
Despite pressure from Leave supporters for a swift departure from the EU, Mrs May has already made clear she will wait at least until the end of this year before triggering the two-year process by invoking Article 50.
Downing Street indicated on Tuesday that she is unlikely to seek parliamentary approval before taking the step, saying only that MPs would be given "a say" on the process and declining to commit the Government to giving them a vote.
Former chancellor and Brexit campaigner Lord Lawson said Article 50 should be tabled as soon as possible and Britain should not "waste time trying to negotiate elaborately" a special trade deal with the EU.
"A long period of uncertainty is bad for the economy, bad for British business, and therefore the sooner this is sorted out the better," Lord Lawson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Conservative former business minister Anna Soubry - part of the Open Britain group being launched this week by supporters of the failed Remain campaign - said Britain should push for a deal that preserves access to the single market and free movement for EU citizens.
She told Today she would be "concerned about any plans to curb immigration" from Europe, which had "benefited our country, especially business".
Cabinet ministers meeting at Chequers are believed to be split over whether the UK should seek continued membership of the EU single market, which is likely to involve signing up to free movement as well as making financial contributions to Brussels budgets.
Mrs May stressed that the meeting would also focus on non-EU priorities like social reform and the economy.
"We're also going to talk this morning about social reform," she said. "We want to be a Government and a country that works for everyone, and we'll be talking about some of the steps that we need to take in order to build that society that works for everyone.
"And I want it to be a society where it's the talent that you have and how hard you're prepared to work that determines how you get on, rather than your background.
"We'll be having an update on the state of the economy. We'll be looking at how we can work to increase productivity - that's one of the key issues that we want to address. But also how we can get tough on irresponsible behaviour in big business - again making sure that actually everyone is able to share in the country's prosperity."
Labour shadow minister without portfolio Jonathan Ashworth said: "After six years of Tory Government, working people are feeling the pinch, public services are under pressure and the Tories have no plan to deal with the vote to leave Europe.
"Britain needs change but Theresa May and the Tories cannot deliver it. Their austerity agenda has failed working people, they have put the needs of the few over those of the many, and they have plunged Britain in to economic uncertainty post-Brexit due to their failure to plan for the outcome.
"As Theresa May heads for her Brexit brainstorm, she should focus on one item above all others: putting working people first for a change."

Theresa May rules out second EU referendum as she insists 'Brexit means Brexit'


Undated handout photo issued via a YouCaring page set up to help support the family of Thomas Jackson, who has died after being critically injured as he tried to save a fellow backpacker as she was stabbed in a knife attack in Australia
FATHER'S TRIBUTE AFTER BRITON WHO TRIED TO SAVE STABBED BACKPACKER DIES
The father of a British traveller has paid tribute to his "darling" son after he died from injuries suffered while trying to defend a fellow backpacker in a knife attack at an Australian hostel.
Tom Jackson, 30, died in a north Queensland hospital on Tuesday and his father, Les, was quoted on a Youcaring fundraising page set up to help the family.
He wrote: "We are bereft. Our darling Tom has left us and the world is a poorer place. Thanks again to everyone for the love and support you have given us over the last few days, we will be forever grateful."
HOME SECRETARY TO MEET FRENCH MINISTER AMID BORDER CONTROL AND JUNGLE FEARS
The Home Secretary will travel to Paris to meet her French counterpart amid growing fears the French could axe British border controls in Calais and send the Jungle camp to Dover.
Amber Rudd is due to discuss security with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve during the scheduled trip on Tuesday - her first official overseas engagement since taking up the post.
It comes after a growing number of prominent French politicians have warned that France might tear up the deal which allows British border checks to be carried out in Calais unless radical changes are made.
JEREMY CORBYN TO UNVEIL 'DIGITAL MANIFESTO' IN PITCH TO KEEP LABOUR LEADER'S JOB
Jeremy Corbyn will pledge to draw up a digital bill of rights as part of a new manifesto to promote and harness the internet as he continues to tour the country in his Labour leadership campaign.
Delivering a speech in London's East End tech capital, he will promise to "democratise the internet" and use it to create "the most visible general election campaign ever".
And he will highlight technical innovations made by his team, including the Canvassing App which was inspired by the Bernie Sanders campaign in the United States, as the way forward for political campaigning.
EVERY REGION BETTER OFF THAN LAST YEAR, RESEARCH FINDS
Every region in Britain is more prosperous than last year, with some areas emerging as challengers to London and the South East for affluence, a new report shows.
Wealth, spending or earnings rose across the country in the 12 months to April 2016, while jobless rates dropped, according Barclays' Prosperity Map.
The lender's report calculates regional scores based on an array of factors such as gross domestic product (GDP), house prices, charitable giving, working hours and average house prices.
WILLY WONKA ACTOR GENE WILDER DIES AGED 83
Willy Wonka star and "comic genius" Gene Wilder has died aged 83.
The Hollywood actor, known for roles in comedy classics such as Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, has been hailed as one of the "great talents" of his generation.
Wilder's nephew said he died at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, having suffered from Alzheimer's disease, the Associated Press reported.
FAILURE TO DELIVER ON EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS PLEDGES AFTER BREXIT WOULD BE 'BETRAYAL'
British workers could lose many of their employment rights after Brexit unless the Government draws up new laws to protect them, a senior Labour MP has warned.
Prominent Brexiteers rubbished claims made during the referendum campaign that leaving the EU would result in a bonfire of workers' rights.
But former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna has commissioned research by the House of Commons Library highlighting the EU laws that enshrine employment rights.
MOTHER'S DELIGHT AS CONJOINED TWIN DAUGHTERS PREPARE TO START SCHOOL
Conjoined twins who had a slim chance of survival are now preparing to go to school for the first time.
Rosie and Ruby Formosa, who were born joined at the abdomen and shared part of the intestine, needed an emergency operation to separate them when they were born in 2012.
Their parents, Angela and Daniel Formosa, were told the girls had a low chance of survival when medics discovered they were conjoined.
VAPING COULD POSE LONG-TERM DANGER TO THE HEART, CARDIOLOGIST WARNS
Vaping from electronic cigarettes could be as bad for the heart as smoking the real thing, scientists have warned.
A study found that a typical vaping session caused similar damage to the main artery in the heart as that suffered by those who smoked cigarettes.
The findings appear to fly in the face of advice from Public Health England (PHE), which last year said vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco and called for GPs to be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS to help people quit smoking.
BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT PROCLAIMS INNOCENCE AT IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
On what could be her last day as Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff mounted a forceful defence of her time leading Latin America's most populous nation.
She warned senators that ousting her would hurt a young democracy while defiantly promising to go down fighting in what many see as a losing battle.
Ms Rousseff, who has been suspended since May, delivered a 30-minute address on Monday at her impeachment trial in the Senate, and was then questioned by senators for more than 14 hours.
TAYLOR SWIFT REPORTS FOR JURY DUTY BUT IS ALLOWED TO AVOID RAPE CASE
Taylor Swift reported for jury service in the US but her request to be allowed to avoid an aggravated rape and kidnapping case was accepted.
A judge dismissed the pop star as a potential juror, Davidson County District Attorney General's Office spokesman Ken Whitehouse said.
He said: "She asked to be left off out of concern for an upcoming trial in Denver where she was - she used the term 'groped' - by a fan at a meet-and-greet."

Morning news headlines: Father's tribute after Briton who tried to save stabbed backpacker dies; Home Secretary to meet French Minister amid border control and jungle fears


The latest news from around Briton and the world


Until now, the Optima has only been available as a saloon. And no way has it been selling as well in Europe as it would be if there were an estate version on offer too.
The answer? Build an estate version. That’s what Kia has now done, and the company reckons it’s going to account for about 65% of Optima sales goign forward.
It’s called the Sportswagon, and it looks funky enough to warrant the title, but its style doesn’t come at the expense of practicality. There’s plenty of space in all the seats, as well as the load bay – 552 litres at worst, and a highly praiseworthy 1686 in full tip-run mode.
So it gets the family-hack basics right, and it feels as if it’s built to survive. The materials it’s trimmed out in are tough, even if they look about as exciting as… well, the materials in the Optima saloon.
Similarly, though, Kia remains as generous as ever with kit. Whichever model you buy, it’ll have nav as standard, and once you get to the top of the range the list will include cooled seats and an electric tailgate, as well as a raft of cutting-edge safety gear.
Something else you get with every model, however, is the familiar 1.7 CRDi engine. This is less noisy than it used to be, but it’s still short on refinement in general. You need to keep it on boost to maintain progress, too, which is easier said than done as output falls away alarmingly if you let it drop below the 1750rpm at which the full 251lb ft of torque arrives.
That problem goes away if you buy an Optima with the DCT auto box, which knows exactly when to kick down. This is unavailable on the entry-level 2 model, however; it’s optional on the mid-range 3, and standard on the top-spec GT-Line S.
On that subject, the Sportswagon range starts at £22,295 and climbs to £30,595.
So your money buys you a big, usable estate whose engine isn’t very nice. Aside from that it seems as pleasing to drive as you’ve a right to expect, with adequate performance and well controlled body movement to go with lasting grip and accurate if hardly electrifying steering.
That seems to add up to a wagon with the right stuff and a bit more on top. It seems to make most sense if you stick with the lower-priced models, however. The price of the top-spec version means it has some extremely talented opponents to knock down, but at the bottom of the range there’s not an awful lot else that can give you so much practicality for your money.
Kia Optima Sportswagon
On sale Autumn 2016; Price £22,295-£30,595; Engine 4 cyls, 1685cc, diesel; Power 139bhp at 4000rpm; Torque 251lb ft at 1750-2500rpm; Gearbox 6-spd manual; Kerb weight 1620kg; 0-60mph 9.8sec; Top speed 124mph; Economy 64.2mpg (combined); CO2 rating/tax band 113g/km, 19%


Kia adds an estate version to its Optima range – with slick looks and winning practicality but an engine that still can’t match the best


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Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in The Producers and the mad scientist of Young Frankenstein, has died. He was 83.
Wilder's nephew said on Monday that the actor and writer died late on Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement that Wilder was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, but kept the condition private so as not to disappoint fans.
"He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world," Mr Walker-Pearlman said.
Wilder started his acting career on the stage, but millions knew him from his work in the movies, especially his collaborations with Mel Brooks on The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. The last film - with Wilder playing a California-born descendant of the mad scientist, insisting that his name is pronounced Frahn-ken-Shteen - was co-written by Brooks and Wilder.
"Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time, is gone," Brooks wrote in a statement on Monday. "He blessed every film we did together with his special magic and he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed."
File photo dated 06/06/1996 of Willy Wonka star and "comic genius" Gene Wilder, who has died aged 83. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday August 30, 2016. The Hollywood actor, known for roles in comedy classics such as Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, has been hailed as one of the "great talents" of his generation. See PA story DEATH Wilder. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire
With his unkempt hair and big, buggy eyes, Wilder was a master at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only a madman such as Brooks could devise, whether reviving a monster in Young Frankenstein or bilking Broadway in The Producers. Brooks would call him: "God's perfect prey, the victim in all of us."
But he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozing gunslinger in Blazing Saddles or the charming candy man in the children's favourite Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. His craziest role: the therapist having an affair with a sheep in Woody Allen's Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex.
"The greatest comedic mind of my childhood is now gone," actor Josh Gad wrote on Twitter. "£RIP £GeneWilder & thank you 4 your pure imagination. This one hits hard."
Jim Carrey tweeted: "Gene Wilder was one of the funniest and sweetest energies ever to take a human form. If there's a heaven he has a Golden Ticket."
Wilder was close friends with Richard Pryor and their contrasting personas - Wilder uptight, Pryor loose - were ideal for comedy. They co-starred in four films: Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Another You. And they created several memorable scenes, particularly when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to "act black" as they tried to avoid police in Silver Streak.
But Wilder would insist in a 2013 interview that he was no comedian. He told interviewer Robert Osborne it was the biggest misconception about him.
"What a comic, what a funny guy, all that stuff! And I'm not. I'm really not. Except in a comedy in films," Wilder said. "But I make my wife laugh once or twice in the house, but nothing special. But when people see me in a movie and it's funny then they stop and say things to me about 'how funny you were.' But I don't think I'm that funny. I think I can be in the movies."
In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in Brooks' The Producers. He played the introverted Leo Bloom, an accountant who discovers the liberating joys of greed and corruption as he and Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) conceive a Broadway flop titled Springtime For Hitler and plan to flee with the money raised for the show's production. Matthew Broderick played Wilder's role in the 2001 Broadway stage revival of the show.
Though they collaborated on film, Wilder and Brooks met through the theatre. Wilder was in a play with Brooks' then-future wife, Anne Bancroft, who introduced the pair backstage in 1963.
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Wilder, a Milwaukee native, was born Jerome Silberman on June 11 1933. His father was a Russian emigre, his mother was of Polish descent. When he was six, Wilder's mother suffered a heart attack that left her a semi-invalid. He soon began improvising comedy skits to entertain her, the first indication of his future career.
He started taking acting classes at age 12 and continued performing and taking lesson through college. In 1961, Wilder became a member of Lee Strasberg's prestigious Actor's Studio in Manhattan.
That same year, he made both his off-Broadway and Broadway debuts. He won the Clarence Derwent Award, given to promising newcomers, for the Broadway work in Graham Greene's comedy The Complaisant Lover.
He used his new name, Gene Wilder, for the off-Broadway and Broadway roles. He lifted the first name from the character Eugene Gant in Thomas Wolfe's Look Back, Homeward Angel, while the last name was clipped from playwright Thornton Wilder. A key break came when he co-starred with Bancroft in Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage, and met Brooks, her future husband.
"I was having trouble with one little section of the play, and he gave me tips on how to act. He said, 'That's a song and dance. He's proselytising about communism. Just skip over it, sing and dance over it, and get on to the good stuff.' And he was right," Wilder later explained.
Before starring in The Producers, he had a small role as the hostage of gangsters in the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde. He peaked in the mid-1970s with the twin Brooks hits Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.
He went on to write several screenplays and direct several films. In 1982, while making the generally forgettable Hanky-Panky, he fell in love with co-star Gilda Radner. They were married in 1984, and co-starred in two Wilder-penned films: The Lady In Red and Haunted Honeymoon.
After Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder spent much of his time after promoting cancer research and opened a support facility for cancer patients. In 1991, he testified before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.
That same year, he appeared in his final film role: Another You with Pryor.
Wilder worked mostly in television in recent years, including appearances on Will & Grace - including one that earned him an Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor - and a starring role in the short-lived sitcom Something Wilder. In 2015, he was among the voices in the animated The Yo Gabba Gabba! Movie 2.
As for why he stopped appearing on the big screen, Wilder said in 2013 he was turned off by the noise and foul language in modern movies.
"I didn't want to do the kind of junk I was seeing," he said in an interview. "I didn't want to do 3D for instance. I didn't want to do ones where there's just bombing and loud and swearing, so much swearing... can't they just stop and talk instead of swearing?"
Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991, and his daughter from a previous marriage, Katherine, from whom he was estranged.

'Truly great talent' Gene Wilder dies at 83 after series of unforgettable roles


Movie superstar was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease three years ago but kept condition private to not disappoint fans


Apple has issued a global update of its iOS mobile operating system after a botched attempt to break into the iPhone of an Arab activist using spyware.
The software took advantage of three previously undisclosed weaknesses in the iPhone to take complete control of the devices, according to reports by the San Francisco-based Lookout smartphone security company and internet watchdog group Citizen Lab.
Both reports pointed towards the NSO Group, an Israeli company with a reputation for flying under the radar, as the author of the spyware.
"The threat actor has never been caught before," said Mike Murrary, a researcher with Lookout, describing the program as "the most sophisticated spyware package we have seen in the market".
The reports outlined how an iPhone could be completely compromised with the tap of a finger. The weaknesses could allow hackers to take control of targeted iPhones to spy on calls and messages.
Apple said it fixed the vulnerability as soon as it heard about it.
In a statement which stopped short of acknowledging that the spyware was its own, the NSO Group said its mission was to provide "authorised governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime".
The company said it had no knowledge of any particular incidents.

Apple issues global IOS update after iPhone spyware alert


Software took advantage of three previously undisclosed weaknesses to take complete control of devices


Will you include any of these summer signings in your team? (Pictures via Getty images)
Whilst the transfer window still being open whilst the Premier league season has started – it doesn’t exactly make things easy for fantasy football players, does it?
Just when you think you’ve got a good spine of a team set up after a couple of games and you’re ready to take on the world – a club makes a big new signing.
Then you’re left with a choice on your hands – do you put the new man in or do you stick with what you know?
Here are three signings that have been made since Gameweek Two – and some advice on whether you should include them in your side.
Not got a fantasy football team yet? Then download our FREE Fantasy iTeam app and set up your squad today. To download for IOS click here or for Android click here .
Claudio Bravo
Claudio Bravo of Barcelona in action. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
One of the worst kept secrets in the Premier League recently has been that Manchester City have been interested in bringing Claudio Bravo to the club.
The move finally went through this week – seemingly putting the final nail in the coffin for Joe Hart’s career at the Etihad.
If you still have the England No. 1 in your side and were expecting him to oust Willy Cabellero again, it’s probably best to cut your losses and go for a new goalkeeper.
And Bravo could be the perfect replacement.
Coming in at the same price as Hart at £6.2million, Bravo represents better value than Petr Cech and the same value as Thibault Courtois and Kasper Schmeichel.
Pep Guardiola’s side are yet to keep a clean sheet this season, granted – but the addition of the Chilean international Could be a major step towards a stronger defence.
However, perhaps hold off for one more week before putting Bravo in - as Guardiola has confirmed that the keeper will not make his debut against West Ham.
Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke has moved from Liverpool to Crystal Palace. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
This deal technically did go through just before Gameweek Two – but this week represents the first time Christian Benteke has been available for a Premier League match in a Crystal Palace shirt.
Again, there was no secret made that the Eagles were interested in the Belgian striker, so the more astute of you might have been prepared for this move to happen.
Whilst at Liverpool, Benteke didn’t exactly light up Anfield and his goal return certainly wasn’t anywhere close to his time at Aston Villa.
However, Alan Pardew’s side could provide Benteke with a chance to thrive once more.
With service from the likes of Cabaye, Puncheon and Townsend – the 25-year-old will certainly have chances to impress.
With a current price of £6.8million, Benteke could prove to be a good budget striker if he re-finds his form at Palace.
Daryl Janmaat
Daryl Janmaat of Newcastle holds off pressure from Floyd Ayite of Fulham. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Getting the perfect defence can sometimes be frustrating.
Yes, you want your defenders to keep clean sheets, but if they can pick up points for goals and assists as well, then that’s what will elevate you higher up your mini league.
For the former, Daryl Janmaat may not be the best option.
But it’s not necessarily just for his defensive work that Janmaat has been signed, it’s his ability to get forward at the other end of the pitch as well.
His two seasons with Newcastle in the Premier League yielded three goals and 10 assists – which is really not bad for a defender.
If you’re perhaps looking to save money in your defence, then at £5.4million you can’t go far wrong with Janmaat.
However, if you’re looking for clean sheets and big points, it might be best to look elsewhere.
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Should you include these new summer signings in your Fantasy Football team?


Will these new transfers be big point-scorers for your side?


MADISON – A new report says many of Wisconsin's small towns still feel the effects of the Great Recession.
With an older population and more people moving to bigger cities, the state Taxpayers Alliance says half the places with fewer than 1,000 residents have yet to see any major job growth or new construction since the recession. The report says local governments have had a nearly 13 percent cut in state funds in the four years ending in 2014, while total revenues grew by just two-percent not accounting for inflation.
The tax alliance says cities have maintained their police and fire response times despite the funding cuts -- and while local debt has grown and things like snow plowing are slower, residents are still generally satisfied with their local services. The report was prepared for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, whose director Jerry Deschane also sounded an alarm for civic engagement as fewer people run for local offices.
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Seven presidential candidates could appear on Wisconsin ballot
MADISON -- It appears that seven candidates will be on the Wisconsin ballot for president in November.
The state Elections Commission says the seven have met the qualifications necessary to make the ballot -- and the panel will take a vote on including them next Tuesday. Besides Democrat Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the ballot is expected to include Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, Green Party hopeful Jill Stein, Darrell Castle of the Constitution Party, Rocky Roque De La Fuente of the American Delta Party, and Monica Moorehead of the Workers World Party.
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Wisconsin native 1 of 2 nuns killed in Mississippi
DURANT, Miss. -- One of two nuns found stabbed to death in Mississippi was a native of southeast Wisconsin.
The bodies of Sister Margaret Held, who grew up in Slinger, and Sister Paula Merrill were found Thursday at their home in Durant, Mississippi. Both were nurse practitioners at the Lexington Medical Clinic -- and police say they were the apparent targets of a robbery that escalated to murder. No arrests have been reported.
The 68-year-old Held represented the School Sisters of Saint Francis in Milwaukee -- and she taught at Kenosha Saint Joseph High School in the 1970s before earning her nursing degree at Creighton University in Omaha, where she served as a community health nurse before moving to Mississippi as a social worker.
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State could tell unregistered residents how to sign up to vote
MADISON -- The state Elections Commission is scheduled to act Tuesday on a plan to tell up to 1.5 million unregistered voters how to sign up in time for the November presidential contest.
Commission staffers plan to send postcards by late September to Wisconsin adults who are not registered to vote -- and give them information on how to do it. It's part of a state law passed earlier this year in which Wisconsin joined a multi state effort to identify people who are eligible to vote but have not registered. The Electronic Registration Information Center requires states to conduct the outreach every two years before the start of October.
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Milwaukee to get more state funds in response to violence
MILWAUKEE – Gov. Scott Walker will give Milwaukee at least $4.5 million in state funds to focus on urban problems after the Sherman Park violence almost two weeks ago.
The Republican Walker, his cabinet, and Milwaukee's mayor and county executive will announce the funding Friday at an inner city job center. The Journal Sentinel says the money will provide more job training, hiring efforts, and renovations and removals of foreclosed houses -- and state agencies will send mobile job centers to the Sherman Park area and will try to help businesses damaged by the burning and looting.
The violence was spurred by the police shooting of armed suspect Sylville Smith, and the state's help is being announced just hours before Smith's church service and burial. The aid did not have to be approved by the state Legislature, and Senate Democrat Lena Taylor of Milwaukee says minority communities badly need the help -- but she says there's still a need to improve police relations with African Americans.
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Man dies driving in to water
STURGEON BAY -- A 65-year-old man has died after his car plunged into a shipping channel in downtown Sturgeon Bay.
A female friend and a dog escaped unharmed before the vehicle submerged into a waterway that links Lake Michigan and the Bay of Green Bay. According to police, the 55-year-old woman saw that the man was slumped at the wheel early Thursday afternoon -- and his foot was not on the gas pedal as the car went off a dock, close to where one of them had a yacht.
Rescuers searched for the man, and he was pulled out about one hour after the incident and died later at a hospital. The fatal victim was from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and his name was not immediately released.
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Former Packers player Sharper gets 20 year sentence
NEW ORLEANS -- Darren Sharper, who helped the Green Bay Packers make it to their second straight Super Bowl in 1997, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging women and having sex with them while they were unconscious.
The 41-year-old Sharper was sentenced Thursday in Louisiana state court in cases involving three of his 16 total victims in four states. His prison term will be served at the same time as an 18 year federal sentence handed down last week, and it's also simultaneous to a nine-year term levied in Arizona while similar sentencings are still pending in Nevada and California.
Two of his victims gave statements to the judge in New Orleans Thursday, and one called Sharper a "sick individual" whom she must forgive so she can move on. Sharper was a six time NFL All Pro safety and played eight years with Green Bay, four with Minnesota, and two in New Orleans where he led the Saints to a Super Bowl title in the 2009 season.
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Convict in fire deaths can't withdraw guilty pleas
MADISON -- A state appeals court will not give a southwest Wisconsin man a chance to withdraw his guilty pleas for helping set a fire that killed four youngsters.
Twenty-two-year-old Jeremy Wand was sentenced to life in prison with a chance for a supervised release after 35 years, for helping his older brother Armin Wand burn down a house in Argyle in 2012 where Armin's three boys and an unborn daughter died. But Jeremy Wand later said his lawyers coerced him into admitting all but one of his seven Lafayette County criminal charges.
He wanted a hearing to see if he could reverse his pleas, but Judge Thomas Vale would not call that hearing. Wand appealed the decision, and the Fourth District Appellate Court in Madison ruled Thursday that the defendant did provide enough evidence to warrant a new plea hearing.
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Expansion could net Direct Supply $22.5M in state tax breaks
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee company that provides equipment and services to senior living facilities will get up to $22.5 million in state tax breaks for a large expansion project.
Gov. Scott Walker said Thursday that Direct Supply would get income tax credits based on the numbers of jobs they create and preserve. The company plans to add 800 employees at its corporate headquarters during the next seven years, adding to a total workforce of more than 1,200.
The firm initially announced in March it would build a five story office structure with 280,000 square feet -- but it has not decided when construction would begin. It will replace an older, one story building that will be torn down.
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Penalties levied against ITT Technical Institute
A national profit making college cannot enroll new students at its two Wisconsin campuses until it can prove it's financially stable.
The state Educational Approval Board took the action Thursday against ITT Technical Institute, on the same day the U.S. Education Department said it would keep a closer eye on the school's accounting and recruiting. T
he state's order also affects online enrollment at ITT, which has about 550 Wisconsin students online and at campuses in Greenfield and Madison. The federal government told ITT not to enroll students who need financial aid, and it has to pay $152 million within 30 days to cover its obligations if the school shuts down. State board director David Dies says it was already considering a enrollment cutoff, but the school appealed -- and a September hearing was called off once the federal action took place.

Wisconsin roundup: No post-recession relief in many small towns, report says; ballots could see 7 White House candidates; eight more state news stories


MADISON-- The Republican lawmaker who represents the state Veterans' Home at King in Waupaca County joins Democrats who want a state audit of the facility. Luther Olsen says he also wants to know if another agency should take over the home from state Veterans' Affairs department -- and that's after the Madison Capital Times said employees and residents were among those who say staffing shortages and cost cutting have hurt some of the home's most vulnerable veterans.
The Walker administration and the vets' agency deny it, pointing to high federal rankings for being a model for top quality care -- but the employees and others say the government does not check the data for accuracy. The Capital Times cites Legislative Fiscal Bureau numbers showing a $39 million surplus in federal revenues for King, after deficits in the previous decade -- and the report says some of the money is reinvested at the home, while some goes to other veterans' programs. Olsen wants to know if enough is invested at King to maintain a high caliber of care.
Catholic mass planned to recognize nuns killed in Mississippi
LEXINGTON, Miss. -- A Catholic Mass is planned Monday in Jackson, Miss.,to honor the two nuns stabbed to death last week.
More than 300 people attended a church vigil in Lexington Sunday for Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill. Held was from Slinger in southeast Wisconsin -- and both she and Merrill led Bible studies at the church.
The Reverend Gregory Plata said the work of both nuns was far reaching, and both would be missed. Held and Merrill were both 68, and were found dead at their home in Durant, Miss., about 10 miles from where they worked at a Lexington clinic.
On Friday night, 46-year-old Rodney Sanders was arrested for the killings -- but it's not known when he'll appear in court as the case remains under investigation.
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No ruling by Appeals Court means Wisconsin Voter ID Law is likely set for November
CHICAGO -- The refusal by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider two rulings on Wisconsin's voter ID law means it's likely no changes will be made before the election in November.
The federal appeals court decided unanimously Friday not to have the full panel of judges hear the appeals. The only way any changes will be made to the Wisconsin law is if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to intervene.
The way it stands now, Wisconsin voters will have to show an acceptable ID to cast a ballot, but they will be able to get a temporary ID at a DMV office before the election.
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Increase in participation means decrease in Wisconsin ACT scores
MADISON -- Wisconsin students taking the ACT earned an average score of 20.5, slightly below the national average.
A state law which went into effect last year requires all 11th graders to take the test. That resulted in a drop in the average score from last year's 22.2. The ACT includes English, Reading, Science Reasoning and Math sections, with an optional writing exam.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has said requiring all high school juniors to take it will lead more students to consider higher education.
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Insanity plea possible in toddler's death
SHEBOYGAN -- A Sheboygan Falls woman might plead insanity Monday afternoon, when she's arraigned for allegedly killing her 2-year-old son and hiding his body.
Police say they used a Taser stun gun to subdue 27-year-old Katlyn Kinateder when they first arrived at her home earlier this month -- and they later found her toddler without a pulse in a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket.
At her preliminary hearing, a police detective said Kinateder admitted that she "lost her mind," and voices told her that her toddler could not be alive anymore. Police say she used a plastic shopping bag to suffocate the youngster. Prosecutors expect Kinateder to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease.
(Raymond Neupert, WHBL, Sheboygan)
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Two teens killed in Milwaukee crash identified
MILWAUKEE -- Two teens killed in a car that split in half in Milwaukee have been identified as Demetrius Batchelor, Jr. and Latrey Hale. Both were 15, and both were said to be in the back seat of a car that slammed into a tree at high speeds Friday night.
The county medical examiner says a 17-year-old driver and another passenger in the front seat are both expected to survive, but they're hospitalized for now. The medical examiner said all four people in the car were thrown out as it hit the tree -- and the driver apparently tried avoiding the crash, as investigators say there were 60 feet of skid marks.
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Case continues to stall in alleged Milwaukee terrorist plot
MILWAUKEE -- A man accused of plotting a terrorist attack at Milwaukee's downtown Masonic center is still in jail while his case keeps stalling.
Twenty-four-year-old Samy Hamzeh is charged with five counts of possessing machine guns and a silencer he allegedly bought from undercover FBI agents. The charges were filed in January, but the case has gone nowhere as the defense receives and translates numerous government recordings made in Arabic.
At a federal court hearing on Friday, prosecutor Paul Kanter said he gave 116 compact discs to the defense -- and lawyer Craig Albee will get eight more weeks to prepare various pretrial requests including one to release Hamzeh on bond, and the next hearing is set for Oct. 28. His case does not include terrorism charges, but prosecutors say Hamzeh tried protecting Islam by hoping to kill 30 Masonic members.
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Report: State employees get $9.7 million in bonuses, payments
MADISON -- About one of every seven state government employees received a merit pay increase or catch up payment during the fiscal year ending in July.
The Wisconsin State Journal says the payments went to 4,600 agency workers, or about 15 percent of that workforce. The payments totaled $9.7 million. That's about 2.5 times what was paid out the previous year, when a number of payments were held up due to budget issues.
Most of this year's payments went to workers in the departments of Natural Resources, Corrections, and Transportation.
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New Jersey woman sues Brewers for batting practice injuries
MILWAUKEE -- A New Jersey woman has sued the Milwaukee Brewers, claiming she might suffer permanent eye injuries after being hit by a foul ball at batting practice.
Dana Morelli says it happened while sitting down at her seat near third base before a game in 2014. The 47-year-old Morelli and her lawyer Michael Sperling accuse the Brewers of violating Wisconsin's "safe place law" that requires property owners to do what's reasonably necessary to protect visitors and employees.
Major League teams extended their protective netting this year after a number of fan injuries at Milwaukee and other parks -- and throughout the Majors, judges have sided with teams that include fine print warnings on tickets about the risk of injuries.
But Sperling says the warnings are not enough to meet Wisconsin law, and baseball should do more to protect fans at batting practice when players hit from cages and fans think they're safer. The suit seeks unspecified damages and the Brewers did not comment since the case is in litigation.
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Two killed in 13 Hours in Brown County traffic crashes
LAWRENCE -- Investigators in northeast Wisconsin are still looking into a pair of highway crashes that killed two people in Brown County 13 hours apart.
Hobart Lawrence Police say alcohol was an apparent factor when a 36-year-old Oneida man drove the wrong way on Interstate 41 and hit two vehicles about 2:30 Sunday morning. The wrong way motorist was killed, and the other two drivers had non-life threatening injuries.
Thirteen hours later, Brown County deputies said a 19-year-old passenger died when a vehicle left County Trunk Double N in the town of Glenmore and rolled -- and the 23-year-old driver had non-life threatening injuries.
Officials say alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the second death, and victims' names from both crashes were not immediately released.
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Delayed UW-Whitewater dorm is finally approved
WHITEWATER -- UW-Whitewater was hoping to open a new dormitory this fall to help boost its enrollment. But a contract for the 400-bed structure slowly moved through the state administration's approval process up until earlier this month, when Gov. Scott Walker approved it. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on the delay this past week after it was mentioned at a recent UW Board of Regents' meeting -- but the administration says the regents' comments had nothing to do with the timing of the contract approval.
Whitewater now plans to build four new dorms, each with 400 beds, which will eventually replace an aging Wells Hall which has twin towers and rooms for 1,200 students. Design work is about to start on the first structure, and it's now due to open in the fall of 2019.
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Elderly woman charged in highway worker's death
MERRILL -- An 85-year-old Antigo woman is free on a signature bond, after being charged in the death of a highway worker in north central Wisconsin.
Mary Robinson faces one felony count of homicide by negligent driving in the death of 50-year-old Marcus Wydeven.
At her initial court appearance Friday in Lincoln County, Robinson waived the state's time limit for a preliminary hearing. She's due back in court Sept. 15 to determine how and when the case will proceed.
Officials say Wydeven was directing traffic through a construction zone on Highway 17 near Merrill when he was struck and killed in July of last year.

Wisconsin roundup: GOP lawmaker joins request for audit of veterans home's surplus; Catholic mass planned to recognize nuns killed in Mississippi; and 10 more state news stories


STILLWATER, Minn. -- Officials say there were no real delays after an equipment issue was resolved at the new bridge being built across the St. Croix River between Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Reports indicated that contractors Lunda and Ames brought in a jack that was too big -- and it could not tighten support cables on the Fourth Pier as a result. Kristin Calliguri of Minnesota's DOT says a smaller jack was used, and the cables were being tightened Saturday. Also, she says other parts of the project continued on schedule, so the jack issue did not cause new delays.
The bridge is due to open in the fall of 2017, replacing an 80-year-old lift bridge that will still be used for hiking and bicycling -- while the new structure carries motor vehicle traffic north of Hudson and south of Stillwater.
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Wisconsin ACT scores fall due to new requirement
MADISON -- Wisconsin is no longer among the nation's highest performing states on the ACT college entrance exam.
That's because the Badger State started making all high school juniors take the test, not just those who are college bound -- and the new law is being reflected for the first time in this year's results. Wisconsin's average score was 20.5 -- lower than the national average of 20.8, and 1.7 points lower than the previous year when 73 percent of graduating seniors took the ACT.
Wisconsin's score ranks fourth among 18 states where all graduates had to take the exam -- and it's 29th overall. Wisconsin was among three best statewide performers on the ACT exam for many years, before the new law increased the numbers of youngsters taking the test by 42-percent to around 66,000.
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DNR delays much anticipated reorganization
MADISON -- The state Department of Natural Resources has delayed a major reorganization of its controversial agency until late this fall.
In February, officials said they hoped to complete the realignment by July 1 -- but now, DNR spokesman Jim Dick tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the changes will begin in late fall, saying it's more important to "get things right than get there quickly." The agency that regulates the environment, hunting, and fishing in Wisconsin previously said it would consider moving some functions elsewhere in state government and streamline regulations.
The DNR says it wants to be more efficient without hurting environmental protections -- but numerous media reports have said it has reduced its enforcement actions since 2011, amid an 18-percent drop in the agency's workforce since 1995. Gov. Scott Walker previously said the state is working more closely with people earlier in their projects to avoid fines and sanctions.
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Ken Burns rejects replacing campus lectures with his Civil War videos
MADISON -- Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns rejects U.S. Senator Ron Johnson's idea to show Burns' civil war videos to college students instead of paying professors to lecture about it.
The Wisconsin Republican recently said that showing "The Civil War" series might be a better way for schools to teach students and save money. But Burns tweets that he's here to "support teachers, not replace them."
Johnson accused what he calls the "higher education cartel" of raising tuition and blocking economical ideas like having "one solid lecturer" online to serve numerous colleges. UW-Madison professor Clif Conrad says in-person lecturers are needed to engage students in "spirited dialogue" which cultivates thinking skills -- and in a clarification, Johnson agreed there's a need for both good instructors and more technology that can educate students while cutting costs.
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'Wisconsin Women for Trump' has ex-lieutenant governor, senators, convicted aide
NEW YORK -- Some of Wisconsin's top Republican female politicians were named Wednesday to a new "Wisconsin Women for Trump" coalition.
Donald Trump's state campaign says it's "thrilled" to have "so many women leaders" support the GOP presidential nominee. The state group includes former Lt. Gov. Margaret Farrow, state Senate finance co-chair Alberta Darling, and outgoing Senate President Mary Lazich.
The group also includes Darlene Wink, a former Milwaukee County aide who was convicted of two criminal misdemeanors for doing campaign work on county time for Scott Walker's 2010 bid for governor. Trump has often highlighted women who've excelled in his business operations, but some of his comments about women have caused trouble during his White House run.
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Prosecutors: Man lured children into building before burning it
GREEN BAY -- Prosecutors in Green Bay say an 18-year-old man lured four children to a vacant restaurant building, and started a fire so the kids could be sent to a "better place."
At his first court hearing Tuesday, a Brown County judge ordered Jesus Castilloveitia-Quinton to take a mental exam to determine his ability to help with his defense. He's charged with two counts of child abuse, arson, obstructing police, and bail jumping for a Sunday night fire that caused $100,000 worth of damage to the former Ten-O-One Club in downtown Green Bay.
Police say the defendant brought the four youngsters -- all less than 10 years old -- to an abandoned apartment above the vacant business, allegedly calling it his "secret hideout." Court records show that the defendant is homeless, and he's due back in court September sixth to review the result of his competency exam.
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State ethics commissioners can give money to political candidates
MADISON -- Wisconsin's new ethics commissioners can give campaign money to the political candidates they may have to investigate if wrongdoing is suspected.
On a 4-2 vote Tuesday, the panel tabled a proposal to ban donations to candidates they've supported in the past. Milwaukee attorney David Halbrooks says donations would never affect his analysis of matters before the panel.
But former Oneida County Judge Robert Kinney cites a claim by a former Trump staffer that elections are rigged -- and Kinney does not want people to have less confidence in their government. Kinney and former Assembly Republican Pat Strachota voted against allowing campaign gifts, which are banned by staff members for the new ethics panel but not the members themselves -- whose political affiliations are made public.
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State won't try to stop early voting
MADISON -- Wisconsin's attorney general will not try to prevent an earlier start to the absentee voting for November's presidential election.
Brad Schimel's office says it did not have many options, after a three judge federal appellate panel refused this week to block a judge's ruling that granted more early voting. The state could have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to restore the Republicans' two week limit on early absentee voting with other restrictions -- but that won't happen, so Wisconsin communities can start setting times and places for their absentee voting.
Madison plans to begin its early voting the week of Sept. 26 at several locations around the Capital City -- and Milwaukee says it has similar plans, but they have not been set. Federal Judge James Peterson threw out the GOP's restrictions as part of a lawsuit which challenged a number of voting laws.
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Report: State markup lawsuit plaintiff under investigation since 2011
MADISON -- Krist Oil, the gas station chain that filed suit this week to strike down Wisconsin's minimum markup law, has been under a state investigation since 2011 for allegedly violating that law.
The Wisconsin State Journal says Krist agreed to follow the longtime requirement of a 9-percent markup for gasoline unless competitors charge less -- but the consumer protection agency later received dozens more complaints, and after it investigated, it sought Justice Department prosecution against Krist which never occurred.
The State Journal says the consumer protection probe remains open, but officials would not comment while the Justice agency reviews the new lawsuit. Krist Oil -- which has about 70 convenience stores in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan -- has also complained about competitors breaking the markup law. A report surfaced Tuesday from the Wisconsin Public Research Institute stating that Krist filed 70-percent of the markup law complaints the state received in 2014.
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Newly required school-bus lights may be left dark in some areas
MADISON -- The Wisconsin automotive group AAA says there's a problem with a new state law requiring more warning lights on school buses built within the last decade.
The law requires newer buses to have amber warning lights, as well as the red lights and flashing arms that warn drivers to stop in both directions when the buses are dropping off or picking up kids. The State Patrol says they'll make kids safer -- but Nick Jarmusz of the state's AAA says a 60-year-old state law prohibits the amber lights in urban areas with curbs and sidewalks on both sides -- unless there's a local ordinance which allows them.
Jarmusz says Milwaukee, Appleton, and Eau Claire are among the places with no local regulations -- while Madison and Green Bay only allow the amber lights when students need to cross streets without controls like stop lights present. AAA plans to ask that amber lights be required in all situations, after lawmakers return to session in January.
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Farmers adjust to rain, cooler weather
MADISON -- Some Wisconsin farmers are harvesting corn to help feed their animals, while others farms have been hurt by the recent rains.
Some parts of the state have had up to 11 inches of rain the past few weeks. According to the USDA's weekly crop update, soybeans have become diseased in some spots -- and dry weather is needed in most of Wisconsin to complete the hay harvest and get corn in the bin.
In general, the state's corn development remains ahead of schedule, and 88-percent of the crop is rated good to excellent -- and statewide soybeans are generally ahead of the norm, with 87-percent good to excellent. The potato harvest is 17 days behind last year, but 90-percent of the spuds are good to excellent -- and 93-to-95-percent of topsoil and subsoil have adequate or surplus moisture.
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County: Pokemon Go needs a permit for park play
MILWAUKEE -- Wisconsin's largest county has ordered "Pokemon Go" to stop.
The Milwaukee County Parks Department has told game developer Niantic to remove its smartphone targets from Lake Park until it obtains the required permit for holding events there. Lake Park is in one of Milwaukee's most posh neighborhoods along Lake Michigan on the city's northeast side -- and officials say the rush to pick up virtual "Pokemon Go" characters has caused problems litter, congestion, and the limited parking at the site.
WISN-TV says the crowds have remained steady all summer, and so have complaints from neighbors and park users. County park director John Dargle says he would approve a permit for the game -- if the producers apply.

Wisconsin roundup: Equipment issue does not delay St. Croix River Crossing; state ACT scores drop; 10 more state news stories


MADISON -- A wrongful death suit has been filed by the family of Jason Simcakoski, the Marine whose death sparked the controversy about the presrcibing of pain medications at the Tomah VA Medical Center.
The lawsuit says the Veterans Administration accepted responsibility for "action or inaction" that led to the death of the 35-year-old Stevens Point Marine -- but the family says the VA has "failed to follow its words with deeds," and it seeks unspecified damages. The suit was filed in federal court in Madison.
An autopsy showed that Simcakoski died from "mixed drug toxicity." The VA facility later responded by reassigning its medical director, firing its chief of staff for prescribing excessive pain medications, and creating a multi-step improvement plan at Tomah.
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Feingold, Johnson get big help in their U.S. Senate race
Wisconsin's two major U.S. Senate candidates are getting some big time support.
Actor Robert Redford, who played a Democratic Senate hopeful in the 1972 movie "The Candidate," sent a fundraising email to Feingold supporters on Monday. And the national Super PAC "Let America Work" says it will start airing about $500,000 worth of ads for Republican incumbent Ron Johnson that focus on fighting terrorism.
A new Marquette Law School poll is due out Wednesday, and it could tell us whether more voters are tuning into the race -- something that normally happens around Labor Day. In the last Marquette poll Aug. 10, one of every five registered voters did not have an opinion of Feingold -- and one of every three voters still had no opinion of Johnson.
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Actor Gene Wilder, Milwaukee native, dies at 83
STAMFORD, Conn. -- Wisconsin native Gene Wilder, who starred in an eclectic range of movie roles, has died.
His nephew says the 83-year-old Wilder died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Conn. from the Alzheimer's disease he first suffered three years ago -- which he kept secret until now.
He was born in Milwaukee as Jerome Silberman in 1933 and graduated from the city's Washington High School -- and he later went to the University of Iowa, served in the Army, and performed on Broadway before his first movie role as a hostage in "Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967. Wilder also starred as a nervous accountant in "The Producers," the candy man in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," and an obsessed scientist in "Young Frankenstein."
The Journal Sentinel says Wilder did want to return to Milwaukee after his father died there in 1973 -- but he came back in 1991 to be inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Arts Hall of Fame.
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Alleged Dells freeway murderer pleads insanity to reduced charges
BARABOO -- A 21-year-old man has pleaded insanity to reduced charges in the killing of a motorist on the Interstate near Wisconsin Dells.
Sauk County prosecutors have agreed to reduce an intentional homicide charge to reckless homicide against Zachary Hays -- and he entered pleas Monday to that, plus three counts of reckless endangerment. He'll undergo a mental exam, and he still faces charges in Milwaukee and Columbia counties as part of a day-long crime spree on May 1.
Investigators say Hays shot and killed 42-year-old Gabriel Sanchez in their West Allis apartment building -- and he later drove to Wisconsin Dells where he reportedly shot at vehicles and killed passenger Tracy Czackowski while her family was heading home from the Dells to suburban Chicago. His lawyer first mentioned Hays' mental health issues several weeks after the incidents.
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More criticism for former Wisconsinite Kaepernick
SAN FRANCISCO -- Former Wisconsinite Colin Kaepernick is getting a ton of heat for sitting during the national anthem before three exhibition football games with his San Francisco 49ers.
State Assembly Republican Jeremy Thiesfeldt went to the same church as Kaepernick's parents during the quarterback's early years in Fond du Lac -- and Thiesfeldt tells KFIZ Radio he's especially upset that Kaepernick claims to be standing up for the oppressed, when he appeared to be hardly oppressed himself.
The San Francisco police union has complained to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and 49ers CEO Jed York about what the union calls Kaepernick's "incredible lack of knowledge" about the officer involved shootings he's protesting against. Even Donald Trump has chimed in, saying Kaepernick should "find a country that works better for him" -- and the GOP White House candidate added, "Let him try, it won't happen."
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Feingold: Clinton is "trustworthy"
MADISON -- Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold says his party's nominee for president is "reliable and trustworthy."
But after a campaign appearance in Madison, Feingold reaffirmed that Hillary Clinton should think about shutting down the controversial Clinton Foundation if she wins.
It's an issue in her campaign, amid reports that numerous people who met with Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state gave money to the foundation. The Clintons have challenged those reports, but Feingold says "the highest level of security" should be applied to things like that for those who serve as president.
Feingold is in his own campaign against Senate Republican Ron Johnson -- and the Democrat leads Johnson by 11 points among likely voters in the latest Marquette poll with a new one coming out Wednesday.
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Woman pleads insanity to killing her young son
SHEBOYGAN -- A trial date of Nov. 9 is set for a Sheboygan Falls mother who reportedly claimed that "voices" caused her to kill her 2-year-old son.
Twenty-seven-year-old Katlyn Kinateder pleaded insanity Monday to first degree intentional homicide, and hiding a child's corpse. Sheboygan County District Attorney Joe DeCecco says Kinateder will have one or more psychiatric exams.
The defense wants to either move the trial, or bring in an outside jury due to heavy media coverage of the case -- and the court scheduled a hearing for Oct. 24 to give Kinateder a chance to change her plea.
Police say they had to subdue her before they found her toddler in a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket at her home earlier this month -- and reports say she might have been off her mental health medication at the time.
(Raymond Neupert, WHBL, Sheboygan)
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Wisconsin high schools make Newsweek's top 500
Most Wisconsin public schools start fall classes Thursday, and 22 high schools have a lot to be proud of.
Whitefish Bay is the state's top selection on Newsweek's annual list of the nation's 500 best public high schools. Whitefish Bay is 61st nationally, with 95 percent of its students college bound, 99 percent graduating, and 85 percent ready for college.
The Kettle Moraine global charter school at Wales has the state's second highest listing at 130th naturally, followed by Cedarburg High at 145th. Kohler tops the list of Wisconsin schools ranked 200th through 400th followed by New Berlin Eisenhower, Greendale, Glendale Nicolet, Sussex Hamilton, Wales School for Arts, Appleton's Renaissance School for the Arts, Grafton, Williams Bay and Bay Port.
Eight state high schools are ranked 401st through 500th -- the Appleton Career Academy, De Pere, Muskego, Franklin, Marshfield, Waukesha West, Oshkosh West and Appleton North.
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Suspects sought in Green Bay area murder
BELLEVUE -- Sheriff's deputies in the Green Bay area have been looking for suspects in the shooting death of a 52-year-old woman.
Officers found the body of Suzette Langois outside her home in Bellevue early Monday morning. The State Crime Lab is helping deputies sort out the evidence, and rescue divers checked out a nearby stormwater holding pond to see if anything was hidden there.
Sheriff's officials say Langois was targeted by her killer -- and therefore, the neighborhood is not in danger.
At a news conference, Brown County Chief Deputy Todd Delain said his investigators wanted to talk with anyone who knows about the incident, or spoke with the victim within 24 hours of her death.
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Beloit's ABC Supply agrees to large acquisition
BELOIT -- A large Wisconsin building supply distributor could get a lot bigger in a few months. ABC Supply of Beloit announced an agreement Monday to acquire "L" and "W" Supply, a Chicago-based supplier of steel framing, drywall, ceiling tiles and other building items.
ABC says it will be one of its largest acquisitions, but the terms were not disclosed. The company says the deal is subject to a federal antitrust review, and it's expected to be finalized by the end of ABC's fiscal year.
"L" and "W" would keep running as a separate division. It brought in $1.4 billion last year, giving ABC Supply total annual revenues of $8 billion if the deal goes through.
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Abortions in Wisconsin drop for sixth straight year
MADISON -- The number of abortions performed in Wisconsin has dropped for the sixth straight year. That's according to the latest annual report on induced abortions released by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Monday.
The report shows that there were just under 5,700 abortions in the state last year compared with 5,800 abortions in 2014. That's a drop of 140 abortions, a 2.4 percent decline. Of the 5,660 abortions last year, 214 were performed on minors. Seventy-nine percent were surgical, while 21 percent were chemically induced.
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Libertarian White House hopeful to make first state visit
MILWAUKEE -- The Libertarian candidate for president will make his first Wisconsin visit on Thursday night.
Gary Johnson will hold a rally at Serb Hall in Milwaukee. The former two-term governor of New Mexico had 10 percent support among Wisconsin's registered voters in the last Marquette Law School poll on Aug. 10.
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UW officials not happy with ‘Number 1 party school’ ranking
MADISON -- University of Wisconsin officials aren't happy that the flagship Madison campus is ranked first on a list of the nation's top party schools.
The ranking released Monday comes from the Princeton Review, a New York-based tutoring and test prep company that surveys thousands of students and rates colleges in a number of categories each year.
A statement from the school made no mention of the ranking, instead calling alcohol use on campus a "pressing public health concern" that hurts academic achievement and makes schools less safe. They noted that incoming students go through mandatory programs educating them about the dangers of alcohol.

Wisconsin roundup: Lawsuit filed in death that sparked Tomah VA controversy; alleged Dells freeway murderer pleads insanity to reduced charges; and 10 more state news stories


FARGO — They're in most everyone's wallets, but the next generation of credit and debit cards aren't accepted everywhere — long after the deadline for merchants to stop swiping and start reading chips.
EMV cards, short for Europay-Mastercard-Visa, have been around since 1994 and used in many countries since the early 2000s. But the cards, which have an embedded chip that encrypts transactions and boosts security, are relatively new in America.
Switching to EMV has been in the works for years, gaining urgency with big data breaches, including the 2013 Target breach that affected 40 million customers.
Instead of requiring the change, the U.S. opted for a liability shift on Oct. 1, 2015 — after that, merchants unwilling or unable to accept new cards were liable for fraudulent charges when the lower-tech magnetic stripes were swiped.
"The risk is not that big yet, but it's growing," said Dan Fisher, president and CEO of Fargo-based technology and payment consulting firm Copper River Group.
Nearly 11 months later, Fisher said only half of America's point-of-sale terminals accept chip payment.
Slow change
Even merchants that want EMV might not be capable yet, according to Bill Russell, executive vice president of banking services for Bell Bank.
Heavy demand led to long delays in getting new equipment, he said, while chains might require companywide software upgrades before the new readers work.
"It's a combination of all those things that has made the accessibility that's out there so low," he said.
It's also a complicated and time-consuming change, according to Carrie Lick, interim deposit administration and serving solutions manager for Gate City Bank.
"There's more involved than just plugging it in and dipping your card," she said. "Retailers have to install special software and go through a certification process."
Fisher said the processors that merchants and financial institutions use for card transactions are a big reason for the delayed rollout. Many processors weren't ready on time or have been slow to change.
That's why customers may be asked to swipe their card even when a store has chip-reading terminals — the machine is ready, but the processor or store software isn't.
Banks generally wanted EMV as early as possible because of the liability shift, Fisher said. That's a big deal when card fraud topped $11 billion globally in 2012 and counterfeit card fraud was on the rise in America.
In countries that went to EMV, banks saw a 40 to 50 percent cut in debit card fraud, he said.

Many merchants still swiping long after deadline to switch to new credit, debit card technology


EAU CLAIRE -- Two new members of the Chippewa Valley Technical College Board of Trustees come from the western side of the CVTC district.
Paul Bauer is an employer member from Ellsworth and Cheryl Maplethorpe is an additional member from River Falls. They were welcomed to the board last month at the reorganizational meeting that also involved election of board officers for the new fiscal year.
Maplethorpe is a retired higher education professional with a doctorate in Higher Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota. A former teacher and counselor, Maplethorpe has worked for the University of Iowa, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and Globe Education Network.
“My entire career has been in the service of students as they pursue higher education,” Maplethorpe said. “Now that I have retired I want to continue to serve students. I feel particular affinity for low-income and academically challenged students and when I was with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, I established task forces for immigrants and foster and homeless students.”
Bauer has been CEO of the Ellsworth Co-op Creamery since 2008. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in Agriculture Business, Bauer also worked as controller for Burnett Cheese Cooperative and vice president of the Antigo Cheese Company. Bauer served as a member of the Antigo School Board, and in director positions with the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association and the American Dairy Products Institute. He also serves as a member of the CVTC Foundation Board of Directors. Bauer is vice president of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce board and is co-chairman of the community’s Cheese Curd Festival.
Bauer and Maplethorpe were appointed to three-year terms on the board. By law, the board consists of two employers, two employees, three additional members, one school district administrator and one elected official who holds a state or local office.
At the organizational meeting, the board elected Colleen Bates of Eau Claire as chair, Paul Schley of Cornell as vice chair, Gwen Southard of Eau Claire as secretary and Russell Ratsch of Neillsville as treasurer.

Bauer, Maplethorpe appointed to CVTC Board


A River Falls driver clocked at more than 120 mph was arrested Wednesday after allegedly attempting to flee officers while driving drunk.
Nicholas D. Carlson, 35, was arrested at about 11 p.m. after a high-speed pursuit that began on Interstate 94 and continued on to Highway 35 in River Falls.
St. Croix County prosecutors charged Carlson on Thursday with two felonies: fleeing or eluding an officer and second-degree recklessly endangering safety. He’s also charged with OWI-third offense, THC possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping -- all misdemeanors.
St. Croix County Circuit Court Judge Michael Waterman ordered Carlson to post a $1,000 cash bond at his initial appearance Thursday.
According to a criminal complaint:
The incident began while a St. Croix County sheriff’s deputy was running radar on eastbound I-94 drivers and spotted a silver sports car allegedly passing traffic in the middle lane. The car was first clocked at 89 mph, then 93 mph and, lastly, 98 mph.
The deputy gave chase and tried pulling the car over as it headed south on Highway 35 toward River Falls. The car didn’t stop, prompting the deputy to alert River Falls police.
A River Falls officer staged along Highway 35 clocked the car -- a 2007 Mercedes Benz -- at 122 mph. It was also witnessed nearly striking another vehicle in traffic.
The driver, later identified as Carlson, pulled over at the overpass for Highway 65 in River Falls, where he was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint and arrested without further incident. Officers suspected him to be impaired and conducted field sobriety tests, which he failed.
Suspected marijuana was found in the car, along with a Korstog assault rifle in the trunk.
Carlson submitted to a breath test, which revealed a 0.18 blood-alcohol content -- more than twice Wisconsin’s legal limit of 0.08.
Pierce County officers who assisted in the stop noted that they had been involved in two pursuits in the past month with a silver Mercedes. In both instances, that vehicle evaded capture.

River Falls man charged with third OWI after being clocked at 122 mph


EAU CLAIRE -- For the first time, there are more people in the Eau Claire County jail because of methamphetamine than drunk driving.
WQOW- TV says the percentage of the Eau Claire jail's bed days for OWI dropped from 29-percent to 14-percent during the past five years -- while methamphetamine arrests and convictions grew from 2 percent of the jail population to 21-percent.
Eau Claire Police arrested only 10 people for meth possession in 2010, but they expect to arrest 300 this year. Police say they've become more effective in identifying methamphetamine suspects -- and how the drug has become an underlying factor in crime in general.
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Not guilty pleas in dog-dragging case
CRANDNO -- A judge has entered not guilty pleas for a 75-year-old northeast Wisconsin man accused of dragging his dog with his car.
James Merschdorf of Wabeno stood mute during his first court appearance Wednesday on Forest County misdemeanor charges of animal mistreatment, and leading an animal with a car. He's due back in court Sept. 28 for pretrial matters.
According to prosecutors, Merschdorf claimed he didn't know he was dragging his 6-year-old beagle Josephine until he stopped at a gas station on June 29. Officials say the dog was tied to a mirror on the car's passenger side, and a veterinarian said the pet had "major road rash" on the right half of its body.
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Key defense court filing in Avery appeal due Monday
Steven Avery's new lawyer has until Monday to file her first legal request in an appeal of Avery's conviction for the 2005 rape, burning, and shooting death of Teresa Halbach.
Kathleen Zellner has told the New York Times she would ask the Wisconsin Appeals Court for DNA evidence gathered at the crime scene, so she can do tests that were not possible during Avery's original trial. Zellner signed on to the appeal in the wake of last year's Netflix series "Making a Murderer," which raised questions about Avery's guilt.
The 54-year-old Avery is serving a life prison sentence for the crime, and Zellner has tweeted for months that she'll produce strong evidence that will free Avery -- who spent 18 years in prison for a rape he never committed before being released more than two years before the Halbach murder. On Aug. 12, a federal court in Milwaukee overturned the conviction of Avery's nephew Brendan Dassey for the same crime.
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Driver killed in Manitowoc Speedway crash
MANITOWOC -- A 27-year-old man has died in a crash during a heat race at the Manitowoc Speedway.
It happened Wednesday night during the Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Racing event at the county fair. Police say the driver from Manitowoc County slammed into an infield guardrail. EMTs immediately tended to him and the car's roof was removed to extricate him. He died later at a hospital.
No one else was hurt, although there were track staffers close by in the infield area -- and the race was stopped for about 45 minutes so repairs could be made on the track. An autopsy is scheduled Thursday for the driver, whose name was not immediately released.
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Prior complaint filed against officer in Milwaukee shooting
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee police officer who shot and killed an armed suspect this month is also accused of unreasonable force against another man in mid April.
Thirty-year-old Ronnie Martin filed a damage claim for more than $1 million against the city, just two days before Officer Dominique Heaggan shot and killed Sylville Smith on Aug. 13, which spurred two days of violence.
Media reports say Martin was a passenger in a car that pulled up to a gas station April 15 -- and while the driver was using a restroom, Martin says Heaggan and officer Peter Hauser accused him of having drugs. He denied it and said he ran off before the officers caught him, threw him to the ground, and used a Taser stun gun on him. Martin also filed a complaint with the city's Fire and Police Commission, and the city attorney's office says it's reviewing the damage claim.
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Wisconsin astronaut breaks record for most time in space
An astronaut from northwest Wisconsin set a new U.S. record for the most time spent in space.
Jeffrey Williams of Winter logged his 520th career day in orbit Wednesday, breaking the old mark set by Scott Kelly. Williams and two Russian cosmonauts have been orbiting the earth since mid March in the International Space Station, conducting numerous experiments in a weightless environment.
They're due to return Sept. 5, when the 58-year-old Williams will have logged 534 total days -- mostly in four long journeys on the International Space Station. NASA celebrated Williams' accomplishment by posting photo highlights of his missions on the agency's Tumblr social media page -- but Williams may not hold the record for long, as Peggy Whitson has logged 377 days in orbit, and she plans to begin a six month mission in November.
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VA secretary, Johnson see tighter security at Milwaukee VA hospital
MILWAUKEE – U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald was among those touring the Zablocki VA Hospital in Milwaukee, where concerns were raised about a patient's death and security lapses.
Hospital officials cited improvements during Wednesday's visit by McDonald, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, and Milwaukee House Democrat Gwen Moore. Johnson, a Wisconsin Repubican, says he agrees that the issues are being "addressed and taken seriously."
Last fall, VA Administrative Board members responded to whistleblower complaints when they managed to enter a treatment unit without being stopped -- and one month later, 26-year-old Cole Schuler died from excessive drugs in a treatment wing for substance abuse patients. New hospital director Daniel Zomchek says 30 new surveillance cameras have since been added, window handles were removed from some of the patients' rooms, and random security sweeps are now being performed.
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Time expiring for SBA loans for late 2015 frost
ATLANTA -- Time is running out for agricultural businesses in north central Wisconsin to apply for low interest loans to help recover from a late spring bout with frost and freeze conditions last year.
The Small Business Administration says the deadline is Sept. 6 to seek Economic Injury Disaster loans resulting from sudden cold conditions last May 17 through June 6. The SBA says the loans will help those suffering financial losses to get back on their feet.
Interest rates are 2.6 percent for nonprofit groups and 4 percent for eligible small businesses with payment terms of up to 30 years. The disaster declaration was for Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Portage, Price, Shawano, Taylor, Waupaca, and Wood counties.
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Unemployment down in all but 1 state metro
MADISON -- Unemployment is down in all but one of Wisconsin's 12 metro areas.
State workforce development officials report Wednesday that nine of the 12 metros have seen their actual unadjusted jobless rates fall below 4 percent in July. They're below the statewide unadjusted rate of 4.1 percent.
Racine is the only metro that did not have a decline, and that place held steady at 5.5 percent from June to July. Madison, the home of state government, had the lowest rate at 3 percent. All but one of the state's 72 counties also had declines in their jobless rates. Racine County held steady at 5.5 percent, with other rates ranging from 3 percent in Dane County to 8.9 in Menominee County.

Wisconsin roundup: Meth-related inmates outpace OWI in Eau Claire; man in court on dog-dragging charges; seven more state news stories


Rose Marie Kuehni smiles at family members in court Wednesday after a hearing where it was learned that she will be released on a surety bond, but retried on a second-degree homicide charge in the death of Douglas Bailey. (RiverTown Multimedia photo by Mike Longaecker)
The Prescott woman who admitted to shooting her boyfriend in self-defense last week will be retried on a second-degree homicide charge, but will be released from jail as her next trial looms.
James Duvall, the Buffalo-Pepin county judge presiding over the case of Rose Marie Kuehni, ordered her release during a Wednesday hearing in Pierce County Circuit Court. Terms of her release require Kuehni’s parents to each sign a surety bond, which puts them on the hook for $20,000 if she flees.
“We’ve got someone with a stake in the venture if things start going south,” Duvall said.
The judge’s decision was preceded by an announcement from Assistant Pierce County District Attorney Bill Thorie that he will re-try Kuehni on the second-degree homicide charge.
A Pierce County jury last week convicted Kuehni of hiding a corpse, but did not convict her of first- or second-degree homicide charges. While the jury acquitted her of first-degree intentional homicide in the Nov. 22, 2015, shooting death of Douglas Bailey, it was deadlocked on the second count, allowing it to be retried in court.
“That is our decision, your honor,” Thorie told Duvall on Wednesday.
On the issue of bail, defense attorney Mark Gherty sought for Kuehni to be released on a signature bond. He argued that as a mother of an 11-year-old son, she is not a flight risk. Gherty said Kuehni -- a construction consultant -- will be living with her mother in Pepin and has secured work through her uncle doing online reviews of construction plans.
“She’s been in custody for 245-plus days,” Gherty said. “This is a situation where in the interest of justice, she is not a flight risk.”
Until the hearing, Kuehni had been held in Pierce County Jail on $100,000 cash bail.
Thorie contended that Kuehni has been found guilty at trial of hiding a corpse -- a felony crime that he said supports an argument to revoke her bond altogether. He said that if the judge were to consider releasing her, that he require electronic monitoring.
“Something that has more of a control on the defendant,” Thorie said, “than just living in the basement of her mother’s home.”
Duvall agreed to release her on the $20,000 surety bond with conditions.
“We live in a great country, and that country is governed by laws,” the judge said, citing the U.S. Constitution. “One of the things the Constitution says is people are innocent until proven guilty. Those aren’t just words.”
It made sense to hold Kuehni on cash bail while she awaited trial on first-degree homicide charges -- charges the jury did not convict her of, the judge noted.
“The level of her incentive to disappear is significantly different than it was the last time we had this discussion,” Duvall said.
The judge said he doesn’t believe Kuehni is a danger to the public.
“Do I really think she’s going to go out and shoot somebody again? I don’t,” he said.
Duvall added that he hopes Kuehni does not face intimidation while she is out on bond.
Terms of Kuehni’s release prohibit her from traveling out of state or more than 10 miles from where she’ll be living in Pepin.
“You want to walk down to the river and watch the river go by -- you can do that,” he said.
She can travel outside those boundaries, however, if she is accompanied by either her mother or her father.
Duvall’s order prohibits Kuehni from contacting Clarence Hicks -- the man who allegedly disposed of the box containing Bailey’s body -- and requires her to be monitored by a GPS system that she must pay for.
Any contact Kuehni may have with her son will be subject to family court proceedings, Duvall said.
Jury options
The hearing also provided the first look at how things may proceed as Kuehni’s next trial awaits. Asked by Duvall if attorneys had considered the prospect of new parameters for the jury, Gherty said he had.
He said he plans to file a motion this week to cull a jury from outside the county where the charges are filed. Gherty said he is opting for that versus a change in venue -- where the trial is held in a different county.
Gherty said he is concerned about comments being posted on the Pierce County Herald in the wake of the jury’s decision.
“The vitriol has been thrown about,” he said.
Also discussed at the hearing was the status of the jury’s conviction on hiding a corpse. Kuehni was accused of placing Bailey’s body in a box, along with a second box containing his belongings, and then driving it to Illinois. Hicks allegedly took the boxes back to his home state of Kentucky and pushed them down a remote mountain; he is also charged in Pierce County with hiding a corpse.
Gherty said that since Kuehni was not convicted of either homicide charge, one of the two requirements for convicting her of hiding a corpse was not fulfilled. In order to reach that conviction, it must be proved that it was done to conceal a crime.
“At this point, there’s been no crime that she’s been convicted of,” Gherty said.
Duvall said that argument warrants further discussion, but noted that evidence suggests Kuehni transported a corpse out of state and failed to report a death.
“Those are both criminal statutes,” the judge noted.
He concluded that sentencing on the hiding-a -corpse conviction would be put on hold until the next trial is resolved.
Gherty also asked Duvall if new motions would be fair game in a new trial. Specifically, he wondered if testimony offered at the first trial from a Peoria, Ill., detective could come into play. The detective testified that he lied to Kuehni in order to establish rapport -- a conversation that led to her eventual jailhouse confession.
Duvall said he would consider motions, but hinted that he didn’t see Gherty’s concerns gaining traction.
“It happens all the time,” he said of law enforcement using lies in the course of duty, offering an example. “Cops knock on the door and go, ‘Pizza!’”
Still, Duvall said, “You file whatever motions you want.”

Kuehni to be charged again with homicide, will be released on bail


RON-denominated household deposits decline in July 2016, first monthly drop in 11 months


The Huron County Public Health department was given a $36,436 grant for “Performance management: Letting the process determine the tool of best fit.”
“It’s a grant funding opportunity through a government efficiency program,” said health commissioner Tim Hollinger. “Essentially what it is is a quality improvement grant to improve efficiency and effectiveness. It’ll allow us to bring in experts that look at how we do business, its efficiency and how to reduce costs and increase efficiency.”
Hollinger has high hopes for the result of the grant money.
“We’re hoping we’ll be able to cut costs and find better ways to be more efficient to cut costs for the public,’ he said. “We’ll develop the whole process with the vendor we choose. What happens is you choose a vendor then sit down and go through. You have to sit there — it’s painful — and you have to walk through every step you do (for each process) and they’ll say if we take this step and this step and this step and combined it this way or did this it would be better. They are process experts. They show you more efficient ways of doing your job. That’s why the number is what it is (so high) because of number of hours that needs to go into it. We’ll need to pay the vendor a lot of money.”
The department plans to spend a considerable amount of time selecting the best vendor for the process.
“So the health district isn’t really gaining money in it’s budget, it’s paying the vendor,” Hollinger said. “It’s going to be a competitive time for the vendors we think. We’ll start the process now of vetting different vendors. It’ll come down to who has most experience; have you worked with other health departments, so we can ask them how much money did it save them or did they work with another county governmental agencies so we can call them to see how much it saved them. We want real life situations that we can base it off of.”
Erie County Health Department was given a $50,818 workforce development and new employee orientation.
“It’s a cross training and employee orientation grant,” said Erie County health commissioner Pete Schade. “It’s for what the government folks call greenbelt training. It applies the japanese martial arts terms to performance management styles, which enable staff and management to come to better decision making skills and use of their time. It’s really good stuff.
“The grant will help to off set our staff budget time with the training. We have 100 staff members, so that can be a lof of hours,” he added.
“In the last 8 months we’ve trained our entire staff. We’re applying the lean six sigma quality improvement process. So we’ll examine how much paperwork we have and how it’s handled and the flow of process for it all. It cuts out duplication or unnecessary steps in the processes.”
The department has already seen improvements from when they have applied what they learned from previous grants that allowed similar situations.
“Absolutely (we’ve seen improvements),” Schade said. “When everyone on staff understands that reason you do things and you don’t only do something because it’s the way it’s been done forever, you the challenge staff to look at it and we look for better ways everyday. It’s great. So we’ll pick up where left off and get going on new projects.”

Health departments get grants to improve work processes


Huron and Erie County were recently awarded a combined $87,000 to help with management and efficiency of the departments.
The Huron County Public Health